[MtnRT]

My Charger threw a rod, on Christmas Eve no less, so now I’m looking at a new/rebuilt engine. It has a Whipple Stage 2 supercharger installed, which I’d like to use on the new engine. I’m expecting quotes for a new or rebuilt engine from the shop in the next day or so. I don’t know what’s feasible for this car, in terms of installing a larger engine. It may be that I have to go with another 5.7, so that the Whipple can be reused. If so, I’m thinking of at least upgrading the internals. Anyone have experience with this sort of thing?

 

[baabootoo]

E-Bay, or FB Marketplace.

 

[gapi]

Pro Engines a call (844-HEMI-PRO) has an eBay store. They rebuild them and are very reputable. Its the only engine they work on.

 

[Blueridge Smoke]

Don't know you budget, but ray barton builds th best gen 3 hemi.

 

[Blueridge Smoke]

Steve White has short blocks around 6k

 

[MtnRT]

Wow, thanks for all the replies! The shop is finishing the tear down today, to see what can be salvaged. They’ve mentioned a couple of sources for short blocks, one of which is Better Built, and I can’t remember the other. The fellow I talked with said baseline cost is $10k for everything, and can go up from there depending on options. They mentioned a 6.4, but I don’t know if the Whipple would work with that, as it was ordered for my 5.7. That one at Steve White looks tempting.
I’m hoping to keep it to $12k. Obviously I wasn’t planning on this expense, but here I am. I’m trying to look at this as an opportunity to wind up with something even better than I had up until the engine went. We’ll see.
They’re estimating it will take 3 or more weeks to get all the parts in, and maybe a week to install. So I’m out of my Charger for at least a month, probably longer.

 

[tacamo01]

Better Built is a good shop, so is Modern Muscle Xtreme. With the AWD system, you need to look at the max power you can make before you really have problems with the transfer case and such. Most do not recommend going higher than 400-425 hp to the wheels with the AWD. Ask Dave Weber at Modern Muscle what he thinks the system will handle with a Whipple. I would hate to see you throw money away when a simple rebuild of you engine may cost less (Parts and labor) depending on the damage.

 

[MtnRT]

Better Built is a good shop, so is Modern Muscle Xtreme. With the AWD system, you need to look at the max power you can make before you really have problems with the transfer case and such. Most do not recommend going higher than 400-425 hp to the wheels with the AWD. Ask Dave Weber at Modern Muscle what he thinks the system will handle with a Whipple. I would hate to see you throw money away when a simple rebuild of you engine may cost less (Parts and labor) depending on the damage.

Thanks for this. One of my questions to National Speed was exactly that - how much power can the AWD system and transmission handle. They say they are looking into it. I'll also give MMX and Better Built a call to get their take on it. I almost had BB do the initial Whipple install, but they're three hours away.

FWIW, Dasllamas (on YouTube) has been running 600+ HP in his '14AWD for awhile now, but it's with a Procharger. The power/tq curves are different than a Whipple, so I don't know how that translates to my car.

 

[MtnRT]

Pro Engines a call (844-HEMI-PRO) has an eBay store. They rebuild them and are very reputable. Its the only engine they work on.

That looks like a great price for a 5.7!
It's definitely an option I'll consider once I hear back from NS. They're supposed to get me pictures and estimates today.

 

[MtnRT]

Don't know you budget, but ray barton builds th best gen 3 hemi. View attachment 122714

Thanks, I've looked at these, and have to say it would probably be worth the money, if I had that much to spend.
Unfortunately, that would put my total cost of this car into used Hellcat territory, and I can't justify that.

 

[tacamo01]

Thanks for this. One of my questions to National Speed was exactly that - how much power can the AWD system and transmission handle. They say they are looking into it. I'll also give MMX and Better Built a call to get their take on it. I almost had BB do the initial Whipple install, but they're three hours away.

FWIW, Dasllamas (on YouTube) has been running 600+ HP in his '14AWD for awhile now, but it's with a Procharger. The power/tq curves are different than a Whipple, so I don't know how that translates to my car.

Yes, it is a gradual curve with the procharger, not the instant torque you get with the whipple. FWIW, there are guys with supercharged stock 6.4L with 600 hp on youtube. It is not a matter of if their ring lands will break, it is just a question of when.

 

[MtnRT]

Yes, it is a gradual curve with the procharger, not the instant torque you get with the whipple. FWIW, there are guys with supercharged stock 6.4L with 600 hp on youtube. It is not a matter of if their ring lands will break, it is just a question of when.

My understanding is that the 6.4 is more prone to ring land failure than the 5.7, but that's based on reading, not my experience. That said, I'm considering going with better internals for that reason. Not that I'm trying to get to 600 hp. My car put down 530 AWHP/TQ on a DynoJet (which, I believe @gapi has mentioned, tends to read higher than the Mustang dyno). I may already be at the limit for this drivetrain.

 

[tacamo01]

My understanding is that the 6.4 is more prone to ring land failure than the 5.7, but that's based on reading, not my experience. That said, I'm considering going with better internals for that reason. Not that I'm trying to get to 600 hp. My car put down 530 AWHP/TQ on a DynoJet (which, I believe @gapi has mentioned, tends to read higher than the Mustang dyno). I may already be at the limit for this drivetrain.

That is about where I was with the stock 5.7 when I first put on the E-Force. The 5.7L can handle 7-8 lbs of boost for years if you have a good tune. Not like the 6.4L. Like said, call Dave Weber at MMX and get his opinion on the power limits for your AWD system. He is a straight shooter and his shop does a lot of work on AWD systems. They are slow to answer e-mails

 

[MtnRT]

That is about where I was with the stock 5.7 when I first put on the E-Force. The 5.7L can handle 7-8 lbs of boost for years if you have a good tune. Not like the 6.4L. Like said, call Dave Weber at MMX and get his opinion on the power limits for your AWD system. He is a straight shooter and his shop does a lot of work on AWD systems. They are slow to answer e-mails

Thanks. Will do.

 

[gapi]

This is a recent quote I got from Arrington Performance probably the top vendor in the business. You really only need a long block.

$ 7300 New 6.4 Long Block with forged pistons and rods, Hellcat non MDS Lifters and solenoid plugs and Cometic Head Gaskets
$ 750 Core charge refunded to you on arrival of your engine core at Arringtons
$ 450 Estimate of shipping to and from [48114 and 30120]
$ 8500 Total upfront costs with estimated shipping
$ 7750 Total costs with estimated shipping

 

[MtnRT]

This is a recent quote I got from Arrington Performance probably the top vendor in the business. You really only need a long block.

$ 7300 New 6.4 Long Block with forged pistons and rods, Hellcat non MDS Lifters and solenoid plugs and Cometic Head Gaskets
$ 750 Core charge refunded to you on arrival of your engine core at Arringtons
$ 450 Estimate of shipping to and from [48114 and 30120]
$ 8500 Total upfront costs with estimated shipping
$ 7750 Total costs with estimated shipping

Thanks for that. Seems to be right in line with the others I’ve looked at so far. Still waiting to hear from National Speed regarding the condition of the existing engine, and particularly the block.
And per @tacamo01, I have a call in to MMX regarding the AWD’s power handling ability.

 

[Blueridge Smoke]

This is a recent quote I got from Arrington Performance probably the top vendor in the business. You really only need a long block.

$ 7300 New 6.4 Long Block with forged pistons and rods, Hellcat non MDS Lifters and solenoid plugs and Cometic Head Gaskets
$ 750 Core charge refunded to you on arrival of your engine core at Arringtons
$ 450 Estimate of shipping to and from [48114 and 30120]
$ 8500 Total upfront costs with estimated shipping
$ 7750 Total costs with estimated shipping

Arrington now owned by Mike Copeland. Moved from Va to Michigan. Its not the Arrington of old. The engineer's that worked at Arrington when Buddy owned it left and started A2speed. Pendergrass partners bought it and their reputation went to shit along with their quality. Copeland bought it from Pendergrass in 2018 with hopes of reviving the brand. Given his background as a engineer at GM and vp of Lingenfelter Performance I'd say they will be one of the top shops for mopar Performance, eventually. Now in Brighton, Michigan.

 

[MtnRT]

NS is recommending a Better Built short block, and BB rebuilding the heads. It has forged internals, and supposedly is safe to 1000 hp, not that I’m going that high.
The block may or may not be salvageable, as a piston wound up sideways in a cylinder. The rod went through the oil pan.
I’m going with their recommendation. The only question left is whether to take the opportunity to install a set of stainless works long tube headers, mated to the stock cat-back exhaust. They claim it’s louder under half throttle on up, but pretty normal at idle and cruising. I like my Changer quiet, but now I’m thinking a little more of an exhaust sound at times would be a good thing.
What to do...

 

[Blueridge Smoke]

I got kooks long tubes with kooks catless mids. Left stock muffler and resonator. Also got rid of active exhaust valve. Loud aggressive sound under heavy acceleration but relatively quiet cruising down the highway.

 

[MtnRT]

Well, i took the plunge and ordered the long tubes. Hope it’s not too loud!