440 budget build what do you think?

[kjalltrac]

Have you broke one? We run a stock cast crank to 850hp (9.55@142/3775lbs). Year 6, still going.
Doug

That's very impressive

 

[rlem1977]

That's the thing, of course I can do it "right" the first time, but I don't have the bills to buy a 572 Hemi or bore, balance and purchase a stroker kit for this block.
So I figure, do the best with what you have. And a smogger 440 is not so fun.
IQ52=> I think you made some impressive numbers on your smogger dyno session.

I can probably get close to 400-450 hp with this combo.
I´m just not sure on the converter and rear end gear ratio.

Do a interweb search on budget 440 builds. I know Hot Rod / Car Craft / Popular Hot Rodding have articles out there on these type of builds. You can get 500 hp easy without breaking the bank. My advice (only because it's what I'm doing now with my car), decide what you WANT; develop the COST SHEET to achieve the WANT. If the $$$ are more than you have NOW; then either ADJUST the WANT or SAVE for the WANT. Whatever you do, make sure you'll be happy with what you end up with.

 

[dvw]

This is my take. If it's really low budget and you blow it up, so what. Very little investment. New cheap pistons, rings, bearings , machine work, labor will far exceed the cost of 2 used short blocks. Now if you have the knowledge and told to ball hone and throw bearings and a timing chain in it the additional investment is still small. On the other side of the coin . Perfectly good running race motor. I bought new rods and am having the crank magged cause I can't afford to blow it up, too much dollars in mega block.
Doug.

 

[kjalltrac]

Already been driving around with the setup described earlier a couple of years, managed 12.67sec at the quarter with a little nitrous.
Had to run with the ported 452 heads and stock low comp pistons cause of house renovation.
So, this new setup will be around 10.3 comp (8.0 comp old setup) and better flowing heads and the benefit of lesser weight. I beleve the new setup will give me around 100hp or so over the old, and low 12s without nitrous.

 

[rlem1977]

This is my take. If it's really low budget and you blow it up, so what. Very little investment. New cheap pistons, rings, bearings , machine work, labor will far exceed the cost of 2 used short blocks. Now if you have the knowledge and told to ball hone and throw bearings and a timing chain in it the additional investment is still small. On the other side of the coin . Perfectly good running race motor. I bought new rods and am having the crank magged cause I can't afford to blow it up, too much dollars in mega block.
Doug.

The real down side is the potential damage to expensive parts if it blows up. Damage to rods, crank, or block and the replacement just got expensive. Going cheap upfront usually results in overall more money at the end.

 

[dvw]

The real down side is the potential damage to expensive parts if it blows up. Damage to rods, crank, or block and the replacement just got expensive. Going cheap upfront usually results in overall more money at the end.

.
Right so if the stock short blows up, it blows up. At worst you bend a few valves on a decent set of heads. Thing is chances are more likely it won't blow up. Now if you're going after big power with an expensive short block, I agree 100%.
Doug

 

[biomedtechguy]

This was, to me, a REALLY impressive result without a big $$ outlay.
If I can get torque close to or equal to their numbers, and few hundred more RPMs and a little bit more horsepower, I'd be THRILLED!
535 Wedge made an impressive 624 horsepower @ 5,300 rpm and 700 ft. lbs. of torque at 3,900 rpm.
http://moparconnectionmagazine.com/...f-the-south-535ci-stroker-top-end-build-dyno/

 

[kjalltrac]

Have cleaned up the ports a little and done a valve back cut and laped them.
Not a single valve where sealing properly ootb.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Have cleaned up the ports a little and done a valve back cut and laped them.
Not a single valve where sealing properly ootb.

View attachment 592969

Edelbrock E-Street heads, correct?

 

[kjalltrac]

Yep

 

[kjalltrac]

Painted.

 

[kjalltrac]

New shifter installed.

View attachment 598706

 

[kjalltrac]

12.4769sec 106mph
60ft 1.738
New personal best
The engine feels slow after 5000rpm?
Budget 440
L2355f stock bore pistons
Edelbrock E-street heads
Headman 1 3/4 headers
3" exhaust with mufflers that necks down to 2 1/4" inside
Edelbrock rpm dual plane intake
Quickfuel 850 dp with electric choke
Comp cam hydraulic 284h cam
10.1 comp

8 3/4 with 3.73 gears
Tf727 manual revers pattern
Hughes 3000 stall converter
Ss springs
10/90 front shocks
26" x 9" hoosier slicks

Shifts at 5000-5500 rpm
This was in 85-95 degrees heat
Full steel car with bench seat

Do you have any suggestions on how to make this combo any faster? (with out nitrous )

 

[Hemirunner]

Open headers would help that thing go over 5000rpm, pick up some power, and lose some weight.

 

[wyrmrider]

usual things work on timing curve
6 cyl torsion bars- give em a try
is that through the mufflers? if so not bad
check the backpressure on the mufflers and vacuum at High rpm and report
is that compression real with the heads cc'd and what's the deck clearance
10:1 is not much for that cam and not much for AL heads with that cam
would a 274 HL or 285 HL be better-too early to tell
maybe time to go solid where do you need more power- back off the cam advance 4 degrees and see if the over 5 k improves- after making sure the tune is perfect as can be
what's your rpm after the shifts
what's your cranking compression?
borrow some 1.6 rockers for a test but problem is pushrods may hit so maybe clearance next time it's apart
lifters pumping up?

 

[kjalltrac]

Open headers would help that thing go over 5000rpm, pick up some power, and lose some weight.

Thanks,
I do have cut outs I'm planing on installing this winter.

 

[wyrmrider]

backpressure is the most obvious thing for falling on its face at higher rpm- when the backpressue goes up
just pull the mufflers off and try it
I use 3" in 3" out Turbo mufflers 3" inside
don't get talked into larger headers

 

[kjalltrac]

usual things work on timing curve
6 cyl torsion bars- give em a try
is that through the mufflers? if so not bad
check the backpressure on the mufflers and vacuum at High rpm and report
is that compression real with the heads cc'd and what's the deck clearance
10:1 is not much for that cam and not much for AL heads with that cam
would a 274 HL or 285 HL be better-too early to tell
maybe time to go solid where do you need more power- back off the cam advance 4 degrees and see if the over 5 k improves- after making sure the tune is perfect as can be
what's your rpm after the shifts
what's your cranking compression?
borrow some 1.6 rockers for a test but problem is pushrods may hit so maybe clearance next time it's apart
lifters pumping up?

Yes, thats with mufflers (the mufflers are 2 chamber design that necks down to 2 1/4" inside) and fully exhaust.
Static compression is around 10.1:1 to 10.3:1.
Haven't done the cranking pressure test yet.

 

[oldbee]

backpressure is the most obvious thing for falling on its face at higher rpm- when the backpressue goes up
just pull the mufflers off and try it
I use 3" in 3" out Turbo mufflers 3" inside
don't get talked into larger headers

As usual, I’m late to the parade. Gotta disagree on the headers, 1-7/8” at minimum. Get the exhaust out of there easier.

 

[biomedtechguy]

The engine feels slow after 5000rpm?

I have good reason to believe that my purple stripe cam is the 292°/.509"
My engine was falling off around 5k. I had an instinct to check the valve springs and they were way down on force, open and closed so I replaced them, all 16 lifters, locks and retainers. Now my same motor pulls like crazy to 6,200!