440 Motorhome vs 440 Car

[David W Choate]

Any pluses or minuses to motorhome engines vs car? Thanks.

I worked at a Winnebago Dealer for a few yrs. , and also was a Chrysler Plymouth Mechanic from 1989 until 2006 . The reason they used the 440 nickel alloy Block in Winnies id because of the higher operating temperatures created by an underpowered vehicle. The Chevy 454 Motor Home Engines had similar issues . I can recall Road testing them with the Engine cover off and seeing the exhaust manifolds cherry red up hills . Now they use Diesels , and Allison Transmissions , and the smaller ones use a Daimler Chrysler van converted which has a beautiful diesel Engine that is so quiet and smooth ; you swear it was a gas Engine.

 

[David W Choate]

Motor Home 440

I have a 78 MH 440 in my 69 Charger R/T and I could not ask for better. Original heads had hardened seats and the block had some beefier looking casting than the older blocks. Pistons, heads, exhaust and intake make all 440's run great.

 

[David W Choate]

When I worked at Media Camping Center (Winnebago Dealer) they had piles of those 440 nickel Blocks . They may still have them there.

 

[Cranky]

ChryCo big blocks had a higher nickle content than most of the other manufacturers and this was true across the board and not just MH's. You could tell just by machining them based on the sound the cutting tool makes. In my experiences, GM blocks were the softest and Fords were not consistent. I'm also a machinist with over 30 years experience and have cut way more cast iron than I ever wanted to!

 

[wyrmrider]

lots of myths
there are studies of webbing, etc 400 vs 440 yadda yadda
still more differences between blocks than years
I do not recommend big bores
the motorhome eads with the coolant around the plugs are te best for hd use but obsolete today
the kb quench dome piston and a cam with less overlap and not so long an exhaust fixes the cherry red exhaust problem- you need the quench
can reduce EGT by 800 degrees