How high do you rev your 440s?

As in 3.75" stroke combos, not 4.15" +

My old build made peak HP at 6300-6400, I shifted at 6500 and went through the traps at 6800+

New combination makes peak HP at 6800 and I expect will go through the traps at 7000+... won't know where it'll want to be shifted until it sees the track again

Thx

I would start out shifting it around 6000 RPM for several runs and then try 6500, if it runs quicker and faster at 6500 the try 7000 RPM and go from there. I look at all th enumbers on the time slip, sometimes over revvingit in 1st and 2nd gear make the car faster, some times not Not all tach reads exactly the same also
The big head, big cam motors high compression race motors like different shift points than other combinations. Do all your testing based on the time slips and spark plugs

Man, good question. I'm trying to keep RPM down, because I got a stock crank with stock rods and swinging TRWs. But the higher I shift the faster it goes

My guess is it will like 6800 shift points, because actual shift point (data logged) is most likely a couple hundred rpm higher than when you shift. So start at 6600 Imho and go up in steps, after getting a base line that is solid info to work from.

Most of my 440 combo's which have been fairly mild (under 11:1, hydraulic flat tappet cams in the .530ish range and steel heads reworked) I always shifted at 6,000. My current engine is still mild by most standards, 10:9:1 with TF 240 heads and a .557 solid cam. If I'm running 1/8th mile I shift at 6,000, but if I run 1/4 mile I shift at 6500. Doesn't seem to make a difference, but with the gearing and tire size it seems to be more consistent in the 1/4 if I shift at 6500.

Like Greg mentioned….. data recording can definitely make you adjust your shift light. It’s pretty interesting how much “time” can go by from: see shift light, arm moves shifter, trans makes mechanical shift

I don't have a data logger, but I'll have a playback tach for the first time ever

My old stock stroke 440 w/ a pretty big roller and Indy SRs (unported) liked 6800. That was the combo that went 10.40s at 128-129 mph at 3700 lbs.
My older mild 509 cammed iron head motor liked 6000-6200...11.40s at 117 mph in the same car.

Brad, I think you'll be in the 6800 ballpark.

stock 440, shift point 4600rpm;.... .

I suppose I should mention the bottom end has an Eagle crank, Eagle rods, and Ross pistons

The only RPM-related concern might be the oiling system, but the upgrades done to it w/ the last build were targeted at better oil control at high(er) RPM

In my opinion there's only 1 oiling system for 7k rpm and thats external, I know many have been ok with 1/2" internal and have lived but back in the day when I built my 440SP motor I looked at the oiling system and there was no question about it to me about not using it.

My motor ran to 6800rpm every run NA making just 515-ish fwhp with its stock bottom end and BV 906's and a .650" sft cam, 4.88's/32's, with N20 it trapped@7450, I only did that once!!, that motor is still running today albeit with a smaller cam. My mate with his 600hp 440 and 1/2" internal lasted 2 seasons@6800 and then threw 2 rods.

Hemi but almost stock 440 displacement. (3.75 stroke 4.31 bore). 7,600 so far.

Using Milodon 31580 oil pan and internal pickup.

My tach reads a little higher than my EFI does, it works out great, I pull the lever when I see 7000 and the actual shift takes place at 7000 +/- 50RPM or so.

Been a long time for me to have a stock stroke 440 but back in the late 1980’s I was shifting my Direct Connection copied build with the old .750 lift roller cams and was shifting from 6700-6900 rpm. Back then 9.80’s was pretty quick with the junk we had available

I agree with you Cab, 100% It shouldn't need more than 6-8 passes to see what the motor likes. My first build of a 451 with Hilborn stack inj. only took 4 passes found the correct pill and rpm it liked.

Well I am working on one that should turn 10000 and live......Pulling truck application and I am tired of hearing that a dodge won't turn that hard and live unless it is a hemi for some reason.....

Checked my notes in The Wayback Machine and remembered I used to hit the 1-2 shift at 6200 and the 2-3 at 6500. Sounds comparable to new engine going 1-2 at 6500 and 2-3 at 7000.

I must hear more about this 10grand motor!

You have good heads and a big cam for a stock stroke engine so I wouldn't be surprised that it is still pulling at 7000 rpm. Most strokers lay over well before then, even with MW heads.

We have a low deck 512 street engine on the dyno today. It is all done at 5500 rpm but it makes 600 ft-lbs of torque! Going in a Dart, the owner will be happy the first time he stomps on the pedal!

440 + .030/ Indy 440-1 heads/ Comp .690 lift SS cam/ lots of compression/ single carb......I usually shifted at about 7200. I did exceed that a few times, but the car didn't really E.T. or MPH any quicker.

I think the key here is an aftermarket "4-bolt main" block as well as some other good bottom end parts. But by the time you're done with that its almost pointless to put wedge heads on it - you may as well just step up a tad more and go with a full hemi.

My 400/455 with the 3.75 crank spins to 8k. That gets my junk into the 8's on pumpgas. Thats Molnar crank n rods & Ross pistons.

If you are at the pull the day they try it, you will definitely hear something.....

Once....

I saw a guy take one to 7500 with stock rods once.....It was pretty epic...I could see thru the block after that run...

Yeah, it's got no problem carrying the HP beyond the 6800 peak point. Old and new comparison chart below.

Light weight crank-rods-pistons I can see some rpm and live. My 499 (400 block) was dynoed to shift at 7500-8000 l, live at 7500 but the most hp at 8000. Torque was 650? @ 5700. Kenny L built it.

I used to shift my 451 stock 440 crank at 7200 and it would go through the traps at around 7600 on the sauce. Over 100 passes like that.

I dont know on a 440 anymore but we shift our 5" stroke BBM at 7500

Oh yea of little faith....I should not have said anything. We routinely spin the pulling truck stuff almost 9 grand for about 15 years now. I am not saying or suggesting that the OP here should be doing anything like this and a lot of the advise here is spot on. Back to my cave.... Todd

NP, Todd. Wasn't thinking you were telling me anything crazy. And don't hide in the cave on my account!

Believe me Todd I wasn't bashing you either! Your reputation SPEAKS LOUDLY! I was wanting to learn more about it to see what you were planning.

Brad,
Mine is a 3.75 stroke .055 over 440. I have an eagle crank, Manley H-Beam rods and Ross pistons. Two weeks ago, I went through the traps @ 7300 rpm.

I'll be interested in what RPM mine will spin thru the traps on a burner pass... 7100-7200... ?

J, i was surprised to see a 250 rpm above shift point on my logger. I use an rpm switch and airshifter, so component delay is also present in the trans. The 1/2 shift shoulded 250 rpm above settings, 2/3 shift 150 above. Of course it is all relative to ET and trans setup. A 14 second stocker obviously will have less rpm gain than an 8 second car.

I tried using a shift light and decided it wasn't any better for me. Last time I had two different "redline" marks on my tach, one for 1-2 (pointing straight up) and one for 2-3 (about 300 RPM higher). It'll be interesting on the new playback tach to see where I *think* I'm shifting vs where it actually shifts.

I just built a 1600+ cfm for a 10,000 rpm puller truck with an old Pro Stock Hemi and it made 1340+ hp and just went 67 feet past the 300 mark on the first pull. Some love rpm's and some don't...My little 470 junk box loves 7000+ even with the 1/2 pick up mod and has for many years.....