crate hemi

[69pistolgripRT]

Well, I'm going to bite the bullet and pull my numbers matching 440 from the R/T and put in a hemi. I know I could make more power with less money but the Hemi is calling.

Anyone have any experience with the new crate hemis.  I'm simply looking at the 426 465HP version. Anyone give me an idea of what I would need.

motor mounts (do the new hemis have the 440 ears?)
carb
exhaust (headers)
pullies
dipstick
coil bracket

anything I should check into. Thanks.

[Chryco Psycho]

to my knowledge the crate Hemiiiii from Mopar are still not available unless that changed in the last 4 weeks or so ,FHO, Aruuzza, Barton or Indy should be able to supply you a custom built Hemi , probably alum block with better power or price than the Mopar crates

[Ghoste]

Aren't at least three of those involved in that Hemi dyno shootout of Mopar Muscle?  I think the new crate Hemi's are starting to come online now.  Slowly, but they are getting there.
I thought I heard that Manicotti's had some?

[MoparYoungGun]

I you really want a Hemi I would go to either of the places Neil mentioned and get one custom built. For some reason I remember reading something over on Moparts awhile back about a quality control problem with some of the Hemi's? Or maybe it was the 360 crates? I don't know, I can't remember. Anywho, if you really want I a Hemi I would get it custom built. Just my . Good luck!

[defiance]

Anyone had any experience or insight into the Stage V Engineering 440->hemi conversion kits?  I saw some article a while back in an online mag and thought it was the coolest thing I'd seen in a while... Much less than a hemi crate, and excellent results, according to the article.  Just curious if anyone has any personal exp with them; I don't always trust mag articles.  They do the article, see it run a few times, then put it away or sell it or something - if it breaks later, how would anyone ever know?

[Jon Smith]

I dont think the stage v conversion works out much cheaper, and you still end up with a weaker 440 block, a stage V hemi exploded spectacularly over here recently when the block failed

[Ghoste]

There have definitely been quality control issues with the crate Hemi's.  They keep claiming to have them worked out but I would have a pro go through it first anyway.  Apparently, the new block is supposed to have a number of updates some of which were made after consulting Ray Barton.

[defiance]

"Exploded spectacularly" - woo, that sounds. ... erm.. .fun... 

[andy74]

i went into the dcx system and put the part number for this engine in the locator,shows exactly none built in  the us,or in any warehouse-chryco is correct,they are still on back order,and i wouldnt hold my breath-Andy

[Ghoste]

Well that may explain something that has been going on around my hometown then.  There is a guy in town who has made a little business out of buying up convertible E-bodies and dropping crate Hemi's into them for resale.  They aren't good enough to be called clones but it is amazing what the uneducated masses will pay for anything that can use the words Hemi, Cuda, and convertible in the same sentence.
Anyway, it seems that through the last few months, he's taken to making fake Max Wedge cars.

He's a Vette fanatic btw, so if he can't buy it as a crate, he likely doesn't have the smarts to look up Barton or any of those guys.

[Troy]

I've been checking on them for a while. The quality issues were what caused Chrysler to switch foundries/builders. The crate *blocks* are trickling out on the market but there's a very long backorder list. I know some have been delivered after just over a year wait. I don't think I've heard of any complete engines being delivered yet though. I have had a lot of people tell me to have an experienced mechanic tear it down and check tolerances before using the engines so at that point (and expense) it's easier to just have someone build it right the first time. I've heard bad things about Indy Cylinder Head's customer service and lots of good things about For Hemis Only. Last time I got any kind of price on a Barton engine I nearly choked. (Maybe I asked the wrong question...)

Troy


Troy

[max]

I've been checking on them for a while. The quality issues were what caused Chrysler to switch foundries/builders. The crate *blocks* are trickling out on the market but there's a very long backorder list. I know some have been delivered after just over a year wait. I don't think I've heard of any complete engines being delivered yet though. I have had a lot of people tell me to have an experienced mechanic tear it down and check tolerances before using the engines so at that point (and expense) it's easier to just have someone build it right the first time. I've heard bad things about Indy Cylinder Head's customer service and lots of good things about For Hemis Only. Last time I got any kind of price on a Barton engine I nearly choked. (Maybe I asked the wrong question...)

Troy


Troy

Troy, you hit everything right on the nail head. it is better to find someone to build the engine you want or do what i did and start reading books about how to build it yourself and ask alot of questions to people who have built them before.

Barton is good but there are other engine builders that can do the same quality of work for less money.

[max]

[quote
Anyone have any experience with the new crate hemis.   I'm simply looking at the 426 465HP version. Anyone give me an idea of what I would need.

motor mounts (do the new hemis have the 440 ears?)
carb
exhaust (headers)
pullies
dipstick
coil bracket

anything I should check into. Thanks.

i went through this alittle while back and on the engine mounts i used the schumacher hemi engine mounts to wedge k-frame so i didn't need to change my v8 k-frame and it bolted up nicely.

i also used stock repo iron exhaust manifolds and they worked really well with the above mounts and unless you are trying to get as correct as possible then you don't need the manifolds with the heat riser or heat tube kits. i think i had $550.00 in the manifolds.

now on the pullies it will depend on what balancer is used on the engine, if it is the original stock thick balancer then the pullies will need to be hemi. i had my rotating assembly balanced and i used a stock balancer from steel crank 361 and then i was able to use all of my 440 pullies and brackets.

there is a company called 440source that has a stock looking thick hemi balancer that has a recessed pulley area that will except the standard big block pullies so that is something to look into.

dip stick and tube are a repo item now and i think the one i bought was around $30.00(?) and it had the high temp sleeve around the tube so that isn't a problem.

coil bracket is the same as a regular big block.

carb if you use a single 4 bbl intake is really a personal preferance but my engine is for the street only so i'm using a 750 cfm holley vac sec, it was cheaper then a double pumper and with the spring kit for sec i wouldn't know the difference on the street.

there was a hemi block out a couple of years ago that had the engine bracket mounting ears like a 440 block and you could use the 440 engine brackets but you had to use special headers for the application and the headers were very expensive so i'm not even sure you can buy one of those blocks now.

if you have any questions feel free to email me and i will try and answer them for you but remember i don't know everything about these engines so if i don't know the answer i will tell you.
bss_1966@hotmail.com     

[firefighter3931]

The crate Hemi's have had issues in the past. They were manufactured by Cummins and sent off to a shop to be dynoed and broken in. I spoke with the shop foreman awhile back and he told me they tore down many of them that had problems and fixed them on location rather than ship them back. They were dynoing several a week and many had issues. Some didn't make the claimed power number that they were supposed to.

If i bought one, you could bet your last dollar that it would be disassembled and thoroughly gone through. Personally, i prefer a wedge....the hemi is just a novelty to me. My pump gas 446 makes more hp/tq than the 472 crate hemi for a lot less $$.  

Check out the pic : a rack of 528 crate hemi's waiting to be dynoed at the aformentioned shop.

Ron

[Ghoste]

But what a novelty!

[kamkuda]

The crate Hemi's have had issues in the past. They were manufactured by Cummins and sent off to a shop to be dynoed and broken in. I spoke with the shop foreman awhile back and he told me they tore down many of them that had problems and fixed them on location rather than ship them back. They were dynoing several a week and many had issues. Some didn't make the claimed power number that they were supposed to.

If i bought one, you could bet your last dollar that it would be disassembled and thoroughly gone through. Personally, i prefer a wedge....the hemi is just a novelty to me. My pump gas 446 makes more hp/tq than the 472 crate hemi for a lot less $$. 

Check out the pic : a rack of 528 crate hemi's waiting to be dynoed at the aformentioned shop.

Ron

Dude, that is my picture LOL and I agree with your comments

Same day picture with 3-4 more hemis. They are tripped over themselves, walking around 472 and 528 Hemis

[firefighter3931]

Dude, that is my picture LOL and I agree with your comments

Your picture ? How'd it end up on my 'puter    

Ron

[69pistolgripRT]

Thanks for the info guys.

Max, I will definitley give you a call when I get a little closer. Thanks.

Chris