Edelbrock Power Package Top-End Kits 2087

[GTXGreasemonkey]

I'm rebuilding my 68' 440 engine. I'm wanting around 500-525hp. I know this kit will get me to the high 490hp range.
1. I am wondering what rocker setup everyone recommend I use? Should I stick with the original, or should I purchase something else?
2. The kit comes with a hydraulic flat tappet cam. Should I see about upgrading the cam? If so to what?
4. What piston do I upgrade to? do I go with forged (no brainer), or try the hyper pistons? I'm thinking nothing more than 10.5 compression.
3. I want this to be a fun/mean streetable car. I'm trying to keep a budget in mind. Prefer to reuse as much old product as possible.
I appreciate any and all feedback. I'm not a professional, but enjoying learning!!!! This is for my 1968 GTX!

 

[moper]

Personally I don't feel that package will get you there - mainly because of the camshaft. I'd also plan to have the heads checked and corrected by a reputable performance shop before you run them.
If the RPM cam is your preference - you have to have adjustable rockers per the Edelbrock catalog for the RPM hydraulic camshaft that comes in the kit. You will also need the appropriate pushrods for those adjustable rockers. If it was me, I'd run a sintered iron rocker (Crane or Isky if you can find them) in a 1.5 ratio, and order custom pushrods once the engine is assembled and you can measure for them.

 

[lewtot184]

my experience with those heads: you can run stamped or adjustable rockers, but rocker geometry and push rod length will be the boogers in the pie; this must be checked! also look at push rod to intake runner clearance. i put notches in the block at the oil return holes (chamfered and cleaned up the return holes in the heads). port runners in my heads weren't very nice so i cleaned up the runners. i use the Icon 836 piston. it's 9.75:1 with clean chambers, should be over 10:1 easy with some carbon build up and the combo is very pump gas friendly ( i use a smallish mech cam). i also use the fel-pro 8519 head gasket. don't use the 1009 gasket. the camshaft doesn't bother me; it should break-in easy and be easy on the valve train.

 

[moper]

PS... Use the 1009 gasket... There is a reason for the head manufacturer to say to use it.
Any dished piston will be fine. Hypers will be too high a static ratio unless you go with the open chamber RPM heads. Not worth it IMO. Run a forged dish at or just above zero deck (I run mine proud by .005" or so normally).

 

[lewtot184]

never use that 1009 gasket on a 400 or a 440! it overlaps the bore and will burn thru. never!!!!

 

[moper]

The 1009 is the pre-flattened fire ring, composite gasket with a 4.410" bore. It should not overhang the largest bore, that being the 400+.060 bore of 4.410", unless your machine shop likes to leave a HUGE chamfer on the top of the bore at .060 over. The 440 + .060 is only 4.385. It did overhang the chambers on the early version Stealth heads - but that was the manufacturing issue - not the gasket.
BTW - the reason you don't want to use the std replacement head gasket is the fire ring will not compress fully with the aluminum head material, and over time the ring will brinnel the head - meaning it will grind it's way into the surface and leave a groove with time. Over time the fire ring loses it's ability to seal and the heads will need to be surfaced to restore the gasket surface.

You might have it confused with the 1105, which is the same thing but thicker and with a 4.59" bore for the aftermarket blocks. It wouldn't surprise me if the

 

[68 HEMI GTS]

Not a fan of the 1009's either. Been running the 8519's on most of my stuff if I'm not using mls gaskets.

Lots of better choices out there than oob rpm's anymore. IMO.

Hyper's are fine for an N/a application .

Anything bigger than a .509 should have an aftermarket rocker of sorts.

 

[lewtot184]

1009's are crap! i went thru this twice were they over hung the bore, burnt thru and torched the heads. the only saving grace was that alum is easy to weld up. when the rpm heads first came a bunch of guys over on moparts had burn thru using 1009's. keep the 1009's on 361's and 413's only. that "pre-flattened wire" doesn't mean squat either.