Low Compression 440 Build Questions
- Thread starter hilly101111111
- Start date
twostick
Senior Member
My 493 with a custom reverse dome piston, zero deck and Edelbrock RPMs came in at 8.97:1 compression. Round figures, it made 500 hp, 600 ft/lbs and is happy on all but the hottest days on 87 regular. If I were to add some RPM to the timing curve, it would probably be happy all the time. 34 degrees all in by 2000 is a little aggressive.
Kevin
twostick
Senior Member
If you were just wanting to wake up your current combo without a rebuild, a new timing set with the extra keyways so you can advance the cam 4 degrees plus a performance distributor recurve will get you some amazing gains for very little money.
A stock iron Thermoquad intake is more than enough for a tweaked stock combo and you said you have 3.23s.
2.5" duals to finish and it's going to be much harder on rear tires.
Kevin
A stock iron Thermoquad intake is more than enough for a tweaked stock combo and you said you have 3.23s.
2.5" duals to finish and it's going to be much harder on rear tires.
Kevin
496 polara
Member
If you have a sound motor then minor upgrades will surprise you.
Recurve the distributor for more initial and a quicker curve.Use vacuum advance.
2.25 minimum dual exhaust and 2.5 is fine also. Mufflers up to you but I like the longest case dynomax Super Turbo for better flow and not loud.
Don't need HP manifolds.Money better spent on headers or use the logs. I have run the Hedman shorty headers and the Hooker Super Comp 1 3/4 tubes on c bodies. The TTi 1 7/8 are too big for most C body engines. I would not be opposed to the Schumacher tri y either but have not run them on a c body.
If you get into modifying the engine I would rather have a good set of ported heads with a stock Cam than a bigger cam and stock heads. Airflow is power.Period.
Stock intake is fine unless you go to the next level.
Carb is up to you. Anything 650 or larger. Smaller throttle bores will help throttle response.
An interesting thread here to read. A lot of talking and the test starts at post 49
Iron head test starting on '78 440.
The single plane intake and larger cam don't necessarily jive with a c body and 3.23 gears but there is a lot of useful info here.
Recurve the distributor for more initial and a quicker curve.Use vacuum advance.
2.25 minimum dual exhaust and 2.5 is fine also. Mufflers up to you but I like the longest case dynomax Super Turbo for better flow and not loud.
Don't need HP manifolds.Money better spent on headers or use the logs. I have run the Hedman shorty headers and the Hooker Super Comp 1 3/4 tubes on c bodies. The TTi 1 7/8 are too big for most C body engines. I would not be opposed to the Schumacher tri y either but have not run them on a c body.
If you get into modifying the engine I would rather have a good set of ported heads with a stock Cam than a bigger cam and stock heads. Airflow is power.Period.
Stock intake is fine unless you go to the next level.
Carb is up to you. Anything 650 or larger. Smaller throttle bores will help throttle response.
An interesting thread here to read. A lot of talking and the test starts at post 49
Iron head test starting on '78 440.
The single plane intake and larger cam don't necessarily jive with a c body and 3.23 gears but there is a lot of useful info here.
wyrmrider
Member
Lots of good replies
I owned 2 Imperials and TWO 73 New yorkers and a 78 Maxivan
I helped design the Micey Thompson quench dome pistons now maybe also ICON which were suggest as from Hughes
If you are NOT going to change the pistons use the Mike Jones Motorhome cam 256@.006 204 @.050 .305 lobe lift or a similar one from HOWARDS run Rhodes you liftersas
you need keep the dynamic compression as high as possible 10 more degrees will kill your grunt with your gears and a stock converter
If changing pistons use the quench domes and you must deck block for close piston to head clerance
now you do NOT have hard exhaust seats so if you are going to run it hard or tow or if your exhaust seats are worn you need seats use the premium DURABOND sintered iron seats
you will need guides do a modern 5-7 angle valve job on the intakes and a radius job on the exhaust backcut the intakes viton seals
you might investigate beehive valve springs and retainers
you can use K line conversion guide sleeves and go to 11/32 valves but this is not a race car
if you need new valves the traditional way is the MOPAR PERFORMANCE oversize valves then open the bowls to 90 % leave the seats wider that a racecar the valves loose heat thru the seats
It may be cost effective to go to aftermarket heads with non open chamber not Hughes and there are better combustion chambers than Edelbrock unless they changed the were old wedge style
Trick Flows may be best but touch up the valve job and you may want to consider beehive springs and retainers
I'd as Eric Weingartner to buy and build the heads if I wanted a top notch job )I can do it myuself) Let Eric pick the heads
stock pistons will still be way down the hole and you need to find some D Dish pistons to get compression and tight quench
still heads and cams can be a cost effective answer you just need to watch you timing and gas
If your compression is up then get your head flows and just bite the bullet and ask Mike Jones to do a cam for your combination
maybe a feww more bucks than a shelf cam but his consulting is worth it and you will end up with more torque
Tranny Transgo reprogramming kit and if you do a rebuild choose between a 518 and a lock up pump and converter all well known mods I did both
I owned 2 Imperials and TWO 73 New yorkers and a 78 Maxivan
I helped design the Micey Thompson quench dome pistons now maybe also ICON which were suggest as from Hughes
If you are NOT going to change the pistons use the Mike Jones Motorhome cam 256@.006 204 @.050 .305 lobe lift or a similar one from HOWARDS run Rhodes you liftersas
you need keep the dynamic compression as high as possible 10 more degrees will kill your grunt with your gears and a stock converter
If changing pistons use the quench domes and you must deck block for close piston to head clerance
now you do NOT have hard exhaust seats so if you are going to run it hard or tow or if your exhaust seats are worn you need seats use the premium DURABOND sintered iron seats
you will need guides do a modern 5-7 angle valve job on the intakes and a radius job on the exhaust backcut the intakes viton seals
you might investigate beehive valve springs and retainers
you can use K line conversion guide sleeves and go to 11/32 valves but this is not a race car
if you need new valves the traditional way is the MOPAR PERFORMANCE oversize valves then open the bowls to 90 % leave the seats wider that a racecar the valves loose heat thru the seats
It may be cost effective to go to aftermarket heads with non open chamber not Hughes and there are better combustion chambers than Edelbrock unless they changed the were old wedge style
Trick Flows may be best but touch up the valve job and you may want to consider beehive springs and retainers
I'd as Eric Weingartner to buy and build the heads if I wanted a top notch job )I can do it myuself) Let Eric pick the heads
stock pistons will still be way down the hole and you need to find some D Dish pistons to get compression and tight quench
still heads and cams can be a cost effective answer you just need to watch you timing and gas
If your compression is up then get your head flows and just bite the bullet and ask Mike Jones to do a cam for your combination
maybe a feww more bucks than a shelf cam but his consulting is worth it and you will end up with more torque
Tranny Transgo reprogramming kit and if you do a rebuild choose between a 518 and a lock up pump and converter all well known mods I did both
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