What engine is this? Need to pick some brains.

John Gillenwater

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I recently bought a big block from a guy out of a motor home. And he was thinking it was a 440, but I'm having a feeling its may be a 400. Here are some pics I took. I can't get to the block identification numbers yet to take a pic. But here is what I have.

IMG_20161104_174222.jpg


IMG_20161104_174238.jpg
 
there should be a pad just in front of the valley hold down bar , 400 will not have it , only rb's had it 413 or 440 from motorhomes .
 
A 413 motorhome engine will look like this. The shortblock is mostly the same as a car engine. Cam drive is gear instead of chain driven.

The top end is completely different. Different heads, intake and exhaust manifolds. Water pump is raised and the housing bolts to the heads to cool them first.

Same engine as used in dump trucks and industrial apps.

If it's a 440 MH it will look the same as a car engine with center dump exhaust manifolds.

Kevin


413_truck_motor.jpg
 
thats the ind version 413 (special heads) , some have really thick cylinder walls , steel crank with 8 bolts holes in some cases .
 
Is the "motorhome" like a big Winnebago motorhome or is it "van-based" with the front end looking like a B-series van? 1978 was the last model year for the 440. On the later model years, there should be a pad just above the oil pan rail (rh side?) that has the VIN stamped into it, I believe. That should nail it, but if it was in a big motorhome chassis, with Chrysler only supplying the rolling chassis, it might not. Don't recall any 400s being in motorhomes!

As I recall, Chrysler/Dodge's last attempt at medium-duty trucks was in about 1972. Motorhomes lasted longer than that, model year wise.

There was a unique motorhome-only 440. One distinguishing external feature was that the exhaust ports were all separate, like a big block Chevy. The combustion chambers looked like A-blocks. Took an A-block style spark plug. Intake ports were normal B/RB Chrysler. Great exhaust ports! Had a specific 4160 Holley that went on it. I saw one of these heads a while back at a machine shop. Looked unusual and interesting!

CBODY67
 
I have a 400 RV. Its a van motor but the van was extended into a motorhome. I look forward to at least a ring and valve job on it, though if the bores are much scuffed, then I'll make it a more complete rebuild. Mine is a 1977.
 
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