440 Six-Pack Problems
 

I just completed assembling a 440 Six-Pack Motor for my 1972 Charger and
have a few questions.

It's a 1967 block bored .030 over. All parts were purchased new back in 2007
from PAW that is now out of business.

It's a newer Six Pack set-up with 3 Holly 2 barrel carburetors on a Edelbrock manifold.

The other specs are: Steel crank, Speed Pro Pistons, Edelbrock aluminum performer rpm heads,
Hughes roller rocker arms, Mopar hydraulic lifters.

As for the cam, I don't know the specs, (this sucks, as I have no paper work and there were no markings on the cam)
When I ordered the motor I asked for a cam that would allow it to be a performance street vehicle, around 450 HP.

I have a 727 Torqueflite transmission, 8 3/4" rear end (429 case with 3.23 gears).
The torque convertor is supposed to be 2,200 - 2,400 stall speed.

Ignition is MSD with a Pro-Billet distributor from (440 source) I currently have about 10 degrees advance @ 900 rpm.

If I put it in gear at 900 RPM the motor will die, I have to go to about (1,100 rpm in neutral) in order to idle at 800 in gear.

1: Is my stall convertor maybe wrong or not a stall convertor at all?

When I start out, it has a low end hesitation until I get the rpm up a little, and when it shifts it dogs a bit until rpm goes up.
Once moving, if I get on it, it takes off. I have a Facet Gold Flow electric fuel pump I'm using from my old (383/ 4 barrel motor)

2: Could the Six-Pack set up be fuel starved?

When I measure manifold vacuum while revving the engine I read about 12 to 15 on the vacuum meter.
Outboard carbs on a Six-Pack are operated by vacuum.

3: Could the cam be to big for a Six-Pack set up? It also lopes quite a bit at idle.

Temperature on the motor runs very high, it gets up to 215 degrees very fast. I have a high volume water pump,
new seven blade clutch fan and had a new 180 thermostat, that I took out to see if that was the problem, it heated slower,
but still reached 215 and that's when I shut it down. The radiator ran fine with the old 383 motor but I understand
high compression engines run hotter. I'm not using coolant yet, just water as I'm breaking in the motor.

Any help or thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

John

Get the timing to 35 degrees (maximum @ 2000 rpm). You can lock it in with your current distributor. Disregard idle timing!

You may need to get a 10" converter to get it loose enough for in-gear idle control.

For the carb, I have used the 3.5" power valve with great success.

After this, if you cannot control the idle from the mixture screws with the outboard carbs fully closed, you may/will have to go into (drill oversize to 0.042", if memory serves me correctly) the center carb metering block idle syphon tubes to get more idle fuel. Some like to drill the throttle plates for the quick and dirty fix.

With a Mopar 284/484 camshaft, I have had idle down to 350 rpm in gear with these steps.

This link has some good stuff. Read all the additional links they provide!

And make/grind a wrench like this and you can remove the center carb without removing the outboards!


http://www.mopar1.us/6barreltips.html

Cheers

Peter

Sounds more like a stock converter.
Needs more timing ?
Carbs do need tuning for the cam / vacuum
Motor still tight / New
What is the compression ?

John... Did Bob Lamback do the machine work? If so, He takes great documentation on the stuff he puts together.
If not... We will try to help you threw the tuning...
I agree with all thats said so far...

Here is my experience with six packs. I have two of these set ups and have had them running for years. RacerHog has recently helped me and first thing I would do is pull the center carb and see what the power valve is. You can google how to interpret the markings but these things HAVE TO CLOSE at idle. I have much the same set up as you with a lumpy cam in my truck but with a 5.5 power valve the truck will idle in gear with a stock 11" converter. I would definitely start with that center carb and put a 5.5 or even a 3.5 power valve in so you know it's closing and you will find the car all of a sudden will come alive. The power valve is Holley's little nightmare but when you get it right it solves all kinds of problems.

Just my two cents worth.

Good luck,

Lisa