440 motor - TQ or 600 Holley

[Giggitybit]

Just an opinion game mostly - but the RV 440 came with a smogger 77 TQ - it's big sure, but I'm betting it's metered horridly.
the 318 I just pulled outta the car has a nice new electric choke 80457-2 Holley which shows part 4160 - 600CFM

I thinks 600CFM is a bit small.
and I think the 77 TQ is gonna be lean (only upgrade I've actually done to power is the headers which are still necking down to 2.5" exhaust for now) so...

which?

Technical info as follows - 1974 Charger with a 4.4.77 casting 440 - RV motor, fresh rebuild but to normal RV spec - RV cam, 452 heads, mild converter 727 - summit headers, 7qt pan, HV pump, PS, PB - that's it

 

[rumblefish360]

Gear ratio and tire size?

If it is a Hwy. geared car, then 600.

If it has 3.91, I'd mess with the TQ with some advice from Demonsizzler.

 

[Giggitybit]

Gear ratio and tire size?

If it is a Hwy. geared car, then 600.

If it has 3.91, I'd mess with the TQ with some advice from Demonsizzler.

hmm... good question - the tires are some 15" 50 series - nothing horridly tall actually. The gearing I'll check tonight - it was a stock 360 car so I'm better it's better than 2.7X gears. Doubtful it's 3.91 - and also, I'm getting ready to do 1300 miles on this car in two weeks - so which is likely to eat less gas ;)

 

[Meep-Meep]

I'm with Rumblefish360 on this one. The Holley 600 is a no brainer and should provide plenty of CFM on a stock motor with a stock cam with a power peak at 4500 RPM or so. The TQ can be an excellent carb if you tweak it a bit.

 

[rumblefish360]

Your state of tune will decide how much gas you eat rather than the carb used. And, it is not just the carb that must be tuned, the distributor setting and the rest of the engine must be in good shape.

Mileage getters that are cheap and easy to add on for long trips would be;
(In price or ease order)

Advance the timing.
Driving the RPM the engine likes best. At speed where peak torque occurs.
(In example, my 318 Duster like 70 mph over 60 mph for mileage.)
open air cleaner K&N or equal filter.
Synth oils from engine to trans to rear gear oil
A MSD or equal. (Open plug gap to .050 for starters)
Muffler(s) (Like a Hooker or Dyno Max, Max Flo muffler.)
taller tires (Speedometer gear change)
Intake and headers.

 

[Giggitybit]

Your state of tune will decide how much gas you eat rather than the carb used. And, it is not just the carb that must be tuned, the distributor setting and the rest of the engine must be in good shape.

good advice - I swapped carbs (course now I need an adapter plate to go from the stock intake to the holley but that's easy) - and I'm sure that it is the smarter way to go. Just wanted the experts advice - thanks all!

 

[Gary_gtx67]

ive always had better luck with a holley. BUt 600 is way to small. im running a 383 with a 750cfm holley at 475 hp and my dad is running his 440 with an 850cfm. but we are also running with alot more hp than you.

 

[Giggitybit]

ive always had better luck with a holley. BUt 600 is way to small. im running a 383 with a 750cfm holley at 475 hp and my dad is running his 440 with an 850cfm. but we are also running with alot more hp than you.

yeah, I might be pushing 300HP if I'm lucky right now. Seriously this is not a high HP motor. the 600 should be fine for the long drive regardless - then I'll sell it when I go EFI and we're all happy =)

 

[Gary_gtx67]

Good choice!!

 

[Giggitybit]

Good choice!!

I'm not a fan of Carb'd Turbo setups

 

[Giggitybit]

Good choice!!

I'm not a fan of Carb'd Turbo setups course with all the hell I went thru just to get this setup in - I'm not gonna turbo any time too terribly soon

 

[375instroke]

I've got a 600 Edelbrock that the previous owner installed, and threw away the stock 750 AFB that I need to try and find a replacement for now. I've seen them go for as much as $800 on eBay. Idiot. The car, '69 Charger R/T, craps out so early it's ridiculous. Why would someone want 150 CFM smaller than stock? You even said that 800CFM or so TQ came off a 318. Chrysler put that big a carb on a 318. What does that tell you?

 

[Giggitybit]

I've got a 600 Edelbrock that the previous owner installed, and threw away the stock 750 AFB that I need to try and find a replacement for now. I've seen them go for as much as $800 on eBay. Idiot. The car, '69 Charger R/T, craps out so early it's ridiculous. Why would someone want 150 CFM smaller than stock? You even said that 800CFM or so TQ came off a 318. Chrysler put that big a carb on a 318. What does that tell you?

no, the holley was on the 318 - the Thermoquad came from the 440 - and since it's vacuum activated there's a was a lot of overuse of it IMHO - it's NEVER too big supposedly - however that doesn't mean it's the right carb for every occasion. I have a 440 that is rated at less than a 318's HP was in 68 - it's all relative to the rest of the motor - and your intent. Your 69 440 was 350-375HP stock - much higher compression, different heads, different pistons - different cam.
I've built a lot of vehicles - just cause it's factory installed doesn't mean it's the best part.

 

[375instroke]

What I meant was Chrysler put Thermoquads on 318s, so it can't be too big for a 440, and I think 600 is way too small since 750 was the smallest they ever used on them. The secondary door adjustability only helps with bogs. What's wrong with the TQ?

 

[63RedFury]

I would go with a 750 a 600 is to small........

 

[Giggitybit]

for my part the point is moot - the holley is on the 440 and the car is up for sale.
for academia sake keep going =)

and for that same cause - yes if the motor is a 440 with more than 8:1 compression using any sort of aftermarket or higher performance intake, headers etc - then a 600 is too small for top end performance. However for drivability sake explain how a huge 25 year old thermoquad is better than a 2 month old electric choke holley?