Boosted Street G3 Hemi Questions

I know this is pretty vague, but I am trying to piece together a combo to go in my Dart.

Rough plan:
~3000lb A Body
G3 Hemi
Holley EFI
T6 frame turbo (S480?) or smaller twins
turbo cam
E85
Powerglide
9" w/ low 3.xx gears (once the 8 3/4 lets go)
275/60 tire

Ultimately, I'd like to be solidly in the 9's.

Doing some reading, it appears that a stock 5.7 or a prepared factory shortblock will not support much. 6.1 would handle more, but they aren't exactly common.

It would make the most sense to get a complete take-out, so I have all of the supporting pieces. I could then upgrade the 5.7 shortblock, and it should support a fair amount of power from what I gather. If I am upgrading the rotating assembly anyway, is an early 5.7 or Eagle preferred? Rod and pistons are a no brainer. good gaskets and head studs, call up someone for a cam. What other upgrades would I need, and how much power would it support?

I now see the hellcat shortblock is available, but I don't know how much would fit if I had a 5.7 donor.

I have nothing so far, aside from the tired LA the hemi will be replacing, but I'd like to try to be smart about it. Knowing what I am after, I won't even bother with a stock engine and risk driving over the crank.

Any input or links to other builds would be appreciated.

I really like the idea of the hellcat shortblock, especially if it comes with a cam and timing chain? Any 2009 or newer motor ought to donate the stuff for the front of the engine, and ALL of the high boost engineering has been done for you. No worrys about, did i build it right? Also, pm me abought a helcat blower if you like. I have one,,,,,

No cam/timing chain, but fairly reasonable once you add up building a 5.7.

http://www.modernmusclextreme.com/p-215-hellcat-62l-hemi-short-block-68262362aa.aspx

Dave, I don't know how much you use FB, but the G3 Hemi Swap group has some good information and people.

Dennis

Thanks, I don't use FB for much, but I can convinced myself to sign on if there is some useful info to be had.

I rarely get on these forums anymore because there is a lot of good info on fb. In the above stated group there is a guy putting 20lbs to a bone stock 5.7 hemi making 680hp to the tires in an a body. I'm finishing up the turbo system now on mine. Stock 05 5.7 hemi, cam, timing set and gapping the rings for boost then just going to see what it will take for boost.

Looks very sharp junior636! That's shaping up nicely...

Thanks. your setup looks clean. It's just difficult to go back and find posts on FB because it updates so frequently. 20psi sounds a bit risky on the stock rods, I assume he's running E85 or C16. I will try to find his posts.

I believe the guy you are looking for is Travis Patton. He had had some success with patching together broken 5.7s and making big power. I think he even patched a hole in a block with a piece of brake drum.

I would get a Hellcat block and fill it with aftermarket rotating assembly, custom ground cam and Thitek heads. By the time you buy or pay the core on a set of cnc 6.4 heads you're close to what the Thitek's cost and stock heads are crap alloy. Sure you can use stock parts and make some good power but for how long?

This is where I am struggling a little. Do I spend the money now, and build it to last, or do I open up the ring gaps on a stock longblock and sort the car out at a lower power level while I piece together another engine that will handle the big boy boost.

I say my goal is 9's...but who doesn't want more.

I geuss it all depends on how much you want to work on the car. Good core engines go for a decent buck. I like to spend the money once. I definitely would not trust the stock rods. When they break, they shatter and take everything along with.

That is exactly what I'm doing, I paid $1200 for a running 5.7 so the investment wasnt huge. I'm just going to get it going on that then build a solid motor with a good rotating assembly as money allows.

Do you really need boost to acomplish those goals? Seems a 6.4 with good headers, maybe a cam swap and a good tune should get a well sorted 3000LB A body solidly in the 9s. I mean they make 485 HP net stock with a restrictive exhaust and emmisions/warranty/mpg crappy tune and guys are running 12s with %50 more weight and tiny tires

A 3000 lb car is going to need 600-700hp at the wheels to make mid 9's. I don't think your getting that from a 6.4 without boost. I'm sure it's possible but not reliably. I plan to put about 12lbs to my stocker, I'll have about $6000 all in and I can hit the key and go anywhere in it.

I could mimic Ray's setup, but I've got a NA car already...looking for the challenge of boost, and having huge power potential with a relatively mild combo

Thank you ^

You're telling a guy that wants 600-700hp setup to invest the same money as a class racer who needs to make 1500. Any Joe Blow can tell somebody to get the best of the best parts available and spout out some things and stuff. That's not advice, plus there's misinformation in what you're saying. Gotta love the interwebs...so for clarity's sake:

The 6.2 Hellcat and 6.4 truck heads are made of 356 aluminum alloy with T6 heat treat and aging process and have built-in gusseting structure to maintain their structural integrity under high cylinder pressures. They are very stout pieces.
What are Thitek's made out of??? You guessed it....356-T6. Same material and he's boosting it. Have you priced a set of Thitek heads? They are $3000 BARE. Get a set of factory 6.4 truck or Hellcat heads.
All the other factory heads (early 5.7, 5.7 Eagle, 6.1, 6.4 Apache) are made out of 318 alloy, which is great for lower cylinder pressures but has a tendency to warp under boosted conditions. They just weren't made for a boosted application, that's all. They aren't made out of "crap" alloy.
And why would you have a set of heads CNC'ed when you're boosting the engine for a goal of 600-700hp. Hellcat guys are reaching 1000+, no porting.

Why spend the time and money to get a Hellcat block then put thousands into making a shortblock when you could just get an assembled Hellcat short block for less? As stated above, guys are pushing those engines well past his 600-700hp goal without issue.

Why get a special custom ground cam as well when your goal is at a the 600-700hp level. Hell, Hot Rod magazine took a 5.7 out of a junkyard, threw a $500 turbo on it and made like 630hp/690ft-lb with a total cost of $3900. Stock cam, stock "crappy" heads, stock internals.

My advice, get a used 6.4 truck long block. Same factory 356-T6 heads, same Hellcat block, more cubes allowing you to run even less boost for same power goal, use the stock cam, buy rods and pistons if you just can't resist, and you will have room to grow if you wanted to.

Just put put a set of drop-in pistons and rods in a stock 2009+ 5.7 and boost to your goal. Doesn't need to be any more complicated than that.

Great post...

I'm somewhat new to the G3H engine basics and trying to get a grasp on info like this.

Is there an OEM identification method for the truck blocks and heads, other than seeing it actually removed from a vehicle?

Does this apply to all trucks? (1500 and 2500 series)

Any recommendations for places that have good prices on used truck engines?

Thanks!