Max wedge crossram and 915s??

[Montclaire]

I'm working on a budget max wedge build. I'm starting with a low mileage 440 that will get 1969 magnum pistons and a MP 509 cam. I have an A&A crossram that I picked up used and a set of 915s that were cut for big valves and cleaned up/blended. I figured I could work a trade one way or the other, for either a stock 440 port xram or MW heads. Of course used 440 xrams are in short supply and there are some drawbacks to using real MW heads.

I'm thinking if there is enough meat to open up the 915s to MW port size, or if I should get them most of the way there and then epoxy fill the intake ports. The intake is an "as cast" port so some are already a tad undersized. Has anyone tried this? The car will see street use only and like I said its a budget build so there is incentive to keep costs down and use what I have. The 915s already have all new valves, springs and retainers and I have 90% of the hardware for the xram.

How bad am I choking this thing?

 

[Mr4Speed]

I am dealing with the same story; Max Wedge heads are supernice, but a little bit "difficult" for streetuse;
if you use an X-ram with standard ports, fitted to standard port size heads, you will do fine. Ofcourse, you will loose some HP in comparison to the MW heads, but you will have a powerfull streetengine afterall.

 

[62MAX]

I'm working on a budget max wedge build. I'm starting with a low mileage 440 that will get 1969 magnum pistons and a MP 509 cam. I have an A&A crossram that I picked up used and a set of 915s that were cut for big valves and cleaned up/blended. I figured I could work a trade one way or the other, for either a stock 440 port xram or MW heads. Of course used 440 xrams are in short supply and there are some drawbacks to using real MW heads.

I'm thinking if there is enough meat to open up the 915s to MW port size, or if I should get them most of the way there and then epoxy fill the intake ports. The intake is an "as cast" port so some are already a tad undersized. Has anyone tried this? The car will see street use only and like I said its a budget build so there is incentive to keep costs down and use what I have. The 915s already have all new valves, springs and retainers and I have 90% of the hardware for the xram.

How bad am I choking this thing?

Not sure with your head choice but there are better choices than the .509 cam for what you are contemplating !

 

[Montclaire]

I like the 509 and I already have it, so the 509 it is.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Years ago I ran max wedge heads and cross ram on the street and it was just fine. I have seen a set of 915's opened up to max wedge ports and there was barely enough material left up top. If you blend in about 1/2" to just get rid of the step you might be OK. Not ideal, but it will run. You might also consider filling in the top of the cross ram runners to help blend the transition. As a side note, the 915 head has a much better port design than the max but it would take a lot of work to make high CFM numbers, but the end result might produce more power than the stock max head.

The 509 is not a terrible cam. It's on a 108 lobe separation and is lumpy as hell but it makes good power. Higher compression will make it much nicer!

 

[Montclaire]

Meep, am I killing the intake if I epoxy it down to the stock port size? Like you say, the top of the runners are definitely fair game, they look like they could swallow up a small dog.

 

[Meep-Meep]

I don't think so. Epoxy can be removed if need be, but just make sure it stays put under operating conditions. If the blend is smooth I don't think it will hurt performance much if at all plus you will be limited by the cross section of the intake port in the head.