I have a 04 2500, engine bit the dust. Putting a junkyard engine in to get it running again but want to rebuild the original engine. At a minimum it needs a bore, new pistons, and a new cam.

While it is on the stand/machines shop, what common mods can be done? I would like to avoid a custom tune if possible as I am struggling to find a shop that programs for dodge computers. Things I have looked at are stroker kits, comp cams kits etc but it looks like they all need a tune. If there is nothing that can be done without a tune I will just do a oem rebuild bored up a size.

 

If you don't want to do a custom tune, then a stock rebuild is your best bet. There really isn't much out there that will give you better power, that doesn't need tuning to get the most out of it. You *might* be able to find a slightly meaner cam, since you are replacing it anyway..... but I think even those will have some caveat about "to get the most out of your cam.....".

That said, longtubes, and a good free-flowing exhaust sure wouldn't hurt ya.

 

unfortunately that's what I have been seeing. I have a stainless mbrp on the truck with some shorty headers. They run good so not planning on touching those beyond header wrap.

 

While I understand the reasoning behind header wrap, I am not a fan. The wrap absorbs moisture, and holds it against the tubes, at least, until it gets boiled off, leaving whatever else is was carrying (salt....) on the wrap, leading to accelerated corrosion of the headers. Some ceramic coated fellers would be my preference. Yeah, I know, wrap is cheap, coated headers.... are not. Coated inside and outside if you can find 'em.... (yeah, as if headers coated on just the outside weren't expensive enough.... )

Can I please spend some more of your money?

 

Mmmmoney.... 130HP bolt on, almost guaranteed to help you find the next weakest component in your aging driveline...
https://www.procharger.com/truck-suv...1500-hemi-5-7/

 

Oh Yeah..... NOTHING wakes up a motor like forced induction. And it comes with tuning. Pricing is likely scary though.

 

A Comp 260 will run in a 3rd gen 5.7 with Superchips canned 91 tuning (handheld programmer); obviously you'd get more out of it with custom tuning but either way it's a nice torque boost and good for about 30hp if memory serves.
Kiss the RFE goodbye lol.
Those kits generally run $7000 to $8000 or so, not including installation (if needed) lol.

 

8k is out of the budget, if it was an option I would put a built diesel & trans in.

 

If it were me, I'd find a block that didn't need bored and can just be honed - save the expense on the machining and new oversized pistons. I might spend on balancing the rotating assembly, but that might be overkill. Supposedly the melling high volume oil pump is a good upgrade for the stock pump, rumor says it'll keep the lifters in better shape... I don't think it could hurt. I bought a 04 hemi truck brand new, 3.92s at 20" wheels. Hemi ran great completely stock; the truck would go sideways when you stepped down on the go pedal. Still ran great when I sold it 11+ years later at about 150k. Synthetic oil changes every 3.5k miles...

Too bad they engineered the body to rust so quickly.