Dodge Any Mopar 440-3 guys?... (1 Viewer)

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Dec 13, 2015
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Just picked up a crazy steal engine... "November 1974" build sticker... RV cam, headers, no smoke or oil, easy turning, TQ sucking on top, and... 10,000 miles... only. Was in a motorhome... rear axle broke... was sitting on property as a "guest house"... on wheels! :)

Need some tips and tricks... bolt on gains... on the cheap for now.
Hit me here or by email... GotScout@gmail

Thanks!!! -Big.

(pics of it soon... it is going into a 1974 IHC Scout II)
 
My brother is restoring 2 ramchargers. One is a 77 and I think the other is a 78 or 79. The 77 has a 440 Magnum. The other is a 360, for now. About 20 or so years ago Holly made a TBI system with its own computer for a decent price. Supershops (remember them?) sold them. Might want to see if Holly still has anything available. My brother is doing a 4 barrel carb, so I don't think he even looked at TBI's.
Ron W.
 
Thanks Ron... but my plan took a wrench into the gears as it were....
So I am *NOT* now the proud owner of a NEW TO ME 440... I now own a "440-3"

"same thing... a 440 is a 440"... ummm, no. As luck would have it... to be brief (google it)... I have an 'improved cooling' industrial engine... special unique heads (so I CANNOT swap to any other options) and some special one of a kind other thises and thats...

So... I should change this post to: "Any other 440-3 Guys?"!!!

Anyway... from an RV... so already has an RV cam (I win)... hardened everything already (I win), lower compression (lose), more torque (win), and low miles... so.... after all the bitching is done... no complaints... (so far!!!)

:)

Pics later....

**Attached is the IMPOSSIBLE TO REPLACE water pump... :)
(check out the cool vac booster though!!!... booster for brakes is in the REAR of this RV... so they needed ALOT of SUCK. So now I have extra to use for..... something cool... later!!!)

And yes... it is a beast (also note the total destruction of the RV to remove it!!!!)


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Before the fiction comes up or someone says "thin walls"... read this:

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That is interesting. Maybe you should change it to 440-3. Keep us posted on this build, should be interesting. I am confused why Mopar would state the 76-78 engines as thin walled if they aren't.
 
I tried to edit the first post... banner / title... but can't. Anyway... good, it'll draw in the 440 guys and educate them... and end the thin wall talk.

Why did Mopar repeat the lie?... someone goofed... got it "PUBLISHED" in a authorized journal... and the myth trickled down. Like the AURORA JET sighting last month on the west coast... but since the plane 'does not exist'... some clown had one LA TV news show report "the missile test launch"... and then minutes later with zero verification... it was fact as all the others picked up the story as broadcast "by the news"...

Re the engine... it is awesome... still gathering all my info and part#s, and spares... BEFORE I take it apart... clean it, prep it... fire it and run it!
:)

Old builder trick... take out the battery first... so you are not motivated to just play with it instead. I do that on my Scouts... and remove the wheels! :)
 
If you do tear it apart - I know enough it's a good idea to find out which crankshaft is in that 440-3 , it can vary as some were forged steel vs cast from what I remember . I had one of the '78 blocks from a New Yorker , and no , they are not thin at all . I sold that engine with 160k on it to a local guy , it had a refresh and is living in a '71 W series 4wd pickup - total monster . The only mod Dad ever did to it was install the original 440 six pack cam from his '70 Charger and shave the heads by .030 to bump up compression - it would easily push that 3 ton New Yorker over 160mph , which is plenty scary since it takes half a mile to stop it on fresh brakes .

I've forgotten most of the details from Dad back in the day during his drag racing years and owning several muscle cars - he worked at a dealer for nearly 30yrs as well as racing . As for those heads , I remember something about race teams using them for strokers of some sort , not sure what that was about ...

Sarge
 
So the heads CAN be shaved? Do you happen to have ANY of the gasket numbers?

It is on the stand intact... waiting for new seals/gaskets before I crack it open. Waterpump and gasket in hand... and AR24 (or 23 optional) plugs in hand...

Thanks, -Steve

** I did have a fun little adventure... spraying all the holes (plug hole here) with DeepCreep to loosen everything up... and the STRAW BLEW IN.
Thought that was a head removal for sure... then we got creative!!! (and lucky as hell)

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If you do tear it apart - I know enough it's a good idea to find out which crankshaft is in that 440-3 , it can vary as some were forged steel vs cast from what I remember . I had one of the '78 blocks from a New Yorker , and no , they are not thin at all . I sold that engine with 160k on it to a local guy , it had a refresh and is living in a '71 W series 4wd pickup - total monster . The only mod Dad ever did to it was install the original 440 six pack cam from his '70 Charger and shave the heads by .030 to bump up compression - it would easily push that 3 ton New Yorker over 160mph , which is plenty scary since it takes half a mile to stop it on fresh brakes .

I've forgotten most of the details from Dad back in the day during his drag racing years and owning several muscle cars - he worked at a dealer for nearly 30yrs as well as racing . As for those heads , I remember something about race teams using them for strokers of some sort , not sure what that was about ...

Sarge

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You'd have to search out the parts numbers from the internet gurus on all things Mopar - I've been away from those engines for far too long . The info is out there and specs on the head shaving argument should be found on the racing forums . Be careful handling that engine with stands and lift cranes - it's way heavier than it looks .
Sarge
 
Thanks Sarg... I was worried about the fitment... but is is nearly 8" narrower than an IH 345!!! Also a little lighter!
But yeah... lifting and moving with the 727 attached... less fun!
Now block only... and drained... happy on a super heavyduty stand!
 
If I remember correctly - any valley pan intake gasket for those other than Mopar had a high chance for failure . That said , I know Fel-Pro's fitment on other gaskets was always excellent . Always had a horrible problem with my '78 440 leaking at those heat soaked valve covers - finally bought a set of the Mopar Performance aluminum finned units and used their gaskets - never leaked again . I also used their performance distributor kit - that's the only way to go in my opinion . We later found out the original '78 distributor was pinned 12* off , no wonder it wouldn't run right . Between those parts and an Edelbrock 750 carb - that engine really woke up as Dad had already installed the original Purple cam from his old '70 440-6 RT/SE Charger . I had to add some anti-pump lifters as well since it wanted to float the valves above 5k - that fixed it and for a cast-crank block it would scream . Never did dyno it , but it pulled a 3-ton New Yorker to nearly 170 on day...lol . At 160 the nose went totally light and I finally backed off - with a State cop buddy sitting in the passenger seat checking radar speed - right at 168 where we topped it . God, I miss that car . Slow off the line from the 2.71 gears , but man , after 60mph it felt like a sledgehammer ...

Sarge
 
Thanks Sarge... but you saw the caveat right... "440-3"... not 440. It seems I am EXTREMELY limited. However... the above VPG is aluminum.
What goop do you prefer for sealing?

And I will probably be running a D-60 rear with Detroit locker and 3.54's if I can find the right cut to fit.

I have 4.10's currently... but an limited to the carrier specs.

I have D-44's all day long in others specs... but I want the D-60 and locker for this one.
I weigh so much 'off-the-line' is a joke anyway... but highway and top speeds is what matters to me.
 
I'll check with a magnet and let you know... thanks.
Not sure about the lower sealing yet... might need to change sumps for the Scout axle... I'm a long time from needing to be there though. I have spinal surgery in 2 weeks. So still at early removal and collecting stage... with 8 rollbars to make and 2 Scouts to finish... before "mine" comes to play.

The "440" NORMAL oil pan should be same as 440-3... right?...
 
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After spending the day getting passed by almost every vehicle while driving my Cruisers, I hop into this and my day gets immediately better
 

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