As some of you may already know, we really wanted a Hellcat or an SRT 392 but needed a 7 seat configuration. So I opted for the R/T TnG ..... but keeping the door open for power adders if we found the 360hp/390tq lacking.
Well the wife is really pushing for me to address the power output sooner rather than later. As she puts it, the TnG exhaust has way more bark than the engine has bite. Don't get me wrong, the vehicle is awesome! It handles so well and sounds fantastic! It just needs an extra 100 - 150 HP/TQ to be perfect I think. I realize the VVT is not yet fully opened up due to the mileage (we're at ~1300 miles and VVT doesn't fully activate until 3475 miles IIRC), but I don't think it will be a huge difference when it is fully broken in. Our current 0-60 time is 7 seconds flat. With a better DA and after VVT is fully functional, I could see this being the rated 6.2 seconds.
Even after throwing an additional $10k at it ... we would still be $10k less than we would have spent on an SRT 392 and we have 7 seats ... so I'm good with it. I also realize the powertrain warranty would be void unless we choose an option which allows us to go through the Mopar Direct Connection program.
My initial reaction was to throw a Whipple on it. Roughly $8k MSRP for the full kit and then installation and tuning. I think we could safely get away with somewhere around 6-8 psi of boost on the OEM 5.7 which would most likely get a result equivalent to the SRT's 6.4 power levels, maybe a little more depending on who you talk to. Although longevity is a concern I have on this option due to the 5.7's 10.5 compression ratio and the thin ring lands used from the factory.
Another option would be to just swap the 5.7 out for a 6.4 crate motor (485hp 475tq) and reuse the 5.7 accessories. With this option, I could go through the Mopar Direct Connection program. It would probably have me a bit over $10k depending on what kind of deal my dealer would give me on the engine and on labor but might be a nice match for the TnG and I could sell the low mileage 5.7 to recover some of the cost.
As a 3rd option, $10k could fund a lot of mods to the 5.7L ... Cam, 6.4 intake, injectors, throttle body, shorty headers, tuning, gear set change, etc ... but would it be enough to get us to the 450 - 500 HP/TQ range and be long term reliable with streetable manners?
Ideally, whatever choice we go with won't result in the vehicle being much louder than it already is. It's one reason I was leaning toward the Whipple and either keeping the 5.7 stock exhaust manifolds or maybe swapping to the 6.4 manifolds.
So with a blank slate ... given a ~$10k budget what would you do to a TnG which currently has around 1300 miles on it, to achieve 460 - 510 hp/tq?
EDIT (4/16/24): Jump to post #141 for the final conclusion of this discussion
Well the wife is really pushing for me to address the power output sooner rather than later. As she puts it, the TnG exhaust has way more bark than the engine has bite. Don't get me wrong, the vehicle is awesome! It handles so well and sounds fantastic! It just needs an extra 100 - 150 HP/TQ to be perfect I think. I realize the VVT is not yet fully opened up due to the mileage (we're at ~1300 miles and VVT doesn't fully activate until 3475 miles IIRC), but I don't think it will be a huge difference when it is fully broken in. Our current 0-60 time is 7 seconds flat. With a better DA and after VVT is fully functional, I could see this being the rated 6.2 seconds.
Even after throwing an additional $10k at it ... we would still be $10k less than we would have spent on an SRT 392 and we have 7 seats ... so I'm good with it. I also realize the powertrain warranty would be void unless we choose an option which allows us to go through the Mopar Direct Connection program.
My initial reaction was to throw a Whipple on it. Roughly $8k MSRP for the full kit and then installation and tuning. I think we could safely get away with somewhere around 6-8 psi of boost on the OEM 5.7 which would most likely get a result equivalent to the SRT's 6.4 power levels, maybe a little more depending on who you talk to. Although longevity is a concern I have on this option due to the 5.7's 10.5 compression ratio and the thin ring lands used from the factory.
Another option would be to just swap the 5.7 out for a 6.4 crate motor (485hp 475tq) and reuse the 5.7 accessories. With this option, I could go through the Mopar Direct Connection program. It would probably have me a bit over $10k depending on what kind of deal my dealer would give me on the engine and on labor but might be a nice match for the TnG and I could sell the low mileage 5.7 to recover some of the cost.
As a 3rd option, $10k could fund a lot of mods to the 5.7L ... Cam, 6.4 intake, injectors, throttle body, shorty headers, tuning, gear set change, etc ... but would it be enough to get us to the 450 - 500 HP/TQ range and be long term reliable with streetable manners?
Ideally, whatever choice we go with won't result in the vehicle being much louder than it already is. It's one reason I was leaning toward the Whipple and either keeping the 5.7 stock exhaust manifolds or maybe swapping to the 6.4 manifolds.
So with a blank slate ... given a ~$10k budget what would you do to a TnG which currently has around 1300 miles on it, to achieve 460 - 510 hp/tq?
EDIT (4/16/24): Jump to post #141 for the final conclusion of this discussion
The wife does love the color red, but wasn't sure what it would be like for interior leather. We used Google quite a bit to look at real pictures and she thought maybe it would be "ok" .. but then we saw one in person and she really didn't like it. That was another negative in going with the SRT which eventually led us to the TnG.
