Hellacious Hemi®: All NEW Gen 3 Hemi® Engine Block by Dart
It’s hard to believe, but the Gen 3 Hemi® engine has been around for over 20 years. The production Gen 3 Hemi® engine has come in various displacements, ranging from 5.7L to its most powerful factory form, the 6.2L Demon engine which comes with an 800hp rating right out the box. Nowadays, you can find Gen 3 Hemi® engines fairly inexpensive on the likes of Facebook marketplace, or even in abundance at one of your local scrapyards, making it a platform that’s becoming more popular by the day for swaps and performance minded builders.
The Gen 3 Hemi® engine, despite its impressive performance, is not without its issues when elevating performance. Most notably, OEM issues with oil starvation to the lifters, 2-bolt main cap strength limitations, and issues where the piston is falling too far out of the cylinder bore on stroker builds. Enter: The Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® engine block from Dart Machinery. After spending years in the engineering, development and refinement process, we have addressed these limitations to create the ultimate Gen 3 platform for you to build power with. These resolutions include implementing our Priority Main Oiling system, upgrading to a billet splayed 4-bolt main cap design, and lengthening cylinder bores to provide more piston stability for stroker builds.
Who is the Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® block for? Proudly boasting a 2,000+ horsepower capability rating, our Gen 3 Hemi® engine block brings a new meaning to strength and dependability for Gen 3 Hemi® builders looking to push their build to the new levels. We have earned our reputation in the industry by producing the best performance derived aftermarket blocks on the market, which is why we completely redesigned our Gen 3 Hemi® block from the ground up.
Dart Gen 3 Hemi® Block Specs
Priority Main Oiling is a Priority for your Block
It’s no secret that oiling issues have been a major downfall of the OEM block in high-performance cases. We decided to start with a clean slate approach in the design phase to address the shortcomings with our Priority Main Oiling System with two lifter crossovers and restrictor provisions. Our Priority Main Oiling System supplies oil first to the main bearings and then to the cam, lifters and top end, ensuring consistent, adequate lubrication to critical bottom end components. A steady supply of fresh, clean oil also helps to keep the temperatures down and greatly increases the longevity of the bearings and associated components.
Performance Minded Upgrades – Thicker Decks, Siamese Cylinder Bores & More
The Gen 3 Hemi® platform typically performs best under high boost and nitrous equipped environments. To help maintain integrity under the increased cylinder pressures power adders induce, we’ve added several upgrades and features to the Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® engine block. First, increased deck thickness provides reliable head gasket seal, a common concern with big boost numbers. Next, Siamese cylinder bores with extra thick walls and blind head bolt holes, available in 7/16″ and 1/2″ upgrade, help combat bore deformation and prevents having another weak pressure point where coolant could possibly intrude into the engine.
Additionally, Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® engine blocks come standard with lengthened cylinder bores and block clearance for 4.050 stroke with steel rods, making it the ideal choice for anyone looking to build a big-inch Gen 3 Hemi® while maintaining the ability to run all of your factory bolt-ons, like starters, water pumps, etc.
Superior Materials for Superior Strength
The foundation of the Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® engine block starts with casting it from our premium 220 BHN iron material. This Brinell hardness rating (BH) surpasses the typical grey cast iron, which tests around 180 BHN. By utilizing this superior grade material and working closely with our American foundry to refine the casting process, we are able to produce a unique blend of material that delivers superior strength compared to the cast OEM blocks.
Improved Cooling with Revised Water Jackets
Maintaining a cool engine block is crucial for efficiency, performance, and longevity. Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® engine blocks feature scalloped water jackets that enhance coolant flow around the cylinders, making a big impact when it comes to keeping the block cool. Additionally, we’ve redesigned the water passages and equipped our Gen 3 Hemi® engine block with blind head bolt holes. This prevents corrosion in the head bolt threads and eliminates the risk of coolant leaking into the engine when under sustained high-pressure operation.
CNC Machined In-House
Achieving a perfect block requires the right tools, which is why we use a range of highly specialized machinery to optimize every process. Our extensive array of CNC equipment allows us to manufacture components to the highest industry standards. This ensures a precise cut, and a clean finish, and eliminates the need for costly blueprinting with our Gen 3 Hemi® engine block.
With the exception of mixing and pouring the metal, which is handled by external casting specialists using designs and tooling under Dart’s control, the entire block development, production and finishing process is completed in-house. More than 30 machining centers run 24 hours a day for 6½ days a week to keep up with demand.
Billet Main Caps for Strength & Stability
Our precision machined billet steel 4-bolt main caps were a must have upgraded feature when designing this block with high-performance use in mind. Our Billet steel main caps offer superior strength, enhanced stability, and much improved durability by reducing block flex compared to the OEM 2-bolt counterparts by spreading the load over a wider area and incorporating additional bolts.
Additionally, we added our splayed cap design to the three center main caps. Our splayed main caps feature angled bolts that extend outward from the main bearing bulkhead towards the pan rail. This configuration increases the surface area for securing the caps, providing a much greater clamping force.
Order Yours Today
Overall, the Dart Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® block is poised to fill the need for builders and racers looking to push their Gen 3 Hemi® to extreme levels of power and boost at an affordable price point by offering superior materials, a complete redesign of the block oiling system, and by being equipped with many performance minded upgrades along the way. The Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® is a must have for serious builders and racers all around the world.
The Iron Eagle Gen 3 Hemi® block comes in eight different part numbers, offering both VVT and Non-VVT options, with bore sizes ranging from 3.927″ to 4.250″, and deck heights vary from 9.250″ to 9.285″. If you are ready to take your Gen 3 Hemi® build to the next level, you can online at dartheads.com or talk to one of our experienced sales techs today at 248-362-1188.