440 rebuild suggestions

[MJFUR]

Looking to rebuild the 350hp/440 in my 69 Chrysler 300. I obviously would like to improve the HP and Torque, but still remain streetable. I plan on using factory HP exhaust manifolds and TTI 2.5" dual exhaust.

Both of the 69 350hp & 375hp 440's are speced at 10:1 compression.
350hp cam 256-260-32, 375hp cam 268-284-46.

What are some of the proven upgrades in heads, cam, intake manifold that I should consider.

Thx for suggestions.

 

[MightyMats]

High Rise Dual Plane Intake (you will need to adjust your transmission kickdown linkage and check to make sure you have hood clearance), Aluminum Heads (you can go with 440 source heads or edlebrock as well if you want to keep it more budget friendly) or you could get a valve job on your old heads if you want to keep it budget friendly. I believe you should have 79.5 cc heads so your engine will have good compression and make good power even with stock heads. I believe the test that David Freiburger just did on engine masters that showed a 30-40 hp/torque difference between stock heads and edlebrock heads for what that is worth to you. 440 source heads performed slightly worse than the edlebrock heads and the TFS 270 "trick-flow specialties" made the most HP but gave up low end torque so I wouldn't recommend those. If you want to go with an expensive head the TFS 240 is probably a better option than the 270 for a driver.

I think the cam should be something with a 112 LSA so it will make good low end torque which is what you want with a street car. If it was me I would go with a hydraulic roller cam but you will spend $1,000 more because you will need roller lifters, new pushrods, maybe new springs, and the cams are more expensive. But with that you can get away with more aggressive lobe profiles and you wont have to worry about wiping out the cam on engine break in. I wouldn't worry about going over .500 of lift on the cam either. I don't see why a driver needs a ton of lift in the cam, just puts more stress on the valve-train. I also would keep the cam somewhere under 230 degrees of duration so you don't lose the vacuum needed to run your brakes, shooting for somewhere around 220 should keep you safe but i'd confirm with your builder.

With a new intake, more aggressive cam and even just re-freshed stock heads i believe you will be somewhere between 450-500 hp/torque depending on the cam. More than enough to get into trouble with the law.

Hope this helps

 

[thethee]

Following, maybe this'll get me some ideas for my own 440

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I believe you should have 79.5 cc heads so your engine will have good compression and make good power even with stock heads

Do not use this number you will have to take .110 off your head to get close to that number. Original heads for your car will be in the neighborhood of 88-89 cc. The 79.5 is a blueprint number for stock and superstock racing rules.
I have a set of very worked 906 heads. They have enough shaved off to almost make them closed chamber, (skimmed the casting flash on the dead side of the chamber) and they are 80 cc combustion chamber.

 

[MightyMats]

you will have to take .110 off your head to get close to that number

.110!!! Holy smokes!

 

[mr gtx]

you need to have the right combo. putting aluminum heads with out raising compression you will go slower plus to get the use out of the heads you will want a bigger cam and rev the engine to a higher rpm range. engine masters also tested mandrel bent exhaust and on a mild motor and only gaining 1-2 horse power so a lot of hype on tti exhaust. first thing i would do is get a light weight thin ring piston and the right compression height for a good quench and the compression you want to run and a good bore and hone work for a tight seal.. just my thinking i could be wrong.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

.110!!! Holy smokes!

I probably have .100 off my 906 castings and the measure at a hair over 80 cc.
Even the closed chambered heads, 915, or 516 will only be around the 79/80cc area.
Cylinder heads is not how to bump compression in a BBM. Deck the block, and choose correct pistons.

 

[Lefty71]

my 906 castings and the measure at a hair over 80 cc.
Even the closed chambered heads, 915, or 516 will only be around the 79/80cc area.
Cylinder heads is not how to bump compression in a BBM. Deck the block, and choose correct pistons.

There's some truth to all of this...stock '906's are around 86cc. One tidbit to note... these motors were factory built with steel shim head gaskets, which are considerably thinner than the Permatorque Blue (.043") that everyone uses on a rebuild. I personally like the Cometic which are $$ but can help you manipulate your desired compression (down to .027" available). If you pull your motor completely down, you'll need to measure everything to know for sure where the compression lies. If I were in your shoes, I would leave the bottom end alone, pick a cam that works with your combo (need to know more about your car and it's use), maybe up to a .509 purple shaft (or copy) and blueprint the valve gear. Throw those stamped rockers away and I'll think you'll find that the car really wakes up. One more quick note... if you should plan on TF270 heads, like those mentioned in post #2, keep in mind the ports on those heads are a completely different animal.... you won't be reusing the exh manifolds you mentioned, and your stock intake (or any standard 440 port sized) manifold will not work either. HTH, Lefty71

 

[Luke Pokrajac]

440 source heads and a lunati voodoo 256...great combo for your 440! love them in my 68 383.

 

[MEV]

see Post #19 in the link below, Note I did not deck the block, all 440 source stuff, It was cheaper than re-doing the stock heads, and rods to build a stroker. The car is totally street-able, does not overheat and is driven year around. It runs on pump gas.

Anyone run an Edelbrock RPM Intake

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Just to be clear I'm not saying you must deck the block. After choosing pistons to get CR in ballpark you can deck the block to correct quench and fine tune CR.

 

[furious70]

Does the engine need service or just want more umph? Budget?

 

[MJFUR]

Does the engine need service or just want more umph? Budget?

Engine has 100K on it, I just want some fresh umph. I was able to speak with a local machine shop, I think I may put in a stroker kit. Need to meet with them and come up with a parts plan. No budget constraints, just a nice civil 400hp+/500tq+ grocery getter.

 

[furious70]

No need for a stroker to meet that goal, just need a little head and a little cam

 

[mr gtx]

a stroker with no headers will cost you 40 hp

 

[Turboomni]

Engine has 100K on it, I just want some fresh umph. I was able to speak with a local machine shop, I think I may put in a stroker kit. Need to meet with them and come up with a parts plan. No budget constraints, just a nice civil 400hp+/500tq+ grocery getter.

I know I am a bit late to the party. I will not recommend anything but will tell you what I had done. I was very influenced by MEV and FuryGT both here on the forum. I had designed a 440 Stroker with everything you have in mind. I wanted good vacuum for power brakes a civilized mild lope ,use HP exhaust manifolds and a lot more torque/hp than my present stock 440. Both MEV and FuryGT use HP manifolds and the results speak for themselves. At the urging of FuryGT I spoke to Dwayne Porter of Porter Racing Heads. He has vast experience with designing engines and does a lot of building for F.A.S.T. guys. Factory Appearing Stock Tire. Engine must look factory stock with Factory intake and exhaust manifolds and carb ,internals modified [like a stroker] and stock size bias ply tires,,long story short some are in the 9 second 1/4 mile range now. Dwayne designed a custom grind roller cam for me to utilize the HP manifolds. Stealth heads he worked a bit. I am keeping 3.23 rear so I can blast down the highway which is a C body strongpoint and be able to go anywhere at any time without the engine at 3500 at 60 mph. I had made a custom torque converter made for me [11 inch] from the guy MEV used. He asked for weight ,tire diameter, rear end ratio, cam card, displacement, types of driving ,street ,drags once in a while etc. The engine is done but not in the car. The whole engine is painted factory Mopar Turquoise to look stock. Hope this early spring it will be in. If it approaches MEV's and FuryGT's cars in performance and behaves close to a stock engine in traffic etc I will be a very happy camper on pump gas. Many ways to skin a cat as they say. Good luck with yours!