Tonight I took the engine to the machinist for hot tanking and inspection, valve job, anything I can't do myself...plan is rings and bearings and cam...but what compression ratio? He's not real experienced with MoPars.
quickD100, I was digging around reading some of your posts and looks like you've run a few low budget 440s. I don't want to have to spend a bunch of $ on pistons and such, but since I have a general machine shop I could mill the (452) heads/intake and deck the block to increase compression for free and then run the biggest cam that will work with the stock converter...or should I go ahead and spring for the converter? It seems you mentioned the converter made a lot of difference a few times. I'd like to be able to daily drive it on 87, even if I have to back off timing, and then put higher octane and more timing in when I want more performance. I figure I could mill the heads .060" and the block .050" which will put me at ~9.5 SCR with a .020" gasket...but I won't have any quench. If that's too much, I figure I could go back down some with a .060" gasket. Or maybe I have that backwards...start with less milling and mill it until it pings, and then back it off a little with a gasket....or find someone who already know what they're doing!
I ran a 9.2-1 no quench motor with home ported 516's and later a set of 452's. Also ran the 509 for years and in my old truck with a set of no name 1-3/4" headers, M-1 single plane, and a carter 750cfm carb, and the Turbo Action 10", 4.56 suregrip. Ir ran a 12.20@106 in the 1/4.
At 9.5-1 and a cam like the 509 or .528 mechanical the duration will bleed of enough cranking pressure so pinging should not be a problem. You may want to play with the timing but it will probably like it at 38 degrees total. The motor will want alot of initial timing at idle also.Dave
It seems running that big of a cam on a low comp engine isn't usually considered a good idea, and is said to kill the bottom end torque, but it seems to work with the higher stall converter and steep gearing....and if I'm just running street tires, it seems like an RV cam would just fry them on the low end and then run out of hp in the top end...?
The only fuel available locally then was 89.5 octane. I don't think you'd have a problem on 87 as the long duration cam bleeds off alot of cylinder pressure. True, these cams love compression but they will work as I outlined. With 440 ci, you still have low end torque but when these cams hit their powerband hang on. The .528 mechanical would be my first choice, very smooth idle and killer lowend torque and it will work with cast iron manifolds. Dave
Doable as a daily driver with AC? I have a pretty high tolerance for stuff that's not super easy to drive, my rock crawlers were always my DDs. Noisy, mushy suspension and tires, no top or doors sometimes...
I appreciate the heck out of your input, coming from someone who's done it.
With AC definately use the .528 rather than the 509.
One day when I have some time,(LOL) I'd like to take a bone stock 440 and dyno it and then start changing cams, intakes, carbs. I know I always wondered and no one ever gave me the answers. Currently on my dyno I'm working on a bone stock 84' smogger 318 with a GT45 turbocharger. It made 340hp@11lbs. of boost@4800rpm. I changed the valve springs to a set of 340magnum springs as the stockers only allow it to spin to 4850. I'm guessing it may hit 400hp.Dave
Not a big deal really I enjoyed putting the truck together and enjoy bangin around in it with the 318. Embarrassed a ricer with it the other day, ha! I came across a good deal on a cummins truck and bought that so the 440 is back burner now until I have more time and money.
