In talking with one of the diesel shops here in Edmonton, they've installed new cams as per the Dodge Service Manual by leaving the engine in the truck, just unbolting at the motor mounts and lifting it slightly.

However, this shop said they've also done the same work by pulling the engine out - less fighting...and so it takes about the same time.

My question is then, in doing the cams, springs and push rods, what other difficult mods would/could/should be done to seize the opportunity while the engine is out?

They said some '06 have had piston ring issues, so that might be one thing...and head studs is another.

Any ideas?

 

If you are going for very high power or just absolute reliability :
stud girdle
pistons coated
blueprint / balance rotating assembly
large head studs
head porting / polishing / fire rings
aftermarket rods - Carrillo maybe?
larger valves
flycut pistons depending on cam / valves
replace freeze plugs with pipe plugs for high rpm use
great time to build those compound turbo mounts

Good Luck.

 

You don't have to pull the engine to replace the cam. No need to unbolt it at the motor mounts and lift the engine either. Unbolt the lower cross member and smack it to the left. Cut off the section with the last two bolts. Leave cut off section in truck. Works like a charm. If they don't know what I am talking about, find another shop. They just want your money for R&R the engine.

 

Sorry, should have specified...

It's my work truck, so reliability, fuel economy with some respectable performance - no drag competition. So I don't need 1000 RWHP, but I'd like a super-fast streetable truck when not towing.

So I'm guessing I probably wont need upgraded pistons and rods - would do it if it was cheap. I don't want to do something that will require more work ($). For instance, you can't just slap in new pistons and rods without other engine machining can you?

Not sure what each of your mods would cost...any ideas (especially on balancing and blueprinting - which is a kinda cool reliability thing to do.

My turbo is upgraded - Garrett dual ball bearing, changing the turbine housing to a stage 2 (made the mistake of buying a Stage 3). Doing the cams to spool faster and for fuel economy.

No sticks yet, but that'll come this summer with upgraded fuelling and tranny.

I only tow a utility trailer - 7000 lbs, and not a lot of hills around here.

I like the piston coating idea. Ceramic tops, moly sides?

Was thinking of doing flex-a-lite fans to get rid clutch fan...thought this would be ok because I don't tow hard, it's not super hot here in summer, no big hills. Would free up room in the engine bay. Maybe a fluid dampener pulley?

 

Thanks spooler...for the info. How many hours should it take? Does your technique make doing the head studs easier to?

They guys at this shop are good guys - honest. They've done a lot of work for me, should have charged me more, but didn't.

I'll pass them that info.

 

Another thing that can be done too is to pull out the transmission support cross member, drop the driveline and pull down on the tranny and that will angle the engine up enough to slide the cam in and out.

But if you are going to coat pistons and balance, then the motor has to come out anyway.

What you need to do IMHO, is to decide what HP goal it is you want then go from there in determining what is needed. Cost is a factor too.

Coating piston helps, but prevents nothing. Its an awful lot like having DD tranny pan with the extra fluid. The fluid will get just as hot and burn, but it is slower with the extra fluid in the system. Ceramic coating will delay a piston from melting by a second or two but will not prevent it. Moly coating on skirts is good to reduce friction when everything is ok, but if you are overtemping the pistons it will not prevent the aluminum from sticking and galling on the cylinder walls. Trust me on this one. Again, no prevention, just a slightly larger margin for error. Again IMHO, water injection done right will help you more than coating. And will be a lot cheaper too.

 

You have an 06, before you think about doing a cam look into efi live. A good tune will go a long way towards fuel economy and power. A cam is alot of work, and for your application is not really necessary. I've seen alot of guys make 500+ hp with a small set of nozzles and turbo. With efi live you can tune the egt's way down. The money your gonna put up for a cam swap could be used to buy nozzles, head studs and pay for some of your trans upgrade.

 

Another cool idea, thanks! Who would tune it in the city?

 

Do springs/pushrods they are a cheap investment. Head studs and a trans upgrade. Small set of nozzles (90's/120's depending on power goal) cp3 upgrade, and then book some tuning time with a competent efi live tuner. I'm sure your power/fuel economy/reliability goals will all be met.

A friend of mine just had her 06 tuned with efi live. Huge difference. No smoke, better spoolup, great fuel economy, no injector rattle and great street manners.
When efi live comes out for 04.5-05's this summer I will be ditching the smarty. My truck is so dirty when I accelerate hard it's unreal.

 

I believe NADP is offering tuning now. Armor inc in red deer is also tuning. There are several companies in the states that will build tunes for you, and work with you over the phone. But it is nice to have someone in person who can do it and maybe throw it on a dyno as well to do data logging.

 

I'd do the studs and injectors as well.

 

you have to change the cam to get rid of part of the in-cylinder egr. change the nozzles at the same time to ddp 50 hp to shorten duration i use a smarty jr to restore timing but efi can do it also. these three give the most, 6 mpg increase and 300* lower egt. leave the smarty jr on economy because the 50 hp extra fueling from the nozzles is near what the turbo has air for. get a turbo back exhaust and take the ecm control away from the turbo and set it at 32 psi max boost. pm me if you need ideas as to how on the turbo

 

if you do not pull the engine total time is 8 hours. another thing pdr cams are made near Vancouver and they will replace and add the 50 hp ddp at a reasonable price. also the exhaust valve setting on the engine tag says 0.026 this is part of the in- cylinder egr stuff from dodge cummins designed it for 0.020 that is directly from a requested reply from me.

 

If you are on a stock auto tranny, get that issue resolved first.

For a reliable work truck you will want to be conservative....

Turbo- you have already done.
Transmission-
Cam- Newer grinds that have been done in the last year are 10 times better than anything in the past.
Springs- only if you are going over 45psi of boost.
Injectors- stay in the 50-75 hp range depending on your turbo.

For what you want, I see no real gains in going into the motor until you have too.