what to expect out of a 440???

[68chargerguy]

I just rebuilt a stock 73' 440 motor and 727 auto transmission for my 68 charger with has 2.76 rear end gears and the car is very dissapointing performance wise. I have electronic ignition, edlebrock manifold and carb and the car just seems slow to me. I was expecting to be able to lite the tires up for days but instead I just get a small scratch. Am I expecting to much out of an old car?

 

[msbaugh]

2.76 sure isn't very good for smoking your tires I'll tell you that! I've got a 3:23 rear end and it'll still light them up. What else can you tell us about your car?

 

[68chargerguy]

car runs fine, just slower than I hoped. I have bumped up the rear tires to 15's but I did that because I was expecting a lot of tire spin :-(

 

[68chargerguy]

my baby

here is a pic

 

[greenmonsta79]

Well it will be pretty mundane with that gearing, and actually the taller the tire the worse it will be, The smaller the diameter of tire you go with the faster you will turn them over. your timing could be off a touch too,also do you have a vacuum advance distributor??

 

[FatJack]

Go to a 3.55 or 3.91 gear, you will love it.

 

[68chargerguy]

yes the distributor does have a vaccum advance and I've played with advancing the timing a little bit but really had no change in performance.

 

[shag766]

you have the cubes. the package is just not right.

get your wallet out.

 

[68chargerguy]

shag766 that is funny. I just hear about all these guys that say oh man back in the day a 440 would.... and now that I have one that is bone stock like back in the day I can honestly tell them I think my 94' chevy pickup would out run them with airconditioner on. I have completly gone through this motor which was honned out the block and turned the crank. put a mild crower cam in, then had the heads rebuilt then put the stock pistons and rods back in. Car has 2 1/2" flowmaster exhaust coming off the factory headers. I have put quite a bit of money in this car not sure anymore is gonna help. I plan on driving this car quite a bit so I don't want a dragster but I gotta be able to out run a geo metro!!

 

[bob myers]

This is probably too simple, but I had a brand x car that ran the same as you describe and after lot of frustration it turned out to be a throttle cable that was not going to full throttle....again, probably too simple, but worth a check out. good luck.

 

[wannadrag]

Give those crap gears a pitch and put aleast some 323s in it.Its going to be a slug till you change em out.

 

[Joe Mopar]

Give those crap gears a pitch and put aleast some 323s in it.Its going to be a slug till you change em out.

X2, Needs lower gears in the rear.

 

[74Satellite]

You HAVE to change those rear end gears....like everyone stated above, MINIMUM 3:23. some 410s will really get you moving but will be horrible on the fuel. Dont be discouraged...just save up and get that rearend re-geared and youll be fine.

 

[1badstroker]

I second the gear change. The car should run like hell past 80 mph with the current gear. You need either a 3.23 or a 3.55 gear. The 3.55 is a all around good gear for what ever you are going to do.

 

[68chargerguy]

Ok, new rear end gears it is. I love keeping the economy afloat. Pretty sure it can't be that much worse on the gas mileage I will let you guys know how it turns it. Appreciate all the input. If anybody knows anyone that has a 3.55 rear end forsale just let me know.

 

[Cranky]

My dad's 69 New Yucker would boil the hides with little effort and it was stock. Yeah, the 73 is lower compression than the 69 but it should still be able to roast them even with the 2.76's. Had a 77 Fury cop car with a 440 and it had no problem moving the mail with a highway gear. How does it run once the rpm is up? Does it seem to wake up once the rpm goes past say around 3000? What cam do you have and was it degreed in? What is your cylinder psi? Do a compression test and let us know what it is.....

 

[jaak]

I agree the gears are high. I have a '73 with a 360/4-speed and it had 3.23 gears, the pinion bearing seized up on it, so I just threw in an open 2.76 center section I had to get it back on the road, quick. Its like a pig taking off now, Its just a crusier, but I'd like to put 3.23 back in it one day.

Jason

 

[67 B-body]

My dad's 69 New Yucker would boil the hides with little effort and it was stock. Yeah, the 73 is lower compression than the 69 but it should still be able to roast them even with the 2.76's. Had a 77 Fury cop car with a 440 and it had no problem moving the mail with a highway gear. How does it run once the rpm is up? Does it seem to wake up once the rpm goes past say around 3000? What cam do you have and was it degreed in? What is your cylinder psi? Do a compression test and let us know what it is.....

My 69 RR had a steep 2:73 "I believe" rear gear and it would BOIL the tires with a stock 440!!!!!!!
As a matter of fact, it actualy reduced the amount of spin when I went to the 4:10 rear gear! With the 2:73, the tires would get so much speed to them that it would take forever for the car to catch up to the tire speed! With the 4:10's, the tire speed was reduced with the same RPM of the engine thus allowing for the cars forward speed to more easily match the tire speed.
Something else is wrong for sure......
c

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Ok, new rear end gears it is. I love keeping the economy afloat. Pretty sure it can't be that much worse on the gas mileage I will let you guys know how it turns it. Appreciate all the input. If anybody knows anyone that has a 3.55 rear end forsale just let me know.

YOUR STILL GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED WITH PERFORMANCE. GET YOURSELF SOME 4.10'S or 3.91 a minimum.
Thats what chrysler did after 68 to help get some performance out of your bb .

 

[moparpoor]

We need specs.Cam specs,compression,what heads,what carb.Yo will need a 3.55 gear for your use as a cruiser/hot rodder.2.76 is a waste of your time unless were going to a twin turbo car.Did I read correct you have a 15 wide tire or you talking 15''wheel and tire combo instead of factory 14'' wheels.A 10.1 440 short block with a decent cam and heads should put a b body well into the 12second range atleast low 13second on a bad tuneup.Decent heads I am referring to 906's,915's,or 452's.