HELP!!! on a street 440 build

[big66440]

Allright guys, I'm still planning on building a 440 for my 66 coronet and want to have all the specs and #'s ready before I start, it's going to be nothing but a street car(no track time) I'm planning on using a hughes 2400 stall converter,3.23 rear gears 28-29" tire and 9:1 compression. Heres what I have planned so far Holley 750 vac sec carb,port matched Eddy RPM intake,906 or 452 heads (template ported,by me),factory HP exhaust manifolds, Comp XE 268H or XE274H camshaft, SRP 213455 flat top pistons and factory internal balanced rotating assembly with windage tray. Now, my questions are about cam and piston selection, I got a real bitchen lesson from meep meep about quench and am wondering now if I should ditch the flat top pistons for the quench domed KB184's or TRW L2295F's? is it really necessary to do this on a 9:1 street car? which cam would you guys use? will the XE274H bleed off too much pressure? red line on this car will be right at 6000, and am looking for the best possible package to give me a nice power curve for street and highway driving, like always any suggestions are welcome,thank you.

 

[beeguy]

For what you're talking about I'd give seriuous thought to KB hypertecics , guys in my area have been running them for some time on mild race and street motors with great results. either cam you have will work butv I'd go with the 274, it sounds like you've got a good plan though I think you're a little light on carb for that engine.

My '70 440 six pack Challenger engine uses the KB's which net out in the 9.3 compression range with 906's and along with the Ultradyne custom six pack cam cam and six pack set up it ran right over 500 hp on the dyno. I like it so well I'm building the exact engine for my Super Bee. everyone has their favorite stuff this is just mine, but your pistons and carb would be the points I'd think over myself.

 

[440brew]

I have a similar setup minus the balancing. I run flat top pistons and an 850 speed demon carb. My 67 coronet runs like a mad man. I have a set of 440 exhaust manifolds if you need them from a later 440.

 

[big66440]

850 carb it is,beeguy are the pistons youre running the KB 237's? thanks for the offer on the manifolds but I scored a set of HP's for 80 bucks on craigslist not long ago,so I'm thinking of running them.

 

[Meep-Meep]

The longer CL cams have a broader power band and for a pure street engine would be a good choice. Beeguy, I'm curious about your Ultradyne six pack cam. Can you post the valve events, lift, etc...?

big66 you may consider this setup but pay close attention to the advertised intake closing vs. compression ratio. You should blow about 160 PSI for reg gas or higher for premium.

I ran a DC .528 in my 383 and it worked great with a single plane intake/750 vac and good CR (10:1 with 915's and flat tops). The 3.55's didn't do it much good but came alive with the 4.88 Dana - even with a factory converter with 1800 RPM stall. The vacuum was about 12" and the Bendix power disc brakes worked fine.

 

[beeguy]

Yes I'm running the 237's, and I can't remember what thickness head gasket .


My cam is a 288/296 -10H Ultradyne, lift 488/507

T.E. - .050 9.5 41.5 49.5 1.5

duration at .006 -.288/.288

separation 110

It's nothing radical but it has a nice sound and has enough vacuum for my power brakes even with the six pack which is hard to get vauum on anyway. not a race cam by any means but a great street cam. I'm not sure how this compares to a standard 288 grind I've never compared it but I'm ordering another.

 

[19mopar65]

I have a similar setup and I also run flat tops

 

[daredevil]

quench pistons are a pita if youre gonna match the chamber to the pistons. save yourself some work use the flattops. sounds like a good plan. put a little thought into the oiling system also if youre gonna spin it tight.

 

[Meep-Meep]

quench pistons are a pita if youre gonna match the chamber to the pistons. save yourself some work use the flattops. sounds like a good plan. put a little thought into the oiling system also if youre gonna spin it tight.

I agree. That's why I went with flat tops and a closed chamber head, plus I have like 6 sets of 915 so the decision was easy. However you get the quench will do the trick. I believe Eddy's have a larger chamber volume than the 915's so that will help keep the CR below 11:1, otherwise you may have to cut a small dish in the piston under the open part of the chamber. I will see after I CC everything on my 440.

 

[big66440]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys but if the ideal quench is at approximatley .050,can I just run the pistons at zero deck use the fel pro 1039 head gasket (.051 compressed thickness) and polish the cumbustion chamber so I can have a compression ratio that will work with the crap gas we have here in California?I learned that by polishing the chamber, glowing hot spots are reduced and lowers your chances of detonation,I was going to take a grinder to the chambers to make them all the same cc's so I thought I might as well try that,just an idea I got any one ever try or heard of something like this?by the way I'm gonna be running Evans NPG+ coolant if that matters.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Yes, flat tops on a closed chamber is good! Polishing the chambers to reduce the possibility of hot spots shouldn't hurt either. I did exactly that on my recent set of big valve 915's. Put a piston/rod assy in the bore without rings and check how it sits at TDC. May want to check all of them to be sure - I know I will. I plan to run pump premium so hopefully I don't end up with too much CR. I will also do a blow check before I finish assembling the engine (timing cover off) and see how the cam position, either advanced or retard, affects the cylinder pressure. It would be nice to have a clue before it goes in the car.

 

[big66440]

what size valves would you guys recomend? 1.74 -2.08 or 1.81-2.14's I dont want to loose too much low end any suggestions on this?

 

[69 Runner]

I don't see any reason to spend the money for big valves in a non-race motor

 

[big66440]

Thats true,and I had forgotten the MPP porting templates are only for the smaller valves