Eh, the more I think about this, the more I think I'd prefer to stay with my old powerplant and transmission.

The final overdrive ratio between the 46re and 545rfe is very close (0.69 vs 0.67) so I wouldn't gain any highway economy, I'd just be gaining that intermediate gear. I think with the 46re and a little hptuners tweaking, I can make it work sufficiently well for my purposes. Plus, they're really cheap and easy to rebuild/beef up if necessary. Mine's a reman unit with maybe 30k on it now. but who knows if it will live behind more power. I've got an external cooler and external filter on it, and a temp gauge in the cab.

I don't really want to deal with the custom fab required for a swap. Exhaust, engine mounts, coolant, all the electrical...just not that appealing.

 

Yep bolted right in. Only thing I did (my OCD) to get the engine to sit exactly level I made the driver's side engine mount 1/8 deeper. I built a custom harness just to use the factory PCM to piggy back off the 2006 Hemi and run just the gauges
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Ooo, so you're running your stock gauges still, but controlling the engine and trans with the 06 PCM? Interesting...

What all have you had to custom fab so far? Are you using stock y pipe or any of the exhaust?

 

The motor is built up so I took all the old exhaust off. Used all the mounts from the 06 and everything bolted right in (I explained the driver's side motor mount). My truck was already PCI so my gauges worked. If you are running CCD you do need the Dakota gauges which I like. My saying is no replacement for displacement

Oh and the guy said about the supercharger it's a good brand and he would go for it. He also said screw superchargers turbo it

 

What's PCI and CCD? I'm not familiar enough with the wiring to know. My truck is an 01 1500.

You're swapping this hemi into a 2nd gen right? Not an early 3rd gen or something.

 

2nd gen. CCD, PCI, and CAN BUS are the computer systems. 01-02 Rams (2nd Gens) used a any one of them 3. If it uses CAN BUS a Hemi is a direct swap (06 and up Hemi some 05s). If it's PCI an 03-05 Hemi is a direct swap. Both still need to use their computer. Where you get into using Dakota gauges is when you are CCD. You need the Dakota gauges because they are PCI. If that makes sense

 

I'm fairly certain my truck is CAN BUS, because once when I had a ground failure, I got a "NO BUS" indication in the gauge cluster.

 

All the above will give that. A way to tell is to see what protocol your code reader chooses when you go to scan for codes.

 

VCM Scaner Readout, all greek to me.

Protocol Info: J1962: ISO 9141/14230, 10,400, 5 Baud Init, ISO 9141

ECM: 0, ENG_A - JTEC+, Dodge/Jeep 99+
VIN: 3B7HF13Z81G242856 - 2001 Dodge Ram, 5.9 L, V8
OS: 56028550AB
Controller Type ID By OS: 20020
Diagnostic Requirements:
Scanning Methods: Dodge SCI x14 Read Sensor, Dodge SCI x12 High Speed

None: D1, ISO 9141/14230 - JTEC+, Dodge/Jeep 99+
OS: 56028550AB
Calibration IDs: 56028550AB
Calibration VNs: 22053165
Basic PIDs: 17
Controller Type ID By OS: 20020
Diagnostic Requirements:
Scanning Methods: ISO 15031-5 Mode 0x01 Functional

 

You have CCD
Technically it's called CCD BUS