130lb cylinder pressure

[steve340]

This is a bit general but from what I have found over the years lower compression engines lack a little "snap" down low but when they get a bit of engine speed up they are only a few HP off what they could be ideally.
They tend to be reliable and not temperamental so I think it is right " don't fix what isn't broken"

 

[Curiousyellow71]

There are 3 different Kb pistons available for a 440. Possibly you have the lower compression Kb184 pistons?

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[lewtot184]

likely you have the kb184. if the heads weren't milled to set up the quench distance and then a thick head gasket installed actual compression ratio will be less than 9:1. there's a chance your actual compression ratio may be 8.7-8.9:1.