1978 440 cylinder head

[Auggie56]

What am I looking for as a replacement, as far as the year? Will an older high-compression one work?



Thanks

 

[pnora]

What am I looking for as a replacement, as far as the year? Will an older high-compression one work?



Thanks

You most likely have 4006452 heads. That should be an easy head to find. You will have little gains on anything else unless you have them worked over. Plus anything older will need lots of work for todays gas.

 

[Don67Satellite]

@Auggie56 on the old smogger '78 if you want to bump the compression up a little, and want to use iron heads, grab a set of "516" castings or "915" castings, they are the early closed chamber heads.

Year wise, you'd find "516" on something like a '66 383, "915" were '67.

If you want aluminum, grab some Edelbrock's or 440 Source.

I also have a '78 440, and am possibly gonna chuck a set of 915's on it over the winter.

 

[Auggie56]

I forgot that this engine came from a motor home, and I was told the valves were different when I had the heads reconditioned. Is this true?

 

[pnora]

I forgot that this engine came from a motor home, and I was told the valves were different when I had the heads reconditioned. Is this true?

Depends on the heads. What casting numbers do you have?

 

[Auggie56]

Depends on the heads. What casting numbers do you have?

I'll have to take the valve cover off to see. I'll get back to you.

 

[Don67Satellite]

I forgot that this engine came from a motor home, and I was told the valves were different when I had the heads reconditioned. Is this true?

As @pnora said you likely have "452" heads on a stock '78 440, that's what I have also. Motorhome heads have the little nub by the spark plug holes and take a tapered seat plug. If they came from a car they should take regular plugs. Either will have 2.08/1.74 valve sizes stock.

 

[pnora]

As @pnora said you likely have "452" heads on a stock '78 440, that's what I have also. Motorhome heads have the little nub by the spark plug holes and take a tapered seat plug. If they came from a car they should take regular plugs. Either will have 2.08/1.74 valve sizes stock.

Thats what one would think. But he said there were different valves. So the guessing game goes on until he actually gets a casting number. There are some odd heads out there one you get into the industrial side.

 

[ckessel]

As @pnora said you likely have "452" heads on a stock '78 440, that's what I have also. Motorhome heads have the little nub by the spark plug holes and take a tapered seat plug. If they came from a car they should take regular plugs. Either will have 2.08/1.74 valve sizes stock.

What he said on the plugs.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

452 heads are almost identical to 906 heads one exception 452 heads have hardened seats. Also I think there is a bump in the casting right next to where you install the plug. You have to use the smaller plugs. I think the fat ones hit the bump. Or vice versa... I don't have the 452 heads around here anymore to verify.

These are 906 heads.. Notice the spark plug hole.

These are 452 heads.. Notice the bump out just below spark plug hole. It prevents you from using the big fat plugs.

 

[1967coronet]

I forgot that this engine came from a motor home, and I was told the valves were different when I had the heads reconditioned. Is this true?

Auggie, if I recall correct. I read a allpar article on 440 motor home engines when I was putting mine together.
I think the 440 -3 motor home engine had sodium filled exhaust valves in their heads for heat protection along with the extra coolant passages.
Not sure what variety your 78 model is 440 - 3 ??
Could be what he is talking about.

 

[Sixpactogo]

I have one head left from my 1978 Dodge truck. The other got destroyed when a valve failed. I bought it new and it was one of 74 built with the 440-3. Probably the same as Motor home engines as it was the last year for the 440 from Dodge. Should be the one you need.

 

[PRHeads]

Not all 452’s use small plugs. In fact I’d say the majority of them don’t.
I’ve only ever had a few of them in the shop since 1989.
The few I’ve had here with the small plugs also had the steam holes in the deck surface.

In terms of what else can be used in its place, if you’re looking at replacing just the one head, and it’s going in a non-motor home application, and/or it’s not a head that has the steam holes, you can pretty much swap to any of the common open chamber castings.
A- 906, 250, 213, 346, 902, 975, 452 will work fine in a non-HD application.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Not all 452’s use small plugs. In fact I’d say the majority of them don’t.
I’ve only ever had a few of them in the shop since 1989.
The few I’ve had here with the small plugs also had the steam holes in the deck surface.

In terms of what else can be used in its place, if you’re looking at replacing just the one head, and it’s going in a non-motor home application, and/or it’s not a head that has the steam holes, you can pretty much swap to any of the common open chamber castings.
A- 906, 250, 213, 346, 902, 975, 452 will work fine in a non-HD application.

Makes sense mine was a 75 440 from a motor home had the steam ports in the block and the small plug 452's.

 

[Lefty71]

I dont know where you are in NW Ohio.... i most likely have something you can use. What happened?? Find a crack??