Summer project - 440

[Longhorn69RT]

Hi all,
   This summer I am planning on livening up the old 440 in my 69 Charger RT. I'm not quite ready to dive into rebuilding the bottom end but have several upgrades in mind. Here are my specs so far and the plan of attack:

Stock 72 440, 3 speed 727
3.23 rear
Performer RPM intake
750 cfm Eddy carb
Master power front disc brakes
275/60/R15 rear tires
new HD leafsprings

I'm definitely going to swap in the 84cc eddy heads, 2" tti headers and 3" xpipe exhaust, mopar electronic ignition kit (or something similar).

I've never been happy with the performance of the eddy carb (came with the car), so I'll probably swap it for a higher cfm double pumper.

I'd also like to make the move to a lower gear ratio and a performance torque converter.

The car will be a 90% street car and will see a couple 2-3hr trips back and forth from Houston to Austin a year.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, especially in regards to cam selection, the valvetrain, stall speed, and gear ratio. I've heard good things about Lunati's cams, what do you all think? Will these upgrades have any other significant effects on other systems that I should be aware of (fuel, oil, etc)?

Basically what I'm going for is a relatively mild build that leaves room for further upgrades (bore/stroke) in the future without needing to replace much more than the cam.

Thanks for helping a new gearhead!

[squeakfinder]

Are you planning on doing anything with the bottom end? I've heard of guys putting new cams in a worn engine and not having a problem, but things do tend to wear out equally. With this in mind, putting new heads on an engine thats got ring to cylinder wall wear might blow out the bottom end by putting greater pressure on it. Causing a lot of oil burning.

[Longhorn69RT]

Thanks for the response. I plan on having the engine thoroughly checked out while it's out of the car. I was pretty sure that swapping in new heads and cam without changing the piston/rod setup was fairly normal, but then again, I am new at this  . From what you're saying though, it sounds like I'd be asking for trouble. If I want to make the move to aluminum heads what else should I plan on altering so I don't end up with an over stressed engine?

[idahogrumpy]

If you are going to have the engine out and plan on spending $2000.00 for heads, cam , lifters and a double pumper.(?)   Why would you not tear the engine completely down and rebuild what is there properly?   You do not necessarily need new pistons and rods. You may get by with a crank polish or grind, reconditioned rods, rings, bearings, oil pump,timing gears, and a hone run through the bores. If that is not the case and things are worn beyond that, then the engine would need a complete over haul anyway or when you started pushing it it would go boom!   Just my opinion but if your going to do it do it correctly. I would run it until you have all of your ducks in a row and then tear it down and do it once.      Grumpy

[Ghoste]

I'm with Grumpy.  If you are going to tear it down that far, spend the little bit extra to finish the bottom end.  If it needs nothing, then you have the satisfaction of knowing the engine is good to go.  If they find bad wear, you're only going to save yourself a bigger headache from a failure later on.  There was a time when you could throw heads and cam at a used engine but that was twenty years ago.  Some of these cars are getting too many miles on them to keep doing that.
I don't know what yours is like or how many miles are on it of course, but I'm assuming it's typical use and no rebuild since new.

[squeakfinder]

I'm no big engine building expert. But most of the engines I've pulled heads off of have a ware lip on the cylinderwall where the piston wrings top out. You might get lucky and still see hone marks with no lip.

If this is the case you could get away with honing the cylinder's and putting in new wrings. If a lip is there, then your cylinder walls are tapered, and overboring and new pistons are the best choice.

Yes, while your at it, take a micrometer to the crank and check the main and rod bearing lobes against factory specs. If there within specs you could simply polish them with emery cloth. Although, allot of guys think you should get the the crank reground no matter what.

Larry

[Longhorn69RT]

Sounds like some solid advice guys....Looks like I was getting a little ahead of myself.  I guess step one will be to pull the engine and get it to a mechanic to see what kind of damage I'm looking at. Now, that being said, say I discover that the engine has been rebuilt recently (I've owned the car for only a couple of years) and things are in good shape. Would it still be a bad idea to just drop on new heads and cam, or is it really worthwhile/safer to change out the pistons? I really don't know much at all about piston selection, any pointers on where to start/links or articles to give me a good idea of what I need? thanks.

[aifilaw]

Sounds like some solid advice guys....Looks like I was getting a little ahead of myself.  I guess step one will be to pull the engine and get it to a mechanic to see what kind of damage I'm looking at. Now, that being said, say I discover that the engine has been rebuilt recently (I've owned the car for only a couple of years) and things are in good shape. Would it still be a bad idea to just drop on new heads and cam, or is it really worthwhile/safer to change out the pistons? I really don't know much at all about piston selection, any pointers on where to start/links or articles to give me a good idea of what I need? thanks.

I have to say pistons are one of the main topics that should be addressed as far as long term reliability. If you have stock pistons, or hypereuratic, I would toss them and install some forged pistons, getting some decent rods are also a necessity and a forged steel crank.... Once you have a bulletproof bottom end, then you know you can add power up top as money and time allows without worrying whether or not your going to be one of the countless people who decided they wanted to add 100HP...and ended up with an oil pan full of rotating assembly.