Rrichard Haines
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I came across a 440 out of a Dodge R V can I use that in my 72 charger? It’s a 1975 with low miles, any thoughts?
Dodge R V 440
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They are excellent motors. Generally well maintained. I pulled mine from a ‘76 motor home with 74,000 miles. It was beautiful inside. In the machine shop as we speak getting turned into a 512 stroker.
Stock they are low compression but there are cams specifically designed to wake them up.
Stock they are low compression but there are cams specifically designed to wake them up.
Should be fairly straightforward. I expect some parts will need to be swapped. There are several versions used in "RV's" Also depends on what your application and intended use is, as far as what added parts may be needed. A cam swap may be a good idea.
I have one out of a 74 rv. The numbers-matching guys are screaming right now, but it'll be going into another old Mopar some day soon.
They're great because they haven't been beat on.
They're great because they haven't been beat on.
BeepBeepRR
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Have you seen General Mayhem? The original engine they put in the General Mayhem was a RV 440. Then later it went to a Hellcat engine. Now is going back to a 440 I think.
Outlawd
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Nothing wrong with an rv motor that can't be changed. Typically low compression motors with a cast crank so you can't put a 4-speed behind it, but you can always change out the crank for that. Compression can be increased just by swapping heads. Or just use it the way it is with an auto tranny, good cruiser motor.
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Agree with all above. But, don't be so quick to change that water pump out. The hassles of having it outlet on the right are outweighed by the 'sewer' sized drain inside the thing. They have a 1"x 5/8" drain cast into them versus the car version that has a hole the size of a #2 pencil. BIG difference in cooling capacity. The crank is very likely a cast unit but that can be swapped out for a forged one, plenty of cam choices to wake it up, over all a great choice because they are not beat to death and high mileage. Slap an intake and carb on there with the other mods and burn some rubber.
6872n73
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Depending on what car you're going in but oil pan and oil pickup will have to be swapped. Exhaust manifolds won't fit a car. And the accessory drive with optional water pump housing. I think there's an episode of engine masters where they took a 440 RV engine and put a cam and heads and intake and headers and made decent power even with the low compression and cast Pistons.
Curiousyellow71
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As long as it doesn't have the heavy duty waterpump like a 413 industrial engine it will be a good donor.
You will need a different oil pan, the water pump housing we switched, But you can run the water pump if you have a radiator with the suction on the pass side. I believe the housing is similiar to the later c bodies if not the same? The manifolds are pickup truck manifolds we have used them in a b body but the bolts are hard to get to. There are 4 speed pilot bearing options for cast cranks. The 452 heads have some improved cooling and hardened seats. We switched out the cam on ours and it ran great.
You will need a different oil pan, the water pump housing we switched, But you can run the water pump if you have a radiator with the suction on the pass side. I believe the housing is similiar to the later c bodies if not the same? The manifolds are pickup truck manifolds we have used them in a b body but the bolts are hard to get to. There are 4 speed pilot bearing options for cast cranks. The 452 heads have some improved cooling and hardened seats. We switched out the cam on ours and it ran great.
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Cast crank more than likely means externally balanced, keep that in mind.
I have a 76 RV 440 in my 67.
Low mile engine, I added a mild comp cam, preformer intake, headers and a good thermoquad carb.
Runs great and I can buy fuel anyplace since its lower compression.
Low mile engine, I added a mild comp cam, preformer intake, headers and a good thermoquad carb.
Runs great and I can buy fuel anyplace since its lower compression.
If it is a cast crank, don't think all were. Cast cranks are just fine if you don't plan on over 6000 RPM much. At 7000 RPM the steel cranks will start to fail after a while.
Change the cam, intake & carb it will a sweet piece.
Change the cam, intake & carb it will a sweet piece.
kwilly
Member
Hello! I have a 77’ rv, low compression on the 440. What cams do you suggest?
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
Summit K6401 cam or a Hughes Whiplash. There will be more suggestions but these are 2 I know of.
Hughes: https://www.hughesengines.com/Index...V2hpcGxhc2ggTXVzY2xlIENhciBjYW1z&partid=30173
Summit K6401: Summit Racing SUM-K6401 Summit Racing™ Classic Cam and Lifter Kits | Summit Racing
Well... not exactly true.
Hauling 12,000 lbs around at full throttle for most of their life isn't really "cushy".
But as long as there's some kind of ring seal, they'll still work.
I was knocking on 11's with a low comp 440-iron head in a stock 64 dodge.
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