Originally Posted By 70B5Cuda
I have been chasing the cause of my 440 overheating problem here.....(https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2509662/1.html)

.....and for a couple reasons, I've convinced myself that it had to be the head gaskets. I've been through all the normal stuff (180 t-stat, no t-stat, radiator check, installed spring in lower radiator hose, new coolant, new water pump, checked engine timing, new coolant temp sensor, different temp gauges (2), installed clutched fan (had a fixed fan when I got it), etc and nothing has helped. Also, the upper radiator hose barely has any coolant flowing through it; my survivor 69 Charger with completely original 383 has much more pressure in the upper radiator hose.

I pulled the heads this morning and the saw a couple things. 7 or 8 pistons were kissed at one time or another.....but anyway, the cooling slots seemed suspect. They look way too small. What do you think-could this be the source of my problems? And does anyone have pictures of what the slots would look like? I've read that they were much wider on the original head gaskets. If anyone has modified the slots, does anyone have any pictures? Thanks



The lack of coolant flow back to the radiator bothers me.Even if the slots in the head gaskets were to small,or even to big,you should still have good flow into the radiator.I think I would be looking at possibly the impellers on the waterpump are to far away from the back of the w.p. housing and there is a cavitation problem or possibly there is a rot hole internal on the pump housing and the coolant isn't making it into the block.
There is a lot of big block Mopars out there running head gaskets w/the small slots that don't have overheating problems.I really believe the problem lies elsewhere.

1970 Dodge Charger R/T S.E. 1969 Dodge Dart GTS 440 M-Code 1970 Dodge Charger 500 383/4-speed w/A.C.