440 Build Advice

[spcedwards214]

Looking for some good advice from someone who's done it. Simply looking to swap my 318 for a 440.
Planning on buying the 440 soon once I find the right one for tear down and send it to the machine shop. Simply put I'm looking for a streetable 500hp motor naturally aspirated. Looking for advice on what connecting rods, pistons, cam size I should use etc. I plan on using aluminum heads for the reduced weight and benefits so just hoping to get a good idea of what i'm up against. That and so I can put together a price list to look forward too. Anything helps. Thanks in advance.

 

[themechanic]

Try the racers forum

Posted via Topify on Android

 

[383man]

If you click this link and look at the first eng build on it where my 63 ran a best of 11.49 that was a mild 440 with 906 heads making about 500 flywheel hp. Course the build at the bottom is the eng in the car now making about 600 flywheel hp and pushing my 3700 lb 63 in the 10's. Ron

http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/mmo82008.html

 

[451Mopar]

If this is for the '66 Charger, your going to need a big block transmission or ultrabell conversion bellhousing. If the transmission is still the original '66, the torque converter will not fit a '67 and newer transmission (different input shaft spline count.)
For the 440, alot depends on what your intended use is and the gear, stall, and tiresize to know if your going to be doing most of your driving at 1,500 RPM, or 5,000 RPM or somewhere in between. Also, what fuel you plan to use.
And finally, what your budget is? Remember to factor in the cost of fastners, belts, hoses, filters, fluids, ignition system, fuel system, and cooling. Not just the basic engine build of machine work, pistons/rings, rods, cam/lifters, timing set, oil pump, gaskets, engine paint, ect..

For aluminum heads, if you are looking for a stock appearance, I think the 440 Source heads are the only ones that resemble the stock heads. The Edelbrock Performer RPM 84cc heads are sort of the given baseline goto head for most street/strip builds. One reason that using a zero deck flat top piston with this size chamber results in right around 10:1 compression with a 0.040" head gasket/quench distance. The Edelbrock heads flow decent out of the box and are decent quality, but they don't look stock and they have angled sparkplugs which is good for performance, but some headers won't fit. That brings up another issue, what exhaust? Manifolds or headers, tube sizes, mufflers?
If you are looking for big power, and more expensive heads, there is INDY, Edelbrock Victor, and Brodix B1 heads, plus a few others like Mopar Performance, ProComp (victor knock off), Stage V (Hemi conversion head) and Predator (more of a BBC type head for the Mopar.)

 

[spcedwards214]

Well 451, the car is going to for use on the street just like a daily driver, wanting some gas mileage but also have some balls when i feel like pushing it a bit. The cost isn't going to be an issue at the moment because i'm still tinkering with the 318 I have just to move it around the driveway, garage, etc. working on converting the the brakes to disc all the way around now. But the 440 I'm having a hard time finding (mopar). Once I get the right one, send it off for machining, then the build will begin. But to avoid spending 3 grand in the crank any suggests on machining it or??? Just trying to get an idea of what i'm up against so I can find the right people to do the machine work etc for me. As goes the heads and exhaust, originiality doesn't matter to me. The car isn't being made to show or be original i'm building it to my taste. The only thing I won't do is drop a motor in it that ain't a mopar. Other than that, its fair game. These cars could use good quality aftermarket stuff to lighten the load a bit if you ask me. LOL at first I wanted to do a 6.1 swap but the I can't do it when I could build twice the motor for half the cost of that. Just needing some good pointers for the 440 build. I see your in aurora, where at. I just left ft carson in colorado springs last year. Yall's movie theaters ok now? Thanks again.

 

[451Mopar]

I am slowly working on a 6.1L Hemi swap. I got a 50K mile 6.1L Hemi with all the accessories and engine computer with Nag transmission off E-Bay for $4,000.
Currently I am looking at different electronic options for the transmission. I haven't figured that out yet. The Altercation K-Member looks tempting, but is is expensive.

Anyhow, if your plan to do a stroker engine you could use a 400 block or 440 block.
For 500 HP, you won't need very much machine work. usually just align hone the main bearings so they are straight round and the correct size, have the deck cut so all the pistons are near zero deck when installed, then bore the cylinder to where they clean up (usually 0.030" over unless the block has already been bored), then honed with a torque plate, with the correct grit for the piston rings you plan to use. Have the stock crank checked and ground/polished if needed. I would use aftermarket rods because they have the larger 7/16" ARP rod bolts, and the price is not too much more than having rebuilding the stock rods with ARP bolts.
I'd use a lightweight forged flat top piston with the thinner 1/16"x1/16"x3/16" rings.
This will give you right around 10:1 compression with 84cc Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, and a 0.040" head gasket.
For what your doing a flat tappet hydraulic cam will be good, but you will need to use engine oil with a high ZDDP package.
A mild street soild roller cam would be my choice, but it will be more expensive.

 

[spcedwards214]

That's exactly what i was looking for. I know its not a hard build just was looking for some details from someone who knows a little more about the mopar motors. Man I wish I could do a 6.1 swap and think I may down the road when i find the right 68 but for now we'll stick it out with the carbs lol. Send pics and keep me updated on the swap. I work for a dealership who owns all 3 dealers in the area toyota, ford, dodge, etc. Know the parts manager really well at dodge and the techs there. If you need any help finding anything or technical info let me know. Thanks

 

[natas33]

I love these 440 threads. 500hp? find a good motorhome engine, hone the bores, fit new rings and clevite bearings, a 509 hydraulic cam, full ported heads big valves, and run 2" headers, torker intake, 850 holley, good ignition.

Ive done a few re-ringers similar. and i even went trick and had the stock pistons fly cut and ran a big mopar solid with 1.6 crane golds in one 440.... it would leave built 15k small blocks 'back then' for dead. the pistons were still the same ones installed in 1969, and was most of it, yes I went with a high CR engine that time around just because it was available and not broken. the factory bores cleaned up good at .005 at machine shop.. just perfect for 7000rpm and bolting on a pair of full ported 906's with milodon 2.14/1.81 pro flow valves. if it wasn't 600hp, it was damn close.

technology hasn't come all that far, all that wiring, efi and 'crap', really it's just the flow of the heads that has increased, improved, in newer engines. injection doesn't really do anything a carb from 1970's didn't. most part throttle fuel economy comes from the driveline and lock up converters, rather than engine management. can you believe a vacuum distributor from the 1970's even increases timing at part throttle just like an ECU does. AFR at a certain cruise rpm is AFR... the 02 sensor and gauge doesn't lie.

sure some tech in cylinder heads, but again, not all that much

if the new 'Hemi', was still the exact old 'Hemi' just in aluminum..... think about it