Looking for a Viper V10 (or RAM SRT10) engine for a Jeep (yes, Jeep) project.

[Ben Hedrick]

So ok guys, I am new here so go easy on me...

I am kind of known in the "Jeep" World and especially the HEMI converted Jeep Wranglers World but I am thinking about a Viper V10 engine in a Jeep Wrangler (AEV Brute) project that I've got. Right now, the Jeep only has the 4.0L engine with a Supercharger but I'm seriously considering a SRT10 engine swap. I've found a few engines online but honestly, I don't know what I'm looking at or what I should expect to pay for an engine and possibly trans (48RE) for my project, or what one should cost to have rebuilt. Hopefully, I've come to the right place to learn more.

Thanks in advance and I look forward to learning more. Oh, my background is racing, both in Offshore Powerboats and SCCA road racing. Oh and I drove my first Viper (700HP) the other day, hence why I want one in my Jeep now.

Below is the Jeep that the SRT10 engine could go into and here my website with some of my Jeep projects if you're curious as to what I play with.

Website: http://www.benhedrick.com/index.html

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[Bonkers]

Both Ram V10s and Gen1,2,3,4,RamSRT Viper V10s are plentiful
online if you dig around, but the aluminum blocks wont come
cheap. Theyre big, heavy, and will require ALOT of fabrication
and plumbing on a 4.0L Brute/JKU Chassis. The only successful
swap I know of was on a CJ7 and, if I remember correctly, that
ended up with 400+ hours of labor. A solid running Viper motor
will set you back at least $6500, but that will be the least of your
issues.

Also the aluminum V10s were designed for mid/high-range torque,
so unless youre looking to desert race or mall crawl, the motor
itself will not be a practical powerplant for off-roading. Youre
gonna be dissappointed at the power while trying to creep. The
magnum/iron V10 is a much better platform for offroading since
its designed for very low rpm torque (more than the diesel of the
same year had) but that is a monster of a block - 900+ pounds
worth.

As a jeeper I get the appeal of shoehorning a V10 into a jeep, but
unless looks are more important than function, there are FAR more
practical (dare I say better) options than what youre looking at.

Good Luck!

 

[steve e]

Bonkers, I guess you never had a gen 1 or 2 on a dyno, they pull close to 400 fp of torgue to the wheels just off of idle, more than enough to spit out the drive shafts at a crawl.

 

[Bonkers]

Im just relaying what others have said about the motors in
both towing and rock climbing; theyre not impressive under
heavy load at low RPM. Thats why we never saw a proper
V10 tow vehicle and/or 4x4 coming out of the factory. The
RamSRTQC only had a 7500# limit - the base V8 had 8800#
of the same year.

Im not trying to stir the *** here - the man asked, and my
opinion is that there are more functional motors to look into
that would resound better with the 4x4 crowd. The V10 isnt
just going to pop into a JKU chassis - its going to need ALOT
of fab and ALOT of plumbing, and i dont think it will respond
well to being tilled around in the heat and mud.

But if he choses to go that way, there were at least a dozen on
CL last time I ran my search, especially the RamSRT motors -
typically arounf $6500-10,000 just for the complete engine. Hes
looking at at least $20,000 in parts before fabrication starts...

I wish him luck, be a neat truck if he decides to do it, but if the
Challenger guys havent figured out a way of working a decent
V10 swap yet, Im not going to hold my breath for this...

 

[steve e]

The work is half the fun, and tow limits are from many other factors than engine power. The V 10 in a Challenger is an easy swap, I did 3 in my shop alone. Also you can buy a V10 Challenger from the factory in a off road drag package. I would love to see a V10 in a jeep.

 

[TalonTSi90]

Foreign Auto Salvage in Fort Wright KY still has a Gen 1 roadster (just saw it yesterday) with no wheels and unknown to me motor status. (859) 341-1920

 

[Thom]

Wouldn't a camshaft change alter the aluminum V10 into a low-rpm torque monster?

 

[Lyons5364]

Not sure if your still looking, but I have a 04 srt10 ram that I wrecked the cab land front clip on. I'm willing to part with the truck instead of fixing it myself, due to a baby on the way later this month. The truck has been sitting in my garage waiting on me for a bit. The motor has 45k on it.

 

[Jon Martin]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the SRT ram is also considered a sport truck, and like Steve e was hinting at, may not be set up for towing applications. Again correct me if I'm wrong, but there is really nothing super special about the Viper engine. It's still just a two valve push rod V engine, that just happens to have a couple extra cylinders. Also, with these engines having a redline of 6k, it seems that they are aimed more at low to mid range torque. So I would think a cam swap could easily make them a low end torque monster.

On the flip side, like Bonkers said. Fab Fab Fab. If its instant gratification you are after, I can't imagine the V10 being a good choice. However if you want something extremely custom, then hell yes! With roots from the Z crowd and then dipping into the LSX world, I'm all about fab work, myself.