B and RB engine question / wedge heads

slow_420 · 04-16-2007, 04:41 AM

Can someone clear up something for me regarding the B and RB engines?
All 440's are RB engines (regardless if they are stamped) and all 383's are B engines. Would this be a correct statement for 1966 to 1971 engines.

Extra credit question: Is their a way to visually see if a car has wedge heads without reading the numbers? I ask this because most of the time their is way to much junk in the way to see the heads ...dirt, hoses etc..

General pavelka · 11-14-2007, 01:26 PM

yes that is a correct statement.

wedge head is a combustion style chamber common on 90 percent of engines out there, if the plug wire goes through the center of the valve cover, probably a hemi or pentroof design, unless its a flathead or some f-n wierd ford thing its a wedge meaning if you were to look at the combution chamber from a side view it looks like a wedge. so if you see a normal looking old dirty valve cover with a bunch of hoses and dirt on it, its probably a wedge. numbers really wont tell you much, besides just the sheer size of the heads will tell you what it is.

440roadrunner · 11-14-2007, 07:32 PM

"Can't see the heads??" Yer jokin, right?

On the older mopars, discounting FWD and so on, there's ONLY three combustion chamber designs

Wedge, on all "big block" engines like 361, 383, and all RB engines, 413 and bigger

"poly" on the what is really a SB 318 series, or the "early" 318

Hemi. I don't have to explain THAT, do I?

Frankly, I think Chrysler made a huge mistake in not further developing the poly design.

Back when my six pack RR was fairly stock, with 3.54 Dana rear, it ran 13.oh's--there was a guy who built a 63-64 B body, with the 318 poly, and a TWO BARRELL that ran right with it. 'Course, he wasn't running 3.54's either

This was at Carlsbad, in the early '70's

04-16-2007, 04:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
slow_420 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 7	B and RB engine question / wedge heads Can someone clear up something for me regarding the B and RB engines? All 440's are RB engines (regardless if they are stamped) and all 383's are B engines. Would this be a correct statement for 1966 to 1971 engines. Extra credit question: Is their a way to visually see if a car has wedge heads without reading the numbers? I ask this because most of the time their is way to much junk in the way to see the heads ...dirt, hoses etc..

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
hi	tinascars	New Member Section	0	03-24-2007 09:48 AM
440 fuel pump woes???	rapidride2	General Technical Questions	0	03-20-2007 06:58 PM
360 swap	thekinzuakid247	General Technical Questions	8	02-25-2007 05:13 PM

11-14-2007, 01:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
General pavelka Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 9	yes that is a correct statement. wedge head is a combustion style chamber common on 90 percent of engines out there, if the plug wire goes through the center of the valve cover, probably a hemi or pentroof design, unless its a flathead or some f-n wierd ford thing its a wedge meaning if you were to look at the combution chamber from a side view it looks like a wedge. so if you see a normal looking old dirty valve cover with a bunch of hoses and dirt on it, its probably a wedge. numbers really wont tell you much, besides just the sheer size of the heads will tell you what it is.

11-14-2007, 07:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
440roadrunner Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 272	"Can't see the heads??" Yer jokin, right? On the older mopars, discounting FWD and so on, there's ONLY three combustion chamber designs Wedge, on all "big block" engines like 361, 383, and all RB engines, 413 and bigger "poly" on the what is really a SB 318 series, or the "early" 318 Hemi. I don't have to explain THAT, do I? Frankly, I think Chrysler made a huge mistake in not further developing the poly design. Back when my six pack RR was fairly stock, with 3.54 Dana rear, it ran 13.oh's--there was a guy who built a 63-64 B body, with the 318 poly, and a TWO BARRELL that ran right with it. 'Course, he wasn't running 3.54's either This was at Carlsbad, in the early '70's