Help me tear down and inspect my 440..

[Canadian1968]

Back story.

Engine was built 9 years ago. 440 .30 over , icon pistons, stock rods , comp cams xe274 camshaft. Factory 906 heads rebuilt.

Car ran more or less very well , have a few post on the site about me taking the car to the track. Very last outting with the car was a trip to the track running 12.6 , 12.7, 12.7 . Drove the car home and it hasnt moved out of the garage since then.

There had always been a slight ticking from the passenger side near the back. Never seem to get worse. Idle was pretty good but would often have a slight "miss" that would show up on my vacuum gauge as a slow 1-2" fluctuation. Again never really changed much for the life of the engine.

Talking with the guys I go the track with I decided I wanted to pull the heads and port them with the direct connection templates my buddy has. So the reason foe the tear down is more less for interest and hobby reasoning.

I decided to do a compression check before I did anything. Never done one before on the engine so no number to compare to. I got 170 170 170 165 160 160 150 140.

The 140 was the second last cylinder on the passenger side and the 150 was the very last cylinder . So 2 low readings side by side.

I started the tear down. First thing see is I'm pretty sure I was sucking some oil in from valley pan gasket. Oil on threads of the spark plugs help support the idea .

Intake a valley pan removed . Cam looks ok I think from compared to other post pictures. I tried turning the push rods.. there are 6 that I can't spin , is that becuase of their position on the cam lobes ? .

My first question is about lifter pre load... is there anything I can check as I disassembling. Next will be to pull the valve covers and start to remove the valve train .

 

[icetech]

are you 1000% sure it wasn't an exhaust leak at the header? It will sound exactly like a tick and is usually the culprit...

 

[Canadian1968]

are you 1000% sure it wasn't an exhaust leak at the header? It will sound exactly like a tick and is usually the culprit...

I had checked for exhaust leaks over the years never really found signs of one... the "ticking " on passage side was more dull, pretty sure It wasn't an exhaust leak

 

[Macdon221]

Manifold to exhaust head ? I have had that as well. Could see the exhaust on the block.

 

[rickseeman]

Lifter preload is automatic with stock rockers. Be sure when you take the lifters out that you store them in a manner so that they can be put back on the same cam lobe for the next time you use the cam. You really need a lifter box and mark which way is "front".

 

[sam dupont]

grab the pushrods to see if any are loose. If you can take excellent photos of the cam lobes, you will get good opinions. I don't see any black that's always a good sign

 

[69conv]

Did the ticking noise change when the engine warmed up?

 

[Canadian1968]

Did the ticking noise change when the engine warmed up?

Actually you heard it more after it warmed up .

 

[69L48Z27]

Push rods that are loaded won’t spin. You don’t mention what rockers you have, stock or adjustable.

 

[Bee1971]

My Comp XE 275HL sounds like a sewing machine at idle - Not necessarily a tick , but definitely more noisy - Cruising at speed depending upon RPMs , can bee very quiet at times also

Nature of the XE Cams and fast closing ramps

When you did your compression test how was it done - Engine cold or hot

All spark plugs removed

Carb throttle plate open or closed

The 140 could bee concerning on that one cylinder , however

Looking at those pictures you definitely where sucking oil over the years into your intake runners and ports - That would form carbon or buildup on top of your pistons

 

[Canadian1968]

Made some more progress tonight. Got the passenger side head pulled off.

Have included some pictures of the lifters they all look identical.

When I was breaking the head bolts loose, they sure didn't feel like 70 ftlbs I was surprised at how easy they seemed to break loose .

When I went and broke the head free from the block quickly found out I did not have all the coolant out! ( I clued in that I drained the coolant when the car was jacked up and I was unbolting headed from the exhaust, must have left coolant at the back of the block ! ) so there will be some things that look a bit wet in the photos .

On the heads you can see how white the exhaust valves are on the two cylinder that were reading low. What do u think that means ?

I also spotted some very small soot marks around above 2 of the exhaust ports which mean there was a small leak.

 

[RemCharger]

Yeah it looks like the gasket surface is blackened and blowing by-- supports the lack of torque theory

 

[Canadian1968]

What's everyone favorite way to clean up the heads . Get a Tupperware tub and go to town with some degreasers ? Obviously a parts washer would be ideal but I don't have one of those!

 

[icetech]

What's everyone favorite way to clean up the heads . Get a Tupperware tub and go to town with some degreasers ? Obviously a parts washer would be ideal but I don't have one of those!

Dirt block/heads? back of a pickup at the quarter car wash.... nothing works as good If not... go get a few cans of easy off oven cleaner... did my motor like that this time

 

[69conv]

there was a small leak.

REMFLEX! Very forgiving. If you never want an exhaust leak again.

 

[Canadian1968]

I was able to get the other cylinder head off tonight . Geez the passenger side is a PITA ! I was able to get it off with the header still in the car but feel I might have to pull it out when I put the head back on so I can actually TQ things down properly! Only one picture from tonight was beat ! Haha

 

[Canadian1968]

I mean the drives side is a PITA !

 

[dodgeboy440]

I was able to get the other cylinder head off tonight . Geez the passenger side is a PITA ! I was able to get it off with the header still in the car but feel I might have to pull it out when I put the head back on so I can actually TQ things down properly! Only one picture from tonight was beat ! Haha

View attachment 1757903

Lookin good !

 

[69conv]

Looking forward to the results of your inspection.

 

[BSB67]

I'll probably have more questions than providing any help

Car ran more or less very well , have a few post on the site about me taking the car to the track. Very last outting with the car was a trip to the track running 12.6 , 12.7, 12.7 . Drove the car home and it hasnt moved out of the garage since then.

What was your mph? 107-ish? I remember your car was running really well for what it was, a reflection of time, effort and your tuning skills.

Talking with the guys I go the track with I decided I wanted to pull the heads and port them with the direct connection templates my buddy has. So the reason foe the tear down is more less for interest and hobby reasoning.

Very cool. Consider a professional port job, and don't underestimate the value of a really good competition valve grind. Years ago, my car running similar to yours mand picked up 4 tenths and 4 mph going from good/fresh stock heads to professional ported heads. A stock head flows about 220 cfm, DC porting template about 235, and my heads end up about 260 cfm, FWIW

I decided to do a compression check before I did anything. Never done one before on the engine so no number to compare to. I got 170 170 170 165 160 160 150 140.

Were you okay with running pump gas? 170 psi is likely close to the edge, IMO w/ iron head. What is the motor's actual compression ratio? Did you install the cam 4 degrees advanved per Comps recommendation?

The 140 was the second last cylinder on the passenger side and the 150 was the very last cylinder . So 2 low readings side by side.

Maybe a slight head gasket leak between these two cylinders?

I started the tear down. First thing see is I'm pretty sure I was sucking some oil in from valley pan gasket. Oil on threads of the spark plugs help support the idea .

How many cylinders and which ones. It is usually only one or two ajoining pairs unless something is way off. If the heads are going to the machine shop, considering cutting 0.060" from the intake surface. Then put 0.030" paper gaskets on both sides of the valley pan.

Intake a valley pan removed . Cam looks ok I think from compared to other post pictures. I tried turning the push rods.. there are 6 that I can't spin , is that becuase of their position on the cam lobes ? .

Yes, likely.

My first question is about lifter pre load... is there anything I can check as I disassembling. Next will be to pull the valve covers and start to remove the valve train

It is always nice to measure stuff during disassembly just for base knowledge. But preload is something I never checked myself during disassembly.

Thanks for posting. Looking forward to your journey. Should be fun.