440 & 383 interchangeable parts

[johnnycharger]

Hi guys
I have a 383 in my 70 charger and would like to upgrade to a 440 at some time. ... how manybof the parts are interchangeable?  Can I still use my existing headers? Intake manifold?  Will the 440 bolt right in?

[Nacho-RT74]

headers yes,

Intake no

Dist no

Heads yes

Pistons and rods no

...

miscelaneous yes

will the 440 bolt right in ? yes...

Guessing you got 383 forged crank, if you get a 440 forged crank will be an straight change... if some of them is cast crank, will need consider the TC you got on tranny ( counterweights or not ) Forged cranks not, cast crank got.

[Ghoste]

If it helps, the RB designation for the 440 means Raised B.  The cylinder bank portion of the 440 block is longer than the B 383 engine so the top of cylinder banks becomes a further distance across.  That's why the 440 intake is a little wider and distributor from the 383 isn't long enough.  But any part not affected by that dimension (heads, fuel pump, camshaft etc.) interchanges.

[johnnycharger]

Thank you guys. This is good info. I love learning stuff on this site. 
I do not know what kind of crank I have. Is there a way to tell without any disassembly?
I found this 440 and 727 that I am interested in....  how can I decode the numbers on it to find out what it came from or if it is any good?

B440  12  30

2536430-1

[c00nhunterjoe]

Based on the little info we have, im assuming this 440 will need a rebuild. In that case, i will suggest rebuilding your 383 with a mild stroker kit. The "entry" level kit basicly puts a 440 crank in the 383 block and essentially makes your 383 a 440 cube engine with 10% less rotating mass. This will make it rev faster and live longer and will cost you the same as rebuilding the 440 but you wont have to buy as many new "accessory" parts such as brackets, intakes, balancers... etc etc.

[Nacho-RT74]

thick dampener, cast ( straight or "bullet nose" like the pic )

thin dampener, forged

[johnnycharger]

That picture is really helpful!    looks like I have the thinner forged one.
I have never really looked into "stroking" an engine, but I do like the idea of reusing my current "accessories". Especially since I already have so much on it.

[69wannabe]

Nothing against a 383 but if you are thinking of doing a regular rebuild you will be alot happier with the 440. The stroker kit will wake up the 383 for sure but if you were going to do a stroker engine I would still build the 440 and you can get over 500 cubic inches out of it for pretty much the same costs as doing the 383 and the only thing you will have to come up with is an intake and a distributor. One of the best moves I ever made was swapping from the 383 that was in my charger to the 440. Nothing against a 383, I gave that engine hell and it took it well. I was wanting more torque and the longer stroke of the stock 440 crank really got my old car moving!!! The 383 I had in there was a 69 block, stock steel crank, forged flattop maybe 9.3 to 1 piston's and stock 452 heads and a comp 274 extreme energy cam and a 750 double pump holley carb. I don't know why but it was kind of a dog especially of the bottom of the rpm range. It was peppy but just kinda sluggish but once the rpm's were up it would roll pretty good. I kinda wish I would've went with the XE268 cam and I think it would have been more torquey off the bottom but the XE 274 sounded really good in there. I'm running 355 gears too so if I had some 391's or 411's it may have made a good difference that way too.  The 383 likes lower gears and will turn up some rpm's. I always wanted an RB engine in my charger and once it went in there it was different for sure and in a good way!!!!! Just my 

[Sublime/Sixpack]

Thank you guys. This is good info. I love learning stuff on this site. 
I do not know what kind of crank I have. Is there a way to tell without any disassembly?
I found this 440 and 727 that I am interested in....  how can I decode the numbers on it to find out what it came from or if it is any good?

B440  12  30

2536430-1

The "B" in B440 would indicate model year 1966.

[70 sublime]

Thank you guys. This is good info. I love learning stuff on this site. 
I do not know what kind of crank I have. Is there a way to tell without any disassembly?
I found this 440 and 727 that I am interested in....  how can I decode the numbers on it to find out what it came from or if it is any good?

B440  12  30

2536430-1

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/motor/36.html

[johnnycharger]

Thanks for the info guys!
Great link!!

[c00nhunterjoe]

Ah yes, the age old wives tale that the stroke of the 440 gives it more torque then the stroke of a 383....lol.

    Without getting into a huge debate on this topic, the sole reason that the 440 has more torque then the 383 is because it has 57 more cubic inches. The physical amount of crank stroke is irrelevant. There have been numerous tests done with the same engine (ie 350 chevy vs 350 chevy, not 454 chevy vs440 mopar) using the exact same cubes against each other, but varying the approach in small bore/big stroke vs big bore/small stroke. The end results were the same. Cubic inches make the increase in power.
    Furthermore, show me the proof that your 440 makes that much more torque and hp (within reason) then your 383 did, given they were built the same (cam, heads, intake etc.)

[Cooter]

Longer the stroke, the more torque. Unless you want your wrist pins all up the rings, I suggest stroking a 440.
if bore (same stroke) gave it more cubes and therefore, torque, then a 355 Chevy should crush a 383 Chevy.
not so. Other way round due to 3.750 stroke of 400. Cubes come from overbore tis true, but not near as many as with stroking. Bigger crank equals more torque with same bore. All else being equal.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Longer the stroke, the more torque. Unless you want your wrist pins all up the rings, I suggest stroking a 440.
if bore (same stroke) gave it more cubes and therefore, torque, then a 355 Chevy should crush a 383 Chevy.
not so. Other way round due to 3.750 stroke of 400. Cubes come from overbore tis true, but not near as many as with stroking. Bigger crank equals more torque with same bore. All else being equal.

You are comparing apples to oranges with 355 to a 383 amd to a 400. I said bore vs stroke in the SAME cubic inch package. It has been tested and proven. Either way, its another topic altogether and i will start a discussion on it as such. I dont want to flood this topic with that debate. Fwiw though, i know plenty of 355 chevies that walk all over 383 chevies. The key, like with all others, is in the heads.

[69wannabe]

When I built my 440 the bottom end was pretty much similar built like the 383 I pulled out. Stock crank and rods and TRW flattop 2355 pistons. I used the exact same size cam shaft XE 274 but I did have the bigger valves put in the 346 heads and some minor port work. Instead of the mopar dual plane intake I went with a eddy RPM on the 440. Pulled the 750 DP holley carb and put it right back on the 440 when it went in there. Some differences but really not that much in the big picture. In the mopar muscle resto to rad articles the 440 took to the changes alot better than the 383 on the dyno. You have to make more upgrades to the 383 to get the same HP or less than the 440. Every time they added something to the 440 the numbers jumped up alot more than when they added the same parts to the 383. This is what made my mind up that I wanted a 440. Not trying to pi$$ anybody off which I knew when I started praising the 440 over the 383 there would be a bitter response but my charger was like daylight and dark different when the 440 went in. It had alot better response and it pulled like crazy in the mid range. Just my experience and my  If I was gonna build up and engine I would build a 440 since it will cost just as much to build the 383 and you will be glad you did!!

[c00nhunterjoe]

When I built my 440 the bottom end was pretty much similar built like the 383 I pulled out. Stock crank and rods and TRW flattop 2355 pistons. I used the exact same size cam shaft XE 274 but I did have the bigger valves put in the 346 heads and some minor port work. Instead of the mopar dual plane intake I went with a eddy RPM on the 440. Pulled the 750 DP holley carb and put it right back on the 440 when it went in there. Some differences but really not that much in the big picture. In the mopar muscle resto to rad articles the 440 took to the changes alot better than the 383 on the dyno. You have to make more upgrades to the 383 to get the same HP or less than the 440. Every time they added something to the 440 the numbers jumped up alot more than when they added the same parts to the 383. This is what made my mind up that I wanted a 440. Not trying to pi$$ anybody off which I knew when I started praising the 440 over the 383 there would be a bitter response but my charger was like daylight and dark different when the 440 went in. It had alot better response and it pulled like crazy in the mid range. Just my experience and my   If I was gonna build up and engine I would build a 440 since it will cost just as much to build the 383 and you will be glad you did!!

Lol, you just said you put bigger valves and ported the heads.... of course it picked up alot. You didnt piss me off at all, but you did reitterate my point. You praise hiw much better the 440 ran then the 383, but you upgraded the whole top end package. And if you didnt have to touch the carb during the swap, then it wasnt tuned properly on your 383 and was probably overfueled causing performance drops too. Again, apples to oranges, but the bottom line, yeah, the 440 will make a little more power because it has more cubes. You cannot deny that when they are compared pound for pound.

Again, no hard feelings. Its a good debate! And if there are any 383 doubters in the area, i will gladly give them a ride they will never forget in a cute little overcammed, over carbed, under headed wore out 383

[69wannabe]

I think the 750 holley DP was a little bit rich on the 383 but not by much, the plugs always looked pretty good when I checked them. I did have to do some minor tuning and jetting on the 750 to get it running right on the 440. What gear are you running in your charger?? My 383 was stout and impressed many that went for a joyride but I felt like if I had a 3.91 gear in the back it would have made a good difference in the low end torque that I felt like it was lacking. I do think the 383 is a more durable engine than a 440. I have seen many 383's take abuse that I don't think a 440 would hold up to.

[Cooter]

Funny, the 383 fans are a lot like the import/small block fans. They will tout a heavy big block with less stroke than a 350 chevy. If the 383 was the better engine, then the 440 would have never become the staple of performance it is.

Bigger is always better as far as making reliable power.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Funny, the 383 fans are a lot like the import/small block fans. They will tout a heavy big block with less stroke than a 350 chevy. If the 383 was the better engine, then the 440 would have never become the staple of performance it is.

Bigger is always better as far as making reliable power.

Im not arguing bigger isnt better because it is. My arguement is that stroke length is not the sole key factor in torque. Cubic inches is why the 440 makes more torque like you just said.

[c00nhunterjoe]

I think the 750 holley DP was a little bit rich on the 383 but not by much, the plugs always looked pretty good when I checked them. I did have to do some minor tuning and jetting on the 750 to get it running right on the 440. What gear are you running in your charger?? My 383 was stout and impressed many that went for a joyride but I felt like if I had a 3.91 gear in the back it would have made a good difference in the low end torque that I felt like it was lacking. I do think the 383 is a more durable engine than a 440. I have seen many 383's take abuse that I don't think a 440 would hold up to.

I have run everything from 2.76s to 4.88s behind my 383.

[Cooter]

Funny, the 383 fans are a lot like the import/small block fans. They will tout a heavy big block with less stroke than a 350 chevy. If the 383 was the better engine, then the 440 would have never become the staple of performance it is.

Bigger is always better as far as making reliable power.

Im not arguing bigger isnt better because it is. My arguement is that stroke length is not the sole key factor in torque. Cubic inches is why the 440 makes more torque like you just said.

Agreed. Stroke is 75% and bore is 25%

[69wannabe]

This has turned into kind of a pissing match, all I will say is after having a 440 I would never go back to a 383 for my charger. The added HP and torque from the 440 made my mind up after my first run up the road... Like cooter said the 440 has a reputation for power and there is a good reason for it. 

[c00nhunterjoe]

This has turned into kind of a pissing match, all I will say is after having a 440 I would never go back to a 383 for my charger. The added HP and torque from the 440 made my mind up after my first run up the road... Like cooter said the 440 has a reputation for power and there is a good reason for it. 

I apologize for drawing this offtopic. There is no replacement for displacement!

[johnnycharger]

Thanks for the good debate guys. I think it is constructive and helps me learn some. 

Can I expect to get a horsepower boost if I replace my stock 383 heads with 440 "906" heads? They are a direct easy swap; right?

[XH29N0G]

I think some headers specifically designed for the B (like the TTI) might not fit as well.  The reason I say this is I have the more generic Hooker comp headers which fit both the 383 and 440 and they hang low on the 383.  See what others say.