'72 Charger Engine Swap 400 to 440-6pac
07-27-2014, 06:23 PM
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
'72 Charger Engine Swap 400 to 440-6pac
Hi, new to this forum and have some questions about swapping out my original 400 motor with a 1968 440-6 pac that I bought from PAW (when they were still in business) in my 1972 Charger.
I am currently assembling the motor here are the specs: .030 over, steel crank, Speed Pro Hypereutectic Pistons, Edelbrock aluminum performer rpm heads, Hughes roller rocker arms, Mopar hydraulic lifters. As for the cam, I cannot remember the exact specs, when I ordered the motor I asked for a cam that would allow it to be a performance street vehicle, around 500+ HP. The intake will be an Edelbrock aluminum manifold with 3 Holley 2-Barrel carburetors.
Some of my concerns are as follows:
1. How easily will this new motor bolt into the existing frame?
2. Will the headers on the 400 work with the 440.
3. Will I be able to use the external parts, such as: flywheel, starter,
distributor, water pump housing, pulleys, brackets etc.
4. When dropping the engine in can I hook onto the aluminum heads to lift
the motor, or is there another connection point.
5. What torque converter would be optimal for my application, I have a 727
torqueflite transmission, 8 3/4" rear end (429 case with 3.91 gears).
6. What speed will I be able to go with this current set up.
7. I am wondering what rpm this motor will be able to handle
8. Should I think about changing the rear end gear ratio and/or putting in a
Gear Vendor overdrive unit. I want to be able to drive on the freeway at a
reasonable rpm and still have off the line performance.
https://www.gearvendors.com
9. Are stabilizer bars already on this set up, or am I going to need to add
them.
Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks.
John
I am currently assembling the motor here are the specs: .030 over, steel crank, Speed Pro Hypereutectic Pistons, Edelbrock aluminum performer rpm heads, Hughes roller rocker arms, Mopar hydraulic lifters. As for the cam, I cannot remember the exact specs, when I ordered the motor I asked for a cam that would allow it to be a performance street vehicle, around 500+ HP. The intake will be an Edelbrock aluminum manifold with 3 Holley 2-Barrel carburetors.
Some of my concerns are as follows:
1. How easily will this new motor bolt into the existing frame?
2. Will the headers on the 400 work with the 440.
3. Will I be able to use the external parts, such as: flywheel, starter,
distributor, water pump housing, pulleys, brackets etc.
4. When dropping the engine in can I hook onto the aluminum heads to lift
the motor, or is there another connection point.
5. What torque converter would be optimal for my application, I have a 727
torqueflite transmission, 8 3/4" rear end (429 case with 3.91 gears).
6. What speed will I be able to go with this current set up.
7. I am wondering what rpm this motor will be able to handle
8. Should I think about changing the rear end gear ratio and/or putting in a
Gear Vendor overdrive unit. I want to be able to drive on the freeway at a
reasonable rpm and still have off the line performance.
https://www.gearvendors.com
9. Are stabilizer bars already on this set up, or am I going to need to add
them.
Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks.
John
07-27-2014, 07:36 PM
#2
Mopar Lover
1-3 Yes
4 - Use a 4 point if you can
5 - stay around 3000
6- Hard to say, theirs allot more to it...
7- 7,200 if it's built for it???? Ok...Not really going to know without knowing the build... But thats my guess...
8- That gear worked great in my old 67 Cononet... Made the heavy pig snap.
9- Not really sure what your getting at? But I would say not for what your going to use it for. (Street Car)
4 - Use a 4 point if you can
5 - stay around 3000
6- Hard to say, theirs allot more to it...
7- 7,200 if it's built for it???? Ok...Not really going to know without knowing the build... But thats my guess...
8- That gear worked great in my old 67 Cononet... Made the heavy pig snap.
9- Not really sure what your getting at? But I would say not for what your going to use it for. (Street Car)
07-28-2014, 08:36 AM
#3
Bolt in. End of story
Twisting a 440 to over 7K is silly especially if this turns out not to be the power curve.
You can EASILY figure out where you need to shift. You either have it dynoed or you buy something like a G-tech
http://www.gtechpro.com/
These in very basic terms are an accelerometer which can detect engine RPM off electrical ripple, and compute vehicle speed based on your input calibration. You can set up "fake" 1/4 mile and other runs, and they can datalog a run. These generate the same difference as a dyno curve
If you can find a stretch of "good road" and make an acceleration run "up and over" the RPM peak in say, both 1st and 2nd gear, you can then easily see where the peak and shift points SHOULD be. Often they are LOWER than the "RPM freak" in you THINKS they are
Optimum shift points are often DIFFERENT between different gears because of gear ratio
Twisting a 440 to over 7K is silly especially if this turns out not to be the power curve.
You can EASILY figure out where you need to shift. You either have it dynoed or you buy something like a G-tech
http://www.gtechpro.com/
These in very basic terms are an accelerometer which can detect engine RPM off electrical ripple, and compute vehicle speed based on your input calibration. You can set up "fake" 1/4 mile and other runs, and they can datalog a run. These generate the same difference as a dyno curve
If you can find a stretch of "good road" and make an acceleration run "up and over" the RPM peak in say, both 1st and 2nd gear, you can then easily see where the peak and shift points SHOULD be. Often they are LOWER than the "RPM freak" in you THINKS they are
Optimum shift points are often DIFFERENT between different gears because of gear ratio
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