Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
#2537403
08/16/18 10:21 PM
08/16/18 10:21 PM
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 712 Southern Alberta
Uberpube
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
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Posts: 712
Southern Alberta
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I spent some time on my 1978 440 SE ram charger that makes a blistering 120 rwhp. I've got it tuned, it runs very smooth, starts off the key like an EFI vehicle. , it just makes no power being a smogger 440 at 3800 feet of altitude. I did a leak down and its less than 8% across all the cylinders, the cranking compression is all in the 120's. The pistons are most like down a 1/4 in the hole at TDC. The motor runs well enough I am not going to do a full overhaul, so what I thought I should do, is throw a set of heads on it to give it a bump. What aftermarket head would be the best for this to give it a compression bump and not end up with quench issues? It looks and sounds to me like its got had the full edelbrock performer package thrown at it, it has performer intake, 1411 carb, the timing change is double roller, and it idles with a mild lope, so I would hazard a guess its got the performer cam in it.
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2537417
08/16/18 11:12 PM
08/16/18 11:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,506 So. Burlington, Vt.
fast68plymouth
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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I’d do the 75cc E Streets..... maybe even mill them down some
68 Satellite, 383 with stock 906’s, 3550lbs, 11.18@123 Dealer for Comp Cams/Indy Heads
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: fast68plymouth]
#2537586
08/17/18 12:13 PM
08/17/18 12:13 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,316 Prospect, PA
BSB67
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master
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I’d do the 75cc E Streets..... maybe even mill them down some This. I would swing the extra $ for the milling. Do the intake sides too.
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2537800
08/17/18 07:07 PM
08/17/18 07:07 PM
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Joined: May 2015
Posts: 1,134 Lost in Time
Iowan
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super stock
Joined: May 2015
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Lost in Time
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At one time when I was full of the vigor of a younger man I had a full size 77 Dodge Monaco with a lean burn 440,long story short hemi cam, new ignition conversion, reworked the carb and duel exhaust with a gear change in the rear end. That pig went from 17.50s to 15.50s in the quarter, it was my shop loaner car for a few years and everyone loved it. It had 65k on the clock when I paid $150 for it in 88.
Have a great day Iowan
"obsolete is neat"
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: parksr5]
#2537974
08/18/18 01:31 AM
08/18/18 01:31 AM
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 712 Southern Alberta
Uberpube
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super stock
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OP
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Southern Alberta
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At what point on a build like this do you reach a point where you have just too much flow or too good of a head? For example, would the Trick Flow 240 heads be too much? At some point you loose velocity if the head flows too much.
With some of the newer motors, it just makes me wonder. Some of the newer heads are flowing very well but, have smaller cams, maybe not killer compression etc. The newer cars are running very well, can you apply the same thing here? I was thinking the same thing. Like the modern hemi, big flow heads, relatively mild cam. I started looking at the EDEL stuff and am now thinking of doing heads and the pro flow xt efi package. What would be the advantage of the e heads vs the performer rpm heads? and versus 440 stealth heads and aero heads? I would like this thing at least to be able to do a spin out in gravel, which it won't right now. I've been through it with a scope and wideband 02, everythings right, its just mushy soft, the 77 ram charger I had with a 360 4bbl actually was faster than this thing, it had 3.55's though instead of the 3.23's this thing has. I have a set of 4.10 dana 60's for it.
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2537986
08/18/18 02:04 AM
08/18/18 02:04 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
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Circle Track
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I spent some time on my 1978 440 SE ram charger that makes a blistering 120 rwhp. I had one & as you know it is a heavyweight. OT consider a 440source 543 RB stroker kit! ($2250 iirc). You need torque.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2538206
08/18/18 06:58 PM
08/18/18 06:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448 Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
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Phoenix, AZ
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10.5 to 1 440, with the small Comp Magnum 270/470 hyd. cam. Went from slightly ported 906s to Modern ported Stealths. Dropped our 3800lb 67 Belvedere from 13.20s to 12.70s. Flow matters even on a mild engine.
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2538646
08/19/18 07:50 PM
08/19/18 07:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,791 Hamilton, Ontario Canada
Magnum
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There is a big crutch in this motor and you are trying to build around it.
Take those pistons out and throw them in the garbage. Start off with a piston that rums up to the deck and combustion chamber size and gasket thickness from there.
I agree with port velocity and small cam. This is exactly how modern engines do it. From 1.7L Honda engines to LS7 Corvettes.
I'm sick of seeing slow 440's, time to represent.
69 Super Bee, 93 Mustang LX, 04 Allure Super
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2541007
08/24/18 07:25 PM
08/24/18 07:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,376
dogdays
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I Live Here
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FORGET CHANGING THE HEADS!
I figured out a rebuild for my friend's '75 440 3/4 ton 4x4. It went like this: KB 184 pistons with stock heads. Hughes hydraulic camshaft closest thing now is SEH1620BL-12 Headers Stock Thermoquad I cant remember whether it used a Performer or a stock intake.
Horsepower and fuel economy doubled, from 7 to 15mpg. Truck now had some zip. He was extremely happy. The expense and aggravation were worth the money.
Your stock pistons are so far down, probably 0.180"(7.1:1 compression), that taking 16 cc out of the heads would net you still only 8.5:1 and you'd still have the open detonation prone chamber because no squish from the piston. They've got to go.
The 184s will get you 9:1 and have squish. Attention will have to be paid for clearance between top of "quench dome" and cylinder head. Some scaremongers will try to frighten you but it usually works out pretty close.
R.
Last edited by dogdays; 08/24/18 07:25 PM.
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2541039
08/24/18 09:15 PM
08/24/18 09:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,506 So. Burlington, Vt.
fast68plymouth
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I Live Here
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So. Burlington, Vt.
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I’m all for using the 184 pistons with reworked stock heads. But...... that’s quite a bit more involved of a project than bolting on a new set of heads.
And, unless the stock heads are in remarkably good condition....... you could easily spend almost as much(or more) prepping/refurbishing them than buying the budget friendly aftermarket alternatives.
Then, when it came time to tear into the shortblock you could just use flat top pistons instead.
68 Satellite, 383 with stock 906’s, 3550lbs, 11.18@123 Dealer for Comp Cams/Indy Heads
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2541223
08/25/18 12:37 PM
08/25/18 12:37 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,316 Prospect, PA
BSB67
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The OP said: ...The motor runs well enough I am not going to do a full overhaul, so what I thought I should do, is throw a set of heads on it to give it a bump. What aftermarket head would be the best for this to give it a compression bump and not end up with quench issues?
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: Uberpube]
#2541229
08/25/18 12:47 PM
08/25/18 12:47 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399 Aurora, Colorado
451Mopar
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wyrmrider is right that the pistons are the problem. Even if you put the small chamber B-1 B/S heads on that are 65cc chamber, compression is still only about 9:1 compression ratio, and those heads are expensive and take an offset intake rocker arm.
I am helping Dan (Colorado Mopar) with his 440. He was thinking of using the 75cc Edelbrock E-Street heads (for cost, and about 8.4:1 compression) and mild cam, but when we checked the crank, it is shot. Over 0.004" clearance, rough surface, posable it is not even straight? Cast crank that would need to be cut, polished, balanced. After adding up all the costs to recondition the crank, rods, and change pistons we were not too far off from just getting a stroker kit, so now were going to do a 4.25" stroker kit.
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: 451Mopar]
#2541241
08/25/18 01:29 PM
08/25/18 01:29 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,316 Prospect, PA
BSB67
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Sounds like your friend was already committed to a rebuild or certainly far more than the OP, with a cam and checking the crank. Once you'r that far, and you have the budget, going the rest of the way is a no brainer.
Building the ideal motor is simple, especially when it is someone else's money.
But there is such a large gap between doing heads verses doing a motor. If he does heads, it will be a marked and noticeable improvement from where he is now, he can do it in a weekend, and can easily get out of the whole deal from beginning to end between $1,500 and $2,000. Once you say the word "pistons", from the beginning to the rolling down the road complete, it will be $8,000+ and at least 6 months.
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Re: Smogger 440 aftermarket head choices.
[Re: BSB67]
#2541259
08/25/18 02:27 PM
08/25/18 02:27 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,864 Pattison Texas
CSK
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Pattison Texas
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Sounds like your friend was already committed to a rebuild or certainly far more than the OP, with a cam and checking the crank. Once you'r that far, and you have the budget, going the rest of the way is a no brainer.
Building the ideal motor is simple, especially when it is someone else's money.
But there is such a large gap between doing heads verses doing a motor. If he does heads, it will be a marked and noticeable improvement from where he is now, he can do it in a weekend, and can easily get out of the whole deal from beginning to end between $1,500 and $2,000. Once you say the word "pistons", from the beginning to the rolling down the road complete, it will be $8,000+ and at least 6 months. THIS ^^^^^^
1968 Charger COLD A/C Hilborn EFI 512ci 9.7 compression, Stealth heads, 4.10 gear A518 ODtrans 4100lb,10.93 full street car trim 2020 T/A 392 Stock 11.79 @ 114.5
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