2003 Dodge Ram Hemi Engine Modification - 21st Century Hop-UP

So it was time to begin. What we decided to do was install the Patriot heads, a Comp Cams camshaft, an ASP pulley, and a TCI torque converter. we figured it best to farm this much work out to someone capable of handling such a task, and Marty Fletcher at KRC Performance in Cocoa, Florida, was more than up to the task. But before we could begin, we needed to find out where our Ram was in regards to stock horsepower. So we strapped the Ram down on the dyno at White's Automotive, and let the chips fall where they may. When the wheel stopped spinning, our stock Ram possessed 249 hp and 263 lb-ft of torque. That's a pretty standard number in regards to a stock Hemi Ram, but we wanted more.

There you have it-we have a plan; we have parts; we have a baseline. The only thing left to do is tear into it. So follow along, and find out how easy it really is to contact the aftermarket and get the parts you need to increase your new Hemi's output. And the work isn't impossible to handle either.

	With the level of modifications...        read full caption With the level of modifications we intend to do, pulling the engine seemed the easiest way to do it. KRC began by removing the radiator, A/C condenser (must be evacuated first), and the radiator support. We also removed the inner fenders to gain some clearance.	With all the accessories and...        read full caption With all the accessories and brackets out of the way, the engine was unbolted from the transmission, hoisted out of the truck, and attached to the stand.
With the engine on the stand,...        read full caption With the engine on the stand, the guys at KRC removed the stock components to be replaced. The front cover was removed, cleaned, and painted. the heads were removed, repackaged, and shipped back to Patriot Performance for the core replacement.	We wanted to pay homage to...        read full caption We wanted to pay homage to the legendary 426 Hemi, so Marty at KRC used Hemi Orange paint to cover the short-block.	On the new Hemi, the lifters...        read full caption On the new Hemi, the lifters are grouped in sets of four that are held in place with a locking bar. To remove and replace the lifters, simply unbolt and remove the bar, replace the lifters, and re-attach the bar to the engine block.
With the lifters out of the...        read full caption With the lifters out of the way, our new Comp XFI cam was slid into place, and the lifters and bars were re-installed.		Like the aftermarket MP timing-chain...        read full caption Like the aftermarket MP timing-chain tensioner for small-block LA engines, a tensioner was employed to keep timing in check.