440 casting numbers

[moparnation74]

From what I recall there is virtually no difference between the 902's and 452's on overall flow characteristics. The one main difference is the 902's are better at porting versus the 452's. However, the 902's are notorious to have cracks in the exhaust valve seats. I suggest getting them magnafluxed.

 

[1967coronet440]

Ok...lol...I have been out learning stuff since earlier. Turns out this engine is an "RB" block, cast crank, "902" heads,8.9:1 compression,
4.32 bore/ 3.75 stroke, built in Trenton 6/4/1974. From what I have gathered so far, the open chambered "902" heads flow as good or better than the "906" heads. This motor has the raised rib along the sides of the block just above the freeze plugs, thicker ears, 10% more cast iron in the block, good thick cylinder walls so I can bore it .60 over if I like, raised deck, increased sized cooling passages, and is classed as a truck engine. The scoop says the cast crank is fine up to 600HP as are the pistons and the block. So I guess my path forward will be to have the block and bare heads hot tanked, sonic checked, honed/bored .30 over, parallel decked, and hardened seats installed on the exhaust side. A 30 degree angle cut on the valves is also a good bet. Porting and smoothing, Gold Race rockers, new springs, small cam, 850 Demon, M1 intake, 2" carb spacer, high volume oil pump, 3/8 fuel line, new rings, performance gasket set, performance ignition. With those things installed it should put out 502 LB-FT @ 3700RPM, 512 LB-FT @ 4900RPM and 519 HP@ 5400 RPM. or thereabouts..lol.

It's a completely stock motor. Here's some pictures, I just got back with it. Cylinder heads are # 3769902-8, block is # 3830930 made 5/7/74

View attachment 381788 View attachment 381789 View attachment 381790 View attachment 381791 View attachment 381792 View attachment 381793 View attachment 381794

awesome, congrats! Hopefully I get as much good news off the block I pick up as you did with that one!

 

[pwDave]

RV Block

You are better off without the crank and heads for that motor. If the block is standard bore that is a great deal......

Dear Mopar, I would be interested in why you would take a good forged crank and dump it?? I have one of the prettiest 440 forged cranks out of a motor home you've seen, and you say throw it away? it rings like the liberty bell, nice crank, or so I thought. enlighten me please? Dave.

 

[Cranky]

I have a pair of 902 heads too and will probably never use them. Been up in the rafters for a long time...

As for a forged crank, use it. Mom's cast cranks ain't bad either and are probably among the better cast cranks out there. GM is the one that gave 'cast' a bad name just like they did with the early diesels in pickups and cars. If you got a forged crank in a later model RV etc, use it! I've torn down a few RV big blocks and they all had cast in them. They are also lighter than a forge piece and will rev quicker than the heavier forged cranks and will still handle a good deal of horse power.

 

[moparnation74]

Dear Mopar, I would be interested in why you would take a good forged crank and dump it?? I have one of the prettiest 440 forged cranks out of a motor home you've seen, and you say throw it away? it rings like the liberty bell, nice crank, or so I thought. enlighten me please? Dave.

I would never "dump" a forged crank. Furthermore, every RV block I ran across had a Cast crank. Glad, you ran across a rarity and bonused on an RV block with a forged crank! Now that is a unicorn, indeed! Kudos to you!

Rings, lol.....The final decision is the machine shop........

Do you need any more enlightening?

 

[pwDave]

I would never "dump" a forged crank. Furthermore, every RV block I ran across had a Cast crank. Glad, you ran across a rarity and bonused on an RV block with a forged crank! Now that is a unicorn, indeed! Kudos to you!

Rings, lol.....The final decision is the machine shop........

Do you need any more enlightening?

Naa, that pretty much clears things up, I bought the crank from a friend that had swapped a 413 crank into a 440 to put into a ford school bus (anybody know why?) (I do) also, I thought that all the motor homes had forged cranks, mistaken again, old age is sad. LOL Dave.

 

[moparnation74]

Naa, that pretty much clears things up, I bought the crank from a friend that had swapped a 413 crank into a 440 to put into a ford school bus (anybody know why?) (I do) also, I thought that all the motor homes had forged cranks, mistaken again, old age is sad. LOL Dave.

What is sad is how many 440 blocks we passed by back in the day and had no idea how good the blocks are to have or use!

 

[Brandy]

There has always been a certain amount of misinformation out there, and mostly because we didn't have computers to look every dang thing up. We went on word of mouth and from enthusiast to enthusiast. Every speed shop gave you a different answer and each would swear they were right. I like 440 Source as a definitive source of true info.

 

[1967coronet440]

Ok got the block, looks good for sitting for 8 years! And the guy had a 70 road runner sitting in the garage!! But got the 440 and 727 for 200 bucks, block is stamped "HP" on the ID plate. Can someone help me decode this. Thanks

 

[1967coronet440]

On and I put a mic on the cylinders and it is .030 over

 

[69Bee]

Ok got the block, looks good for sitting for 8 years! And the guy had a 70 road runner sitting in the garage!! But got the 440 and 727 for 200 bucks, block is stamped "HP" on the ID plate. Can someone help me decode this. Thanks

View attachment 382883 View attachment 382884 View attachment 382885

The block is a 75 Truck 440, HP for cam/springs/4bbl carb, July 31 build date, and the Maltese cross dictates a factory oversize. I would have to consult my service manuals tomorrow to tell which part. The 00354 is a job stamp from a previous shop. It was bad judgment in my opinion to stamp it there... The bores are not fresh, and I would hone them to 0.040 over. Do not bore and hone, just hone. I would also recommend to have the block cleaned, mains align honed, decks squared, bored, then honed, in this order. Each process builds on the one performed before it for a correct job.

 

[1967coronet440]

The block is a 75 Truck 440, HP for cam/springs/4bbl carb, July 31 build date, and the Maltese cross dictates a factory oversize. I would have to consult my service manuals tomorrow to tell which part. The 00354 is a job stamp from a previous shop. It was bad judgment in my opinion to stamp it there... The bores are not fresh, and I would hone them to 0.040 over. Do not bore and hone, just hone. I would also recommend to have the block cleaned, mains align honed, decks squared, bored, then honed, in this order. Each process builds on the one performed before it for a correct job.

Thank you, I'm not even sure if I am going to use this block for my current build or tear down my current running 1967 440 and re build that. Either way it will go to the machine shop for a full service before anything is done to it.

 

[moparnation74]

Good viable block

Thank you, I'm not even sure if I am going to use this block for my current build or tear down my current running 1967 440 and re build that. Either way it will go to the machine shop for a full service before anything is done to it.

Good score for 200 bucks plus a trans!

 

[1967coronet440]

Good viable block

Good score for 200 bucks plus a trans!

Ya I think it was a pretty good deal, wasn't expecting him to still have it since the listing was 8 months old. The Maltese cross on the id pad would that mean an oversize in the cylinders, or on the crank? Never seen that before

 

[moparnation74]

The cross alone means .001 undersize bearing shells(like yours)
The cross with an X means .10 undersize crank

 

[1967coronet440]

The cross alone means .001 undersize bearing shells(like yours)
The cross with an X means .10 undersize crank

Thank you for the info.

 

[moparnation74]

Thank you for the info.

No problem.....dont sweat those stampings...a new crank and proper machine shop work will make it new again

 

[Brandy]

Looks great, nice score! Does it have the raised bands along the sides just above the freeze plugs?

 

[mopar 3 B]

There has always been a certain amount of misinformation out there, and mostly because we didn't have computers to look every dang thing up. We went on word of mouth and from enthusiast to enthusiast. Every speed shop gave you a different answer and each would swear they were right. I like 440 Source as a definitive source of true info.

I feel sorry for you. Not

 

[Brandy]

I feel sorry for you. Not

Say what??