Yuck, could you please quit telling people to stop modifying their cars? I understand that you may be afraid of technology, change, or whatever. However, these people bought their cars and can do whatever they like with them.
Here's an excerpt from Popular Hot Rodding's article on a carbed 5.7 Hemi:
Quote:
With he totally stock engine running through a set of headers and the XV intake, carb, and ignition, we were shocked by just how docile and smooth the engine sounded and ran. With the OEM cam, the stock idle was in sharp contrast to the formidable power we found. Peak power came in at 371 hp at 5,800-5,900 rpm, while peak torque was recorded at 366 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm. It just goes to show the power potential in those new Hemi heads; these kinds of numbers would require a fairly well-built oldstyle 360, with a fair bit of cam chop to get there.
So what are a mild performance cam and the corresponding calibration worth in an otherwise all-stock 5.7 Hemi?
Stout numbers they were, with peak horsepower now surging to 438 hp at 6,700 rpm, and peak torque recorded at 390 lb-ft at 5,200 rpm. The cam and spring change alone were worth a gain of 67 peak horsepower, and extended the useable rpm range by 900 rpm.
Unless you are building for a tow truck, there is little reason not to recommend the upgraded cam combination.
The 440 engines go a long way based on displacement. In the long run, they're dinosaurs. The heads can't touch a modern engine. The moving parts are insanely heavy. Designing these engines involved lots of brute force.
A decent 5.7 Hemi will run with a mild 440. Run the new Hemi to a similar displacement and it'll put a hurting on the old Wedge.
Yes, you can stroke a 440 to end up with eight bazillion cubic inches and 12 trillion horsepower but that's not the exercise here.
The 440 was a decent motor for it's time. There lies the catch. For it's time. Technology marches on.
There's no reason to not put a 5.7 in his Charger if that's what he wants to do. If properly set up it should outlive his car and provide good power while returning better economy than a 440 ever could.
