The Homeless Hemi, Part 1

WE ADOPT A MOPAR IN NEED AND FEED IT SOME SPEED

- Richard Holdener

There it sat, alone and forgotten, open to the elements, enduring endless dust and rainstorms, and without so much as a valve cover, oil pan, or intake for protection. Such was the fate of our 5.7L Hemi, or at least the remaining part of what was once the proud and powerful motivational force for a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 truck. So long had it sat, we forgot its original purpose, or even why it was lacking such a vast array of critical components. Had this Hemi been relegated to donor duty? Was it a prior Dulcich test engine? Perhaps it was picked over to provide the necessary components to complete other, more important builds?

Our orphaned engine began life under the hood of a 2006 Ram truck, but we can’t for the life of us remember where it came from or why it was in its current configuration. Undaunted, we ordered up everything needed to make it whole again. The list of bare necessities included an oil pan, front cover, valve covers, a single set of rockers and shaft, cam and crank sensors, and the entire induction system, including intake manifold, throttle body, and fuel injectors. The intake is a story in itself, as the used Hemi intakes often come with excess baggage in the form of piston parts.