6.1 Swap

[rebelyell]

Recently got a good deal on a 6.1 Hemi, so I'm going to use this thread to plan out the swap and post pictures as I get things done throughout this year. I have an old thread where I tried to salvage the current 413 and fix things along the way, but I've given up on that plan. I'll pull the 413 and sell it off. Keeping the existing A833 because it's the original one to my car.

Here's what I have planned so far:
6.1 hemi w/ gas pedal removed from donor car
Holley Oil Pan Kit 302-60. 3 Main bolts (6513099aa), one Main Stud (gotta find that p/n)
Silver Sport TKX Trans with clutch, flywheel, bellhousing, Hydraulic Actuator. This kit comes with all mounts, speedo gear and driveshaft. (no tunnel mod required and a 5 speed??) 
Hotwire harness (R-0024-1) and send them the pcm to tune.
Borgeson power steering box
Remote PS reservoir
Roseville power steering cooler
TTI headers to clear the Borgeson box
TTI Motor mounts
Somebody's oil filter adapter
Somebody's radiator overflow tank
And some junkyard radiator fans
Aeromotive 18142 fuel tank
Dakota Digital Gages

Those are the major items I'll need for the swap. I've got welding cable for the battery relocation, but I expect to be nickel and dimed to death on fuel line fittings, hoses, and clamps.

As far as installation goes I'm going to install the motor and trans with electrical, skipping the AC for now just to get it in the car and running/driving. Once I hook the exhaust up I'm going to take it to the speed shop up the road and have them install 3.91 suregrip and US Car Tool torque boxes and frame connectors. I don't trust myself welding on the floor pans and I cannot set up a rear end.

Just looking at retail prices on the big items, I'm going to have about 20k in it. Way more than I wanted to spend, but when I'm done I'll be able to drive it across country comfortably and give the newer cars a run for their money. Got to start buying parts before inflation gets real crazy. That fuel tank has gone up $100 in the last year.


Looking forward to this. Last time I drove it, the carb broke and left me stranded. Last time I started it with a new carb, it started backfiring out the right bank and it's sat in the garage since. PCV system was never right on that motor, so I'm done with it.

[rebelyell]

Got the motor today. Little dirty, but it looks like it will clean up well.

The pedal bracket that came with it is broken, so I'll need to figure out an epoxy/3D print solution for that.

Hotwire told me that the 6.1 PCM that came with it is also unprogrammable for a manual trans, so I'm out there too.


At least the one engine cover looks good.

[anlauto]

What does something like that cost, and is it guaranteed to be a good motor ?

[Filthy Filbert]

You should contact Flyin Ryan Performance.    He helped a bunch of Dakota guys re-tune their factory PCMs from auto to manual, and even has a couple work-arounds for when guys add manual transmissions to years that never existed.    Example, the "easy" reprogramming was when someone added a manual transmission to a Dakota on a model year when you could get a 5.2L V8 with a manual transmission.    The "tricky" way was when adding a manual transmission to a year where you had 5.9L automatic only or 4.7L auto or manual available.    Guys with 5.9s who did manual swaps had to do some trickery.

Anyway, I bet he knows how to unlock and reprogram the computer that you have now to work with a manual transmission.

www.frptuning.com    he's also available on facebook

[rebelyell]

Paid $5k shipped for the motor only from a salvage yard about 8 hours up the road. It's "guaranteed" in that I have a video of the engine running in the car it came out of. It was a running/driving car before it ended up in the yard. 81k miles.

I didn't think about FRP. I'm a member of those groups too. I'll eventually do this same exact swap to my R/T Dakota when the 5.9 dies. That's a good idea man. Thanks.

[1973Cuda]

I recently had a crate 392 installed in my '71 RT and a couple observations...Had issues w/ drivetrain alignment as the Hotchkis suspension lowered the rear about an inch. We needed to raise it a couple inches to eliminate vibration at higher speeds (due to misalignment)...just something to keep in mind. Our other option was to cut up the tunnel.  Also I had the 3.91 Dana w/ the TKO 600 and you almost didn't need 1st gear at the combined ratios, so I went with a 3.54 and am much happier...also cruises better, around 66 mph at 2000 rpm versus 60 mph w/ the 3.91. Good Luck! It will go like a bat outa hell .

[rebelyell]

Thanks! I'm going to try it first with whatever is in it. Might be 3.54. It's going to need a suregrip, but if I like how the 3.54 is, I might just keep it.

That's something I didn't know with how the rear is set up. I'm assuming the rear leafs in mine are stock, but who knows. I'll definitely keep that in mind when I get it all together and start testing how drivable it is.

[Filthy Filbert]

I didn't think about FRP. I'm a member of those groups too. I'll eventually do this same exact swap to my R/T Dakota when the 5.9 dies. That's a good idea man. Thanks.

Nice! Ryan is a friend of mine, also from the Dakota world.   He and I worked together to figure out how to fix the "hanging RPM" that all the other SCT tuners couldn't figure out when swapping cams, especially on manual transmission trucks.  (Hemifever, PIE, etc)

Funny, another guy on here with an E body AND a Dakota!  And doing Gen3 Hemi swaps to both!!  I was going to do a 408 for my truck, but have since decided to do a 6.4 when the time comes.   Right now it's just a top end build -- heads, intake, cam, headers, and the tune.   

[anlauto]

Paid $5k shipped for the motor only from a salvage yard about 8 hours up the road. It's "guaranteed" in that I have a video of the engine running in the car it came out of. It was a running/driving car before it ended up in the yard. 81k miles.

I guess that's not bad, Roseville wants $8500 for a 6.4 crate motor  so for what you got in mileage you saved on cash 

[rebelyell]

I didn't think about FRP. I'm a member of those groups too. I'll eventually do this same exact swap to my R/T Dakota when the 5.9 dies. That's a good idea man. Thanks.

Nice! Ryan is a friend of mine, also from the Dakota world.   He and I worked together to figure out how to fix the "hanging RPM" that all the other SCT tuners couldn't figure out when swapping cams, especially on manual transmission trucks.  (Hemifever, PIE, etc)

Funny, another guy on here with an E body AND a Dakota!  And doing Gen3 Hemi swaps to both!!  I was going to do a 408 for my truck, but have since decided to do a 6.4 when the time comes.   Right now it's just a top end build -- heads, intake, cam, headers, and the tune.   

Looks great! This is one of the last better pictures I got of mine before I wrapped a semi tread around the tire and tore off half the front bumper and the paint fell off. Had to replace that bumper with a silver one I found in a junkyard. Looks like a redneck masterpiece, but it runs well. I've had this truck since 2005 and it's not going anywhere. Did an oooold hemifever tune, M1, and 52mm Fastman TB. Just can't get the kind of power out of a 408 as easily as these new hemis. Magnums weren't really all that great to begin with. Already heard back from Adam with FRP. It would be nice if they could work something out.

Paid $5k shipped for the motor only from a salvage yard about 8 hours up the road. It's "guaranteed" in that I have a video of the engine running in the car it came out of. It was a running/driving car before it ended up in the yard. 81k miles.

I guess that's not bad, Roseville wants $8500 for a 6.4 crate motor  so for what you got in mileage you saved on cash 

I couldn't justify almost $9k for a new motor. Also didn't want to deal with any VVT. Had a 2012 Challenger R/T and 380HP moved that car pretty good. An extra 50HP in a lighter car should put me at the HP/Weight ratio of a new scat pack. Had one of those too and it was exactly the right amount of car for me.

[soundcontrol]

You'll need a new oil pan and pickup also.

[rebelyell]

ahhh, yep. Totally forgot to put that in the list.

Got the Holley pan kit coming. 302-60. Haven't started looking up which main bolts I'll need to swap to a stud for that one.

[soundcontrol]

ahhh, yep. Totally forgot to put that in the list.

Got the Holley pan kit coming. 302-60. Haven't started looking up which main bolts I'll need to swap to a stud for that one.

I swapped 2 bolts, don't remember exact how it looked before, but they recommend new bolts.

[rebelyell]

That's what I haven't seen yet. I know I'll need 3 bolts and a new stud. I was just going to wait and see which went where when it got time to install it.

Do you know if those pans accept a magnetic drain plug?

[rebelyell]

What do you guys think I should do about the cam? Most lifter issues happen right around the mileage mine is.

Swap the cam or not.
Pro: Engine is out, Easy to get to, timing chain cover has to come off anyway. Do it now so I don't have to do it while the engine is in the car.

Cons: Cam swaps are expensive on these motors, and I want to get the motor in and running/troubleshooting issues before really messing with it.

Troubleshooting issues is my biggest hold up. I know this motor runs and I'd like to drop it in and get the bugs worked out so a bad cam swap isn't an issue.