Chrysler's New 6.4-Liter V-8 Might Not Power Ram Heavy Duty Pickups

Posted by Mike Levine | March 12, 2010

Chrysler’s upcoming 6.4-liter V-8 gasoline engine will only be available for the company’s high-performance SRT vehicles and not Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks unless substantial changes can be made, execs say.

“I’d love to have a 6.4-liter engine [for trucks],” said Joe Veltri, Chrysler vice president of product planning, at the 2010 NTEA Work Truck Show. “But it’s designed for performance, not low-end torque. It’s designed for off-the-line 0-to-60 times.”

The 6.4-liter V-8 was officially confirmed last year at Chrysler’s 2010-14 business plan presentation after earlier rumors about the engine’s development.

Fred Diaz, president and CEO of the Ram brand, said then that Ram Heavy Duty pickups could receive the engine.

"We anticipate the 6.4-liter engine will go into the Heavy Duty Ram," Diaz said then. "It's an appropriate engine for our trucks."

But engineering challenges appear to have stymied the effort.

“We’ve talked to the powertrain guys,” Veltri said. “It’s a struggle to recrank that engine to make it a truck engine.”

Still, Chrysler does see demand for a gas engine with more power than the current 383 horsepower, 400 pounds-feet of torque 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 that’s available in current Ram Heavy Duty pickups.

Veltri said the engine mix in the heavy-duty segment between gasoline and diesel engines has shifted from 75 percent diesel/25 percent gas to 70/30 today and that it’s likely to shift as far as 60/40 in the future.

“Every emission cycle is going to cause the price of the [diesel] trucks to go up,” Veltri said. “That’s why you’re seeing that shift. Diesel engines have gotten very expensive -- $8,000 and going north.”

His answer?

“I’ve got a 5.7-liter Hemi that I could certainly bore and stroke out” for better power and lower cost than a diesel, though it wouldn’t be as capable.

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Comments

face it...diesels are the future...better low end torque, better fuel mileage, last longer.

Posted by: billiejoe | Mar 12, 2010 1:23:47 PM

sucks for dodge fans, this engine would be beastly in a truck...

Posted by: jake | Mar 12, 2010 1:27:30 PM

GM - 6.0L V8 -- 7.0 L V8 in the future
Ford - 6.2L V8
RAM - 5.7L V8???

Wow! I do like the 6.7 L I6 diesel better though.

Posted by: Billy | Mar 12, 2010 2:46:00 PM

How do we get them to repeal these non-sense diesel emissions laws?

Posted by: Ryan | Mar 12, 2010 2:47:15 PM

wow, i am amazed...... more than 383 hp and more than 400 hp on the 5.7 hemi?

my goodness. my hairs and my skin just tingle at the thought

Posted by: Allistar | Mar 12, 2010 3:15:06 PM

@ billy, the best part of that is it competes with the Ford 6.2 directly, and out performs the GM 6.0. HEMI all the way!!!

I do wish the 6.4 would have made it into the HDs.

Posted by: Bear | Mar 12, 2010 3:19:19 PM

That would be dissapointing!

Posted by: Big Bob | Mar 12, 2010 6:13:29 PM

Might be time to drop a truck version of the viper v10 as they did in the 90's only with better mpg.

Posted by: Jeff | Mar 12, 2010 6:32:16 PM

Reasons to drop 6.1L Hemi:

1) More power for SRT vehicles
2) More powerful gas engine for Ram HDs

Posted by: A.J. | Mar 12, 2010 7:08:16 PM

Y DON'T THEY PUT THE 6.1 IN THE TRUCKS THEN?? I USED TO BE A CHEVY GUY BUT I LIKE THE DODGE NOW

Posted by: P | Mar 12, 2010 7:30:05 PM

Dodge RAM lost #3 sales spot to Ford Escape, pretty soon they will also lose the #4 sales spot.

Why are they increasing the engine power when gas prices are going up.

Posted by: Max Reid | Mar 12, 2010 9:09:48 PM

they might not just use this engine...

they are probably thinking on putting out a 6.2L or something.

dodge always puts out an engine that beats the competition.

like the V10 back in the 90's it was the most powerful gas engine in the Wlrd.

they have all the tech they need.

and they also have fiats tech.

wonder if they will use the multi-air in the cummins?
or the pentastar or hemi?

Posted by: billiejoe | Mar 12, 2010 11:48:34 PM

Too bad the 6.4 isn't made for trucks. A said day for the Ram faithfull. Chrysler needs to pull their heads out of their asses.

Posted by: Lou | Mar 13, 2010 12:45:32 AM

I can't think of anything that would be faster than a 6.4 Hemi in a Heavy Duty truck.... (At guzzling down the entire fuel tank).

Posted by: Alex | Mar 13, 2010 12:58:16 AM

What a shame. I just don't get it. Why would they make a 6.4 srt version? Just increase the power of the 6.1 a little bit and make the 6.4 a truck engine. Wouldn't that be more profitable? I think many people would love it in the hd rams. It would be the most powerful hd gasser.

Posted by: Chris | Mar 13, 2010 5:38:35 AM

If Chrysler is concerned about both more horsepower and fuel savings here are some or my ideas: revamp the 5.7L with 400hp and 500lbs-ft, revamp 6.1L with 450hp and 550lbs-ft then a brand spanking new 6.5L 500hp and 800lbs-ft Hemmi V-10!?eh. These powerplants would run on half their cylinders to save on gas during light loads.

Then on the lower end of things Chrysler could use Fiats new
multiair V-6 revamp that and call it a Hemmi. This may sound crazy but, 2 new engines a hemmi V-6 and a hemmi V-10 all hemmi motors.

Posted by: Big Mike | Mar 13, 2010 2:15:48 PM

So Big Mike, you have no idea why it's called a Hemi? (not Hemmi). It is mostly marketing jargon to sell more engines but it has to do with the design of the combustion chamber

Posted by: Alex | Mar 14, 2010 6:16:21 PM

I personally think that they need to concentrate on putting a decent 6 speed behind the current Hemi because it is being held back by the 5 speed. Dodge has some great potential but I think they not making very good decisions right now.

Posted by: Daniel | Mar 15, 2010 7:00:33 AM

The 6.4L Hemi was originally designed as a high revving performance car engine, Chrysler is probably having a hard time increasing torque off the bottom.

Perhaps it is time for Chrysler to look into a Hemi with the 5.7L's bore and a longer stroke, maybe something in the 6.0L to 6.2L range. That would be a possible solution that would result in more power in the lower RPM range, which is always good in a truck.

Posted by: Allen | Mar 16, 2010 4:37:40 PM

I don't see why this is a problem. Almost 400hp and 400 ft-lbs isn't enough? I remember a time when trucks were only making 200 hp.

Posted by: moparmaniac07 | Mar 17, 2010 3:43:34 PM

the 6.4 isn't durable enough for a pickup. Wake up Chrysler. Design it for trucks and then it will work in any other vehicle.
You guys deserve to fade into oblivion.
Look at the bright side: Fiat has a large range of econoboxes to sell us.

Posted by: Tony | Mar 17, 2010 4:49:15 PM

It will be a cold day in hell when I start driving foriegn cars or trucks. Dodge management dips--ts. You can add me to the lost sales tally. I'm already looking at buying a Ford.

Posted by: NuBob | Mar 17, 2010 10:05:10 PM

put viper engine or a diesel or reg 5.7 in trucks let the buyer Decide on the motor.NOT flat or chy comment 2 Make a rag top challenger with 6.4 motor..Don't THINK JUST DO IT.We the people know what WE want

Posted by: walt | Apr 22, 2010 8:12:26 PM

I will always be a dodge man... even when ford and chrysler were talking bout sellin the ram brand to ford i would still stick the the dodge ram name... the 6.4 i think would be to big and not durable enought to put into a hd truck. I use my 2005 dodge ram 2500 diesel 4x4. It has over 290000 and i havent changed a thing excect oil and transmission fluid. I have friends with the chevy diesel with less miles and are having alot of problems. Dodge and chrysler knows what there doing, they just need to do what they were doing in the 90's and early 2000. They were almost out selling ford and were chevy. I think they should redo the 6.1 hemi and put it in the HD trucks, just make it to put in the truck. I will never buy a GM product cuz they are junk!!!! Ill buy a honda before i buy a chevy. Next in line would be a ford if anything.

Posted by: Mopar or no car | May 10, 2010 8:20:52 AM

I am fine with the 6.4L only being in the SRT vehicles....

As long as they make an SRT RAM with it! I would trade my new Ram 1500 Hemi in a heartbeat for that monster!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Ron | Jan 11, 2011 8:18:02 AM

Did ya'll read the heavy duty truck shootout at pickuptrucks.com. The hemi leads the pack empty (90% of there use) when loaded it suffers from the high fist gear in the auto but it really isnt a big deal.

Posted by: Big D | Jan 23, 2011 3:22:39 PM