Low mile 440 budget build advice

[Chryco69]

Hello!

I just purchased a strong running 1972 440 that only has 68K original miles.
It was removed from a motor home.

I would like to affordably build it for the summer (i.e, cam, intake, carb, etc)
I have a set of of 906 heads that have 190/202 valves.

Any advice for a build?

Thanks!

 

[GrabberOrange69]

Are you "just running it" or going to bore/new pistons etc?

As a minimum (plus stuff you've already described), I would replace the rear main seal. Nothing pisses me off more than a leaky rear main and that hardened up seal you got there has been on the job for over 40 years.

 

[Cranky]

906 heads that have 190/202 valves....never heard of that. Stock they came with 2.08/1.74. If you do nothing else, do a good valve job and if they were mine, I'd do a pocket job...ie, port the area under the valves and blend it into the stock ports. It's been years since I had anyone do it for me since I now do that myself but last time someone else did it, it was 250. The stock undercut (pockets) is horrible on stock heads. A cam that's a little bigger than stock, an RPM Performer intake and decent headers and it'll talk to ya. That will make a mild mannered street engine that will get up and go....and put a decent exhaust under it.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Since it came out of a motor home, it could have low compression pistons in it, or down in the cylinder a little further( deck height) I put closed chamber heads on mine and used a steel shim head gasket and raised the compression about one pint. That should make quite a difference...................MO

 

[HT413]

I put closed chamber heads on mine and used a steel shim head gasket and raised the compression about one pint. That should make quite a difference...................MO

That's what I'm doing as well. Cam, intake, gear choices become absolutely critical so you don't end up with a dog.

 

[dvw]

Stock short block with new gaskets, Performer RPM or street dominator,750 Eddy or Holley, [email protected] cam & lifters, new valve springs ,timing chain, and oil pump. I'd check the bearings while the pan was off and add a new main seal. Easy to change the bearings now w/o engine disassembly. Make sure you install new valve seals with the springs. It'll run fine for less than 1K.
Doug

 

[Chryco69]

Does anyone have a part number for those head gaskets? Thanks

 

[HT413]

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/headgasket.html

 

[Chryco69]

Which one do recommend? The Mancini one?

 

[Chryco69]

Well at first I was like sweet! A $300 complete 440.

And then I was like...oooohhhhh

 

[GrabberOrange69]

View attachment 162211

It'll buff out.

Seriously, sorry for your find. It will be more expensive now...

 

[HT413]

Damn, that sucks. If he lied about it being strong running, he lied about it all, so now it needs to be torn down I would think. But you never know, maybe just that cylinder needs work.

 

[Cranky]

A 440 can still run strong on 7! Hey, some people have no clue on what a strong engine is supposed to act like. There's a UPS driver that comes out here every day and his truck sounds like it's running on 3 cylinders and I asked him one day how long was he going to continue driving it like that and his response was "it's running bad?"

 

[conv67bdere]

It'll buff out.

LMAO GrabberOrange69 . . . sorry to laugh that that was funny, so sorry for your bad find. G'luck with the rebuild !

 

[Chryco69]

Stash the block and crank for a future build. No biggie

 

[Dodge 330]

How does the cylinder bore look?

I had a low mileage 440 that had a piston skirt that was broken.

I bought a single replacement piston, had the block decked and honed and did a ring and bearing job. Ran great for 9.5:1 CR.

Did 104 mph in the 1/4 mile with 3.23 gears and a 2500 stall and would get 14 mpg @ 70 mph on the highway.

With crappy 318 leaf springs and