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Engine replacement ideas for the 2007 Ram 1500

Commiefornia. I live here. Commiefornia likes revenue.
 
Buy a crate engine and start over. Clean swap and most come with a warranty. Just my opinion.
 
The machinist that I have used since 2000 retired but still works occasionally. I asked him last summer if he had rebuilt any 3 G Hemi engines. He had not but he did say that he had worked on heads for them. He said that these newer engines run so long, the vehicles wear out about the same time that the engines do.
I don’t know if I agree with that but anyhow....
This new junkyard in Rancho Cordova had 3 trucks with 5.7s in them. They charge $250 for complete engines. I am tempted to pull one to rebuild myself after getting it bored and cleaned.
That book I mentioned earlier states that many don’t need to be bored but if they do, .020 is the limit.
The book was written by that same guy that perpetuated that bullshit “Thin wall 440” myth that people believed for years.
 
Is it not a "work truck"? Keep it simple Brother, spend your energy and $$$$ on your Chargers!
P.S. Glad to see you back "in the mix"!
 
It was/is a work truck.
I'm on the edge of retirement OR working a bit part time. I still use the truck for 90% of my driving.
It is smart to keep it simple, I get that. My thoughts dance all around the place from the 6.1 to the stroked 5.7.....
A stock 5.7 would probably feel pretty strong compared to this tired one. A switch to deeper gears would give more response too.
 
The trucks of my era that were equipped with 20" wheels usually got the 3.92 differential gear. Mine had 17" wheels originally but the dealer changed them to a 22" wheel with a 265-40-22. Those were some rubber band thin profile tires! I have 305-40-22s now, the actual size that the SRT-10 trucks had. Those also had 4.10 gear axles though.
That is why the added leverage of the gearing is a concern.
 
Kern Dog said:
The trucks of my era that were equipped with 20" wheels usually got the 3.92 differential gear. Mine had 17" wheels originally but the dealer changed them to a 22" wheel with a 265-40-22. Those were some rubber band thin profile tires! I have 305-40-22s now, the actual size that the SRT-10 trucks had. Those also had 4.10 gear axles though.
That is why the added leverage of the gearing is a concern.
Click to expand...
When I got my '04, Dodge had stopped offering the factory 20's with 3.55's - 3.92's became the minimum
ratio.
 
Oh, and PS - with the 545RFE and it's lousy gear ratios, I regret not getting like 4.10's now. :)
 
I've read that some guys that race these trucks run a 4.56 gear.
People RACE these trucks ???
 
moparedtn said:
Oh, and PS - with the 545RFE and it's lousy gear ratios, I regret not getting like 4.10's now. :)
Click to expand...
I thought this was a 5 speed transmission but NOOOooo...

The 45RFE later became the 5-speed 545RFE.

  • Gear Ratios:
    • 1st 3.00:1
    • 2nd 1.67:1
  • 545RFE only: 2nd Prime 1.50:1
    • 3rd 1.00:1
    • 4th 0.75:1
    • Reverse 3.00:1
 
A rebuilt 5.7 with Eagle heads and a 6.1 intake will do wonders!!
 
You will friggin’ love it!!
 
Kern Dog said:
It was/is a work truck.
I'm on the edge of retirement OR working a bit part time. I still use the truck for 90% of my driving.
It is smart to keep it simple, I get that. My thoughts dance all around the place from the 6.1 to the stroked 5.7.....
A stock 5.7 would probably feel pretty strong compared to this tired one. A switch to deeper gears would give more response too.
Click to expand...
I had the same truck you have, except it came with 20 inch wheels. I put 22 inches wheels on it with the 392 gears and loved it. Go with a new 5.7 and 392 gears and you'll be happy.
 
Kern Dog said:
I thought this was a 5 speed transmission but NOOOooo...

The 45RFE later became the 5-speed 545RFE.

  • Gear Ratios:
    • 1st 3.00:1
    • 2nd 1.67:1
  • 545RFE only: 2nd Prime 1.50:1
    • 3rd 1.00:1
    • 4th 0.75:1
    • Reverse 3.00:1
Click to expand...
You have a 545RFE in that 2007. Mine has it in my 2004....unless yours wasn't originally a hemi?
 
In my Polara 500, it had a 5.7 545rfe (03’) and 3:91’s with a 28 inch tall tire. If I remember correctly, at 70 mph turning 15-1600 rpm’s. Had the stock 5.7 cam and 6.1 intake, Diablo Trinity and that thing would bounce off the rev limiter if I held a gear. I wanted to get a stock 6.1 cam for it but never did. That would’ve woke it up.

If ya use Eagle heads, it’ll bump the compression up 1 point to around 10.2-3 and use a 6.1 cam/intake, that 5.7 will be an ANIMAL!
 
It’s true! The lifters are don’t get ENOUGH oil. If ya had a groove ground into the lifter body, like a banana groove on the rocker stands (bbm) the rollers would get enough oil and then the cam wouldn’t eat them.
 
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