A friend just bought one and is looking to do some upgrades on the engine or add ons to pick up some HP.....anyone have any ideas...

Originally posted by blaauboer:
A friend just bought one and is looking to do some upgrades on the engine or add ons to pick up some HP.....anyone have any ideas... I dont think these trucks can be tuned yet so I think he's limited to catback exhaust and cold air intake.

I know these guys were kind of SOL a while back because they could not tune the trucks like the LS1 based mills in the GM lineup can be.

Might try one of the Dodge truck boards out there.

DodgeForum.com (http://dodgeforum.com)
Rumblebee.org (http://Rumblebee.org)

They are two good places to start. I just bought an 04 Hemi Sport, but it is unmodded right now. DC now sells a full exhaust (headers, and all) system, Cold air intakes are plentiful and some better then others, depending on the yearsm there are computer controllers, but the engines are not the same from year to year (the ECM or PCM or one of those 3 letter acronyms, differ). I think that they are coming up with some cams and larger T-bodies, but am not positive on that. The two sites above are full og guys with plenty of knowledge, just like on here. I am RedSS454 there too, but don't post much.

Chris

Originally posted by RedSS454:
DodgeForum.com (http://dodgeforum.com)
Rumblebee.org (http://Rumblebee.org)

They are two good places to start. I just bought an 04 Hemi Sport, but it is unmodded right now. DC now sells a full exhaust (headers, and all) system, Cold air intakes are plentiful and some better then others, depending on the yearsm there are computer controllers, but the engines are not the same from year to year (the ECM or PCM or one of those 3 letter acronyms, differ). I think that they are coming up with some cams and larger T-bodies, but am not positive on that. The two sites above are full og guys with plenty of knowledge, just like on here. I am RedSS454 there too, but don't post much.

Chris Hows the gas mileage so far? Heard many a complaint about mileage (excluding the truck winning most inefficient vehicle award last year)

Just curious, is all.

Originally posted by Midnight Marauder:
How's the gas mileage so far?
Just curious, is all. My '04 Ram Quad Sport Laramie w/Hemi SUCKS gas! :rolleyes: And premium grade at that.
I'm sure the Towing package w/3.92 sure grip doesn't help.

Best upgrade you could do is put a Cummins diesel in place of the Hemi tongue.gif ;) .

After hearing reports of terrible milage with the Hemi's, I went for the diesel instead. Found a good used one with only 7k miles for $10k less than sticker. Truck gets 15-17 mpg around town and 21 on long highway trips...and that's weighing in a 7200 lbs. Towing 7000 lbs, still gets 15+ mpg. Power & fuel economy is where a diesel rocks graemlins/thumbsup.gif .

If anything, it's tons better than my old '89 Suburban 2500 3/4 ton with the TBI 454 which got 8 to 9 mpg on average and NEVER got better than 11 mpg.

BTW, what kind of milage are most of the new Hemi Dodges getting? Last year when I got mine, I hear reports of most Hemi's getting in the 12 to 14 mpg range at best.

Maybe I'm expecting too much, Todd...
I get 14 around town and 11 towing the Chevelle. Generally, I burn mid-grade gas unless I'm towing. Then I'll use premium, which is still cheaper than diesel.
It's just a secondary vehicle; I don't use it much and not needed for work. Owned it 1 1/2 years and it just turned 10K miles today.

Originally posted by BillsCamino:
Maybe I'm expecting too much, Todd...
I get 14 around town and 11 towing the Chevelle. Generally, I burn mid-grade gas unless I'm towing. Then I'll use premium, which is still cheaper than diesel.
It's just a secondary vehicle; I don't use it much and not needed for work. Owned it 1 1/2 years and it just turned 10K miles today. Kinda got burnt myself on the price of fuel. When I bought my truck one year ago, diesel was $1.69 a gallon. In one years time, the fuel prices here have climbed and peaked at $2.25 a gallon with it currently sitting at around $2.00 a gallon. Here I buy a diesel for power and fuel economy (plus diesel has had a very long history of being an economy fuel comparable to 89 octane gas in price), and deisel prices skyrocket graemlins/angry.gif . The kicker is diesel is a unrefined fuel compared to gasoline...no reason for it to cost more as far as a refining basis is concerned.

I put diesel on mine last night....$2.69 in the Seattle area....92 octane gas was $2.39 at the same Shell station...
isn't that great?

Exactly Todd!
I thought the same thing. :D
Soon after purchase, I was second guessing myself on why I hadn't bought a diesel...
What made it worse, at the time, this was the FIRST Dodge I've ever owned.
We now have three Chrysler products in the driveway. graemlins/clonk.gif
Today, regular unleaded was $1.71; diesel is $2.02 here in GA.

Originally posted by BillsCamino:
Exactly Todd!
I thought the same thing. :D
Soon after purchase, I was second guessing myself on why I hadn't bought a diesel...
What made it worse, at the time, this is the FIRST Dodge I've ever owned.
We now have three Chrysler products in the driveway. graemlins/clonk.gif Well, can't say this is my first dodge as my first was a 1980 Dodge colt wagon, but we won't discuss that thing. lol.

This is my first Dodge truck and the closest thing to a new vehicle I've ever owned. Other than having a paymant again, I don't regret buying this truck...best vehicle I've ever owned.

AIRRAM intake + flowmaster 50 series will make that truck sound so good. True dual 40's will lose you your low end, but the 50 series hemi specific with the intake makes the truck a lot quicker (it will break those 20's loose, unlike stock). www.airram.com (http://www.airram.com) makes imo the best intake out there for hte price.

10secBu,
With your diesel, your paying 11.49 cents per mile. If you had the hemi, you'd be paying 14.29 cents per mile. So even with the skyrocketing diesel prices, your paying 20% less per mile! Not bad!

I have a 97 2500 4x4 with a Cummins. It now has 145,000 miles. I have turned the fuel up and it runs and pulls great. The most I have pulled 32,000 lbs. It has the power it just does not have the brakes with that much weight. I get around 19 on the highway. when it was stock it got 21mpg.
I also have a 2003 F@#D Harley truck that is supercharged. It will run away from a Hemi but we will see each other at the gas pump. It might get 15mpg on a trip if I keep my foot out of it.(yea right)If I pull my ski boat with it I will get 12.5 to 13. I am taking it to south Louisiana pulling my Biscayne on Friday for Super Chevy Sunday. A friend is driving my Dodge pulling my 78 malibu to put in the car coral. I know I will be stoping for gas all the time in the Ford.
John

Originally posted by Midnight Marauder:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by RedSS454:
DodgeForum.com (http://dodgeforum.com)
Rumblebee.org (http://Rumblebee.org)

They are two good places to start. I just bought an 04 Hemi Sport, but it is unmodded right now. DC now sells a full exhaust (headers, and all) system, Cold air intakes are plentiful and some better then others, depending on the yearsm there are computer controllers, but the engines are not the same from year to year (the ECM or PCM or one of those 3 letter acronyms, differ). I think that they are coming up with some cams and larger T-bodies, but am not positive on that. The two sites above are full og guys with plenty of knowledge, just like on here. I am RedSS454 there too, but don't post much.

Chris Hows the gas mileage so far? Heard many a complaint about mileage (excluding the truck winning most inefficient vehicle award last year)

Just curious, is all. </font>[/QUOTE]Not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I made a trip to Ground Up in CT the other day, and going I got an average of about 17.5-17.8 (including the NYC Metro area traffic) and a peak of 19. Coming home, with 250lbs of parts in the bed, I got an average of 16.8-17.1. Considering its a 5300 lbs vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick, it did good.

I have the 3.92 rear and the towing package, along with the Sport Appearence (which detracts from aerodynamics) also. City its about 14.5-15.5. I can live with it. Much better then I origonally thought...and 5 times better then the Chevelle. I would have still gotten this truck if it got around 10mpg, because it is good looking, functional, and big enough for the whole family. And yea, its got a Hemi :D

Chris

Originally posted by RedSS454:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Midnight Marauder:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by RedSS454:
DodgeForum.com (http://dodgeforum.com)
Rumblebee.org (http://Rumblebee.org)

They are two good places to start. I just bought an 04 Hemi Sport, but it is unmodded right now. DC now sells a full exhaust (headers, and all) system, Cold air intakes are plentiful and some better then others, depending on the yearsm there are computer controllers, but the engines are not the same from year to year (the ECM or PCM or one of those 3 letter acronyms, differ). I think that they are coming up with some cams and larger T-bodies, but am not positive on that. The two sites above are full og guys with plenty of knowledge, just like on here. I am RedSS454 there too, but don't post much.

Chris Hows the gas mileage so far? Heard many a complaint about mileage (excluding the truck winning most inefficient vehicle award last year)

Just curious, is all. </font>[/QUOTE]Not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I made a trip to Ground Up in CT the other day, and going I got an average of about 17.5-17.8 (including the NYC Metro area traffic) and a peak of 19. Coming home, with 250lbs of parts in the bed, I got an average of 16.8-17.1. Considering its a 5300 lbs vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick, it did good.

I have the 3.92 rear and the towing package, along with the Sport Appearence (which detracts from aerodynamics) also. City its about 14.5-15.5. I can live with it. Much better then I origonally thought...and 5 times better then the Chevelle. I would have still gotten this truck if it got around 10mpg, because it is good looking, functional, and big enough for the whole family. And yea, its got a Hemi :D

Chris </font>[/QUOTE]Are you hand calculating the fuel milage or going off the overhead computer?

I find the overhead to be off on most of my fuel fill ups. With the diesel fuel foaming, it takes over 20 minutes to fo so, but I fill till you see fuel at the top of the fill neck. This assures me my hand calculations are 100% accurate as the fuel volume is identical every fill up.

All I would like is to see 10 to 11 mpg around town. I currently get 8-9. I own a 95 2500 dodge with at V10 extra cab, long bed 4x4. Good truck though, has 140,000 miles. Glad I didn't get a dooley though, those must suck to park.

Great guy's ....Thanks for your help.....I will pass it on......

I donno about this one b/c I figure the mid to late '50's Hemi speed parts are gonna be kinda hard to find!!!

He, He!!

Is it a 331, 354 or a big 392 hemi motor??

Oh, sorry, you're talking about a little Dodge Hemi motor instead of one of the big Chrysler ones....

pdq67

Here's another good place to look http://www.dodgetrucks.org/

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/dirtrocker/DCP_0014.JPG

Mine aint a hemi though :D

Originally posted by 10secBu:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by RedSS454:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Midnight Marauder:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by RedSS454:
DodgeForum.com (http://dodgeforum.com)
Rumblebee.org (http://Rumblebee.org)

They are two good places to start. I just bought an 04 Hemi Sport, but it is unmodded right now. DC now sells a full exhaust (headers, and all) system, Cold air intakes are plentiful and some better then others, depending on the yearsm there are computer controllers, but the engines are not the same from year to year (the ECM or PCM or one of those 3 letter acronyms, differ). I think that they are coming up with some cams and larger T-bodies, but am not positive on that. The two sites above are full og guys with plenty of knowledge, just like on here. I am RedSS454 there too, but don't post much.

Chris Hows the gas mileage so far? Heard many a complaint about mileage (excluding the truck winning most inefficient vehicle award last year)

Just curious, is all. </font>[/QUOTE]Not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I made a trip to Ground Up in CT the other day, and going I got an average of about 17.5-17.8 (including the NYC Metro area traffic) and a peak of 19. Coming home, with 250lbs of parts in the bed, I got an average of 16.8-17.1. Considering its a 5300 lbs vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick, it did good.

I have the 3.92 rear and the towing package, along with the Sport Appearence (which detracts from aerodynamics) also. City its about 14.5-15.5. I can live with it. Much better then I origonally thought...and 5 times better then the Chevelle. I would have still gotten this truck if it got around 10mpg, because it is good looking, functional, and big enough for the whole family. And yea, its got a Hemi :D

Chris </font>[/QUOTE]Are you hand calculating the fuel milage or going off the overhead computer?

I find the overhead to be off on most of my fuel fill ups. With the diesel fuel foaming, it takes over 20 minutes to fo so, but I fill till you see fuel at the top of the fill neck. This assures me my hand calculations are 100% accurate as the fuel volume is identical every fill up. </font>[/QUOTE]I have heard a bunch of the guys at one of the Dodge sites saying that it was about 1 -1.5 mpg off, so I use that in the calculations, rather then the overhead or by hand. Still not as bad as I thought I was going to get, and heard everyone tlak about.
Chris

We put front and rear Hellwig sway bars on my freinds 03 Dodge Hemi. While not engine related, it really improved the way it drove.