New 440 build... Intake milling needed?

OCTAVIOUS · Feb 4, 2026

So, with my fresh 440 build, will I need to mill the new Edelbrock intake?

specs so far

440 deck height now 10.715 took .010 off
Heads milled only .005 each for straightness--ended up measuring 90CCs
with my pistons ending up at dang near zero deck I can use a .040 thickness Perma-torque gasket to get 9.5:1 compression
Factory used a .020 shim gasket; I am going with .040 thick gasket, am I wrong in thinking that adds .020 back to the distance...

theoretically!

Can I get away with no cutting of my new aluminum intake?

69Bee · Feb 4, 2026

You will be fine, no milling needed.

GTX JOHN · Feb 4, 2026

Agreed, but check it anyway

dvw · Feb 4, 2026

You will know when you try to bolt the intake on. If the bolts are right at the top of the hole and wont go in. At worst a little rat tail file at the top of the intake bolt holes should take care of it.
Doug

BSB67 · Feb 4, 2026

You’ll be higher than stock, not lower. So the opposite of cutting, if anything. But you’ll be fine. Or cur 0.030” and add two 0.015 gaskets to either side of the pan.

Bird 426 · Feb 4, 2026

Let's see, will look into my crystal ball.

lewtot184 · Feb 5, 2026

not with a newer edelbrock intake. they're all too wide if the deck/heads are at stock specs. the old stuff fits; new stuff is a can of worms.

451Mopar · Feb 5, 2026

Mock it up and check the alignment. Don't make the bolt holes larger unless you don't care that the ports will be mis-aligned.
Depending on where you are on the build, best to mockup before torque the heads on and then have the intake sides of the heads milled vs the intake manifold that way you can easely change manifolds

dvw · Feb 8, 2026

451Mopar said:
Mock it up and check the alignment. Don't make the bolt holes larger unless you don't care that the ports will be mis-aligned.
Depending on where you are on the build, best to mockup before torque the heads on and then have the intake sides of the heads milled vs the intake manifold that way you can easely change manifolds

Port misalignment would be minimal. Isn’t going to bother anything. Have you ever tu a Max Wedge intake on a 906? Or a rectangular port BB Cheyenne on oval port heads? You would be surprised how well they can run. A few thousanths of mis match is next to nothing.
Doug

Diodedog · Feb 12, 2026

OCTAVIOUS said:
So, with my fresh 440 build, will I need to mill the new Edelbrock intake?

specs so far

440 deck height now 10.715 took .010 off
Heads milled only .005 each for straightness--ended up measuring 90CCs
with my pistons ending up at dang near zero deck I can use a .040 thickness Perma-torque gasket to get 9.5:1 compression
Factory used a .020 shim gasket; I am going with .040 thick gasket, am I wrong in thinking that adds .020 back to the distance...

theoretically!

Can I get away with no cutting of my new aluminum intake?

You should use whatever gasket type the block was honed with. The difference in bore distortion between the Fel Pro blue and a steel shim can be as much as .002".

dvw · Feb 12, 2026

Diodedog said:
You should use whatever gasket type the block was honed with. The difference in bore distortion between the Fel Pro blue and a steel shim can be as much as .002".

I've never seen that. In fact I've never seen .002" plate vs no plate. Where did you see this?
Doug

Diodedog · Feb 12, 2026

dvw said:
I've never seen that. In fact I've never seen .002" plate vs no plate. Where did you see this?
Doug

Hi Doug, maybe you're using an aftermarket or race block ?. I am going to post a long reply in a new thread about bore distortion and explain what I've found in my tests.

New 440 build... Intake milling needed?

OCTAVIOUS

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69Bee

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GTX JOHN

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dvw

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BSB67

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Bird 426

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lewtot184

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451Mopar

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dvw

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Diodedog

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dvw

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Diodedog

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