Advice on next upgrade

[MrMagnumSRT8]

Hello, as you can see by my mods, I think I am at a point where I will start having to go into the engine to get more HP. I just picked up vehicle this morning after having FTI converter and blue tops installed, huge difference in power now, love it. Externally I have to do rear suspension next along with subframe bushings, I have parts, just need to find a good installer, and also a 1 piece driveshaft as well. But I was curious what everyone thinks about the Edelbrock heads, and a SRT Max Camshaft. I live in CA and need to stay smog legal keep in mind. I previously owned a 91 Fox body Mustang with a 331 Stroker I built and installed, I installed Trickflow heads and intake with a B cam, and it was a monster. The car will more than likely never see the track, as I don’t live near a track, it is a daily driver. Thank you in advance

[HemiLonestar]

Originally Posted by MrMagnumSRT8

Hello, as you can see by my mods, I think I am at a point where I will start having to go into the engine to get more HP. I just picked up vehicle this morning after having FTI converter and blue tops installed, huge difference in power now, love it. Externally I have to do rear suspension next along with subframe bushings, I have parts, just need to find a good installer, and also a 1 piece driveshaft as well. But I was curious what everyone thinks about the Edelbrock heads, and a SRT Max Camshaft. I live in CA and need to stay smog legal keep in mind.

Your mods list:
FTI 3000rpm Stall Converter - good
Blue Tops - better
Mopar MTCM - Mopar Mopar Transmission Control Module LMAO?
Diablo 91 Tune - good for now, but you're leaving alot on the table even with your stock cam, get a custom tune
90mm TB - overkill for basically a stock 6.1; even stock 392's use the same size TB as the 5.7 & 6.1. 90mm i stock on the Hellcat.
Legmaker Intake - yay for noise
SOS Coils, Iridium Plugs - waste of money unless your cylinder pressures are that high, most of the fastest Mopar hemi race cars are running stock coils and OEM plugs
Catch can - good
190° T-Stat - 180° might be a better idea, especially after camming it; make sure the fan settings are changed to match
SLP Loudmouth Exhaust - nice
Paddle Shifters - cool
Hotchkis front sway bar - good, but a better rear sway to compliment it would be a better balanced combo
Speedlogix Tie rod ends - good
Complete Polyurethane front suspension - good

The Edlebrock heads have gotten good reviews from magazines and the like, just they haven't filtered down to the rest of us just yet. From what I've read, it seems the E heads are on par with factory Apache (392) heads. Apache heads with a P&P job will push over 700hp on a mildly built 426 race engine designed to run on pump gas. Thiteks seem to be the big power producers. SRT max is a good cam but you'll have to discuss with your tuner (it'll need a custom tune) tuning it right so you pass emissions, even so it may not pass if they use a tailpipe sniffer. I know you have to have EO #'s for everything out there.
One upgrade I would do is either install mechanical LSD in your stock differential or retrofit a Getrag (they come in 3.06, 3.73 & 3.91 flavors and are all factory limited slip). I was never a fan of that electronic "brake lock differential". If you keep the one wheeler peeler when you start getting into engine upgrades you're gonna discover the joy of snapped axles (ask me how I know lol). Doesn't affect emissions at all, and if you change the ratio you'll get better acceleration, trade-off being worse gas mileage at highway speeds.
That 6.1 has nice big bores, dropping a stroker crank in pretty much drops it right at about 426 cubes, but unfortunately would probably not pass an emissions test (unless your test is like out here and they just check for PCM readiness and to see if there are emissions codes).

[MrMagnumSRT8]

Ok, so overkill on a couple of my mods, but at least they are in place for future mods to come, and overkill is fun, right. I had a 180° Mishimoto t-stat installed at one point, and check engine light would come on every morning on way to work, 190° cured the issue, besides, does 10° really make a huge difference? Fans are set correctly. I’m looking at a Getrag diff upgrade kit now, comes with heavy duty axles, hubs, and of course 3.73 diff. I notice in pic it has 3 bolt for driveshaft instead of the 4 vehicle has now, do I have to upgrade the driveshaft as well? Also, by doing that, do I have to drop rear sub for the shims that come with 1 piece driveshaft kit? And lastly, does anybody know of a good Dodge tuner that has a shop in Los Angeles/Ventura County area? Thanks for all the help

[HemiLonestar]

That 10° can make a difference when that engine starts to make more heat; I don't see how the 180° made a CEL appear. My 5.7 with mild mods runs at a consistent 188°-195° with a 180° stat and no issues. You will either need to swap the back half of the driveshaft with one from an R/T or get a one piece setup for four blade up front, 3 in the back. Those shims I don't know about, I don't have a one piece however if you install the Getrag and don't use a later cradle you will need to shim the differential itself just a little bit so it doesn't transmit vibration through the floor pan. Can't help you with Cali shops, I avoid CA like the liberal plague it is lol.

[MrMagnumSRT8]

I agree, check this BS out. https://speedsociety.com/california-...arage-illegal/, just a matter of time before it trickles down to all of Cali

Fortunately, I own my own repair facility and live nowhere near here, but really? Lived here my whole life and I’m looking forward to leaving within next couple of years, it’s a shame

[HemiLonestar]

That's some BS, ranks up there with Berkeley's new thing: https://www.latimes.com/california/s...from-city-code