2000 Mexico RamCharger

[rjtx667]

I took some number readings on the way in, I forgot to get the tire size which I will go down and do here in a bit.... but it looks like this truck has 4.56 gears !!!!

I have never done gears, but I might have to swap those with my trail rig and buy new gears for the d44 


It explains why it does not like the highway

[SixGun]

Congrats on the new Drag Truck!   

[rjtx667]

Man what a PITA!!!! V8's in small trucks are lots of fun, until you go to remove one... then there is no room.

I cut the exhaust in 1/2 and removed the front section, that helped some.

I do have to say that this is a new record for me, bought the truck about 48 hrs ago and it already is not running anymore 

I was happy to see the flex plate was balanced so I can use my torque converter with no issues.

I do have to say I am a bit disappointed in a few things already. I asked the guy like 4 times "These are R/T heads right?" ... "oh yeah the are R/T's"

yeah no they are not R/T heads     they are standard heads that he put a little $$ into and ported out a bit.

Also he said the engine was cold natured... well could that be because you did not put a t stat in?

what else... lets see

- he did not think the inspection plate for the torque converter was important
- looks like he -reused the intake bolts (I guess you can, but why?.... one has a broken head so now I have to try n fix that).
- he did not use any fancy rockers... which is ok as I have some, but now I have to learn how to adjust them and set them up 
- he did not have the right collector bolts for the shorty headers... so what did he do? he welded the bolt to the headers so he could secure them.
- he had grounds in all sorts of strange places (on the intake with the intake bolts for one).
- I don't think he did the exhaust but man I think whoever did welds worse than I do 


So the good news is its out and ready for a touch up then get slammed back in the 2000. The bad news is I got something going on next weekend and the weekend after, so I will either have to take a day off to do the swap or its 3 weeks out. 

So far my list of "fixes" are:

New intake bolts
New rockers
New push rods (maybe?)
Swap Fuel rail/ fuel injectors
swap power steering pump bracket
remove bolts from headers
paint headers
clean up pulleys
New plugs
new wires

Inspect lifters
inspect timing chain
look for MP thrust plate (add on to help oil timing chain)

I also want to do a leak down test just for grins since its out and easy to do. I am not super thrilled with the thought of going into the timing cover (I hate removing the balancers... well installing them lol) but I think it needs to be done. If there is not a double roller chain in there, there soon will be.

I will get into some of it tomorrow and check things out, for now I am reading about the rockers and trying to understand all of that along with looking for goodies that need to be purchased.

[crazzywolfie]

that sucks that it is not all the guy promised it was but if it has lots of power it could still be worth the money. it will be a fun ride when you are done.

[rjtx667]

well I don't think he knew what he was promising... he is not a dodge guy so when I asked does it have R/T heads I am sure he was confused.

but yeah its got good power, I am going just to tweak it a bit.. then maybe in a year or so I can afford the indy heads and rock with them 

[crazzywolfie]

so i guess we won't be getting a burnout video till your done?

[rjtx667]

so i guess we won't be getting a burnout video till your done?

  yeah looks like it. I am going to go by where I did the burnout the other night... see if I can get some pics of the marks left for you guys.

Let me put it like this though.. when I bought the truck it was below E, I put $40 in it (about 1/2 a tank). Drove it home, played a little. Drove to work (25 miles each way) drove home, let a friend play. Got home it had 1/8th of a tank left and the gas light was on.

After that I figured I needed to pull the sucker as I would go broke driving it as it was 

I have to buy a new computer for it too as there is no way to set this computer back to stock 

[crazzywolfie]

couldn't you just get the dealer to reprogram it back to stock or for a 5.2? i don't think it could be to expensive to get them to fix it. i know if you buy a new one you would most likely have to take it to them anyway to get the vin and mileage entered into the computer.

[rjtx667]

couldn't you just get the dealer to reprogram it back to stock or for a 5.2? i don't think it could be to expensive to get them to fix it. i know if you buy a new one you would most likely have to take it to them anyway to get the vin and mileage entered into the computer.

I am going to ask, but not sure how happy they would be to clear a tuner programmer out. Not to mention I am not sure how happy the truck will be to run up there once its "stock again" lol

[crazzywolfie]

i bet you they fix computers that have been screwed up by tuners all the time. its not like this would be the first time it has happened. at least you can say you bought the truck like that.

[SixGun]

Don't lie, you know even if there was nothing questionable you still would have dug into it.  It's an addiction ya know.   

That intake looks like a high rise.  Are you gonna change it or (cough cough) tear into your beautiful new hood.  Surely, that tall monster won't fit under the hood or does it?

[rjtx667]

Don't lie, you know even if there was nothing questionable you still would have dug into it.  It's an addiction ya know.   

That intake looks like a high rise.  Are you gonna change it or (cough cough) tear into your beautiful new hood.  Surely, that tall monster won't fit under the hood or does it?

really I wanted to just throw it in and go, but once all the little issues started showing up, I would rather check it now while it is out of the truck than after its in the truck.

I was looking, the roller rockers give you like max of 5hp.... I just shook my head and thought am I seriously going to go through all this config and setup for 5hp at the crank? then skilled and said hell yes 

as for the intake, I already have that exact intake on the rc and it fits just fine. so that also means I will have one of those for sale soon, just have to figure out a price and when.

told Amy I might have to take a day off to do this otherwise it will be a month before I have a weekend for it... and I am just not that patient of a person

[rjtx667]

Well I got a few things on order, and about to order the rest.

Got the fender protectors for it so I can keep the paint nice 

I also bought a dial indicator to degree the cam.

here is the rest I am ordering:

front cover gasket
chain tensioner
chain/ gear set
valve cover kit
intake bolt set
intake gasket set
water pump/ timing cover bolts
breather cover
thermostat
push rods set
lifters
wire set
wire separators
spart plugs

I don't guess any of it is needed, but its all wanted lol he re-used the chain that was on the engine before the rebuild and it does not have the Mopar Perf chain tensioner, so if I have to go in there and remove it all to put the tensioner on then I might as well spend a little more and get a new chain and gear set for it. I don't know about the lifters and push rods, so rather just play it safe and replace them now. The intake bolts, one is broke off so I have to remove the intake to try and pull it out so new kit to re-install.

and I figure if its all off I might as well buy the "pretty chrome" bolts for the water pump/ timing cover.

Oh yeah I ordered new header bolts and some better gaskets, I don't want to be replacing those next year, those shortly headers are a PITA lol

I believe most stuff will be in wed, so I am thinking I will be taking thursday off to try and do the install. I should get the ramcharger back today or tomorrow which means I can prep it (remove  wire harness, fuel line, alternator, hood, etc) before thursday so I can get going fairly quickly. The other good thing is its suppose to be 74 on thursday, so its a good day to try it.

[rjtx667]

Parts are on there way and will be here wed for my install date of thursday. I plan to take off since its gonna be like 74 or something.

I have been debating on the rolling rockers, not sure if the adjustments will be worth it and I am not 100% sure if I won't need custom length rods which I don't want to go down that road.

[SixGun]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.