I cant remember if the exhaust bolts/studs run into water jackets..? could be a dribble of coolant causing the smoking/sizzling noises... Just a thought...

 

From what I saw the front and rear 2 bolts go into the water jackets. If they all do I may need to pull the 4 center bolts and seal the threads, that could be it, anyone confirm??

 

I am a shop in Austin. A customer bought a 1948 chrysler with a 440 engine and brought it in to me and it's been overheating ever since the previous owner installed engine. I have put a high performance Walker radiator, repaired the head gaskets, put a 2500 cfm electric cooling fan, new Sanderson exhast manifolds, a new thermostat, purple ice coolant treatment. The vehicle still over heats. Any ideas

 

You might have air pockets in the back of the block. Try jacking up the front end. Leave the radiator cap off and run the motor. If you see a big gush of water come out of the radiator then that would be air pushing it out.

 

On stock heads the front and rear bolts always enter the water jacket. I have seen 906 heads with all the bolts entering the water jacket.

 

Lifted up and we did get air out of block-refilled and now after test drive vehicle running 225-230. Temperature rose up after driving 10-12 minutes.
Has anyone out there put a 440 in an older dodge, please post if you have

 

Has the block ever been boiled out during a rebuild ??? IF not I would take the freeze plugs out and try and flush the block Rust buildup could be causing your problem, OR on a strange note has it ever been use as a race motor? with the block water passages partly filled solid ? Headers get hot very fast.

I have no personal experience, but have heard of aftermarket water pump housings restricting flow

 

Try this Mac tool's refilling tool. Get it at their on-line shop. I just bought one after someone else had air pockets that was causing it to overheat.

 

Hi Polara, in your pictures the raised flat part of the piston seems to be on the lower, or spark plug side of the combustion chamber. And the piston dish area is where it would meet up with the flat part of the head. For good squish and quench, the flat part of the piston should meet up with the flat part of the head. What kind of pistons are you using? The pictures dont look right to me. You might check with the guy who assembled your engine. Good luck!

 

Also valve reliefs appear to be turned around wrong direction. I haven't built any big stroker motors, but this doesn't look right to me. Can any body look at the piston top pictures and give an opinion? Thanks

 

After reading your old posts, I am almost certain that your pistons have been installed on rods in the wrong direction. You are not getting any turbulence in the combustion chamber. Hence the oil and carbon build up, And sputtering at higher RPMs. That shop you had it built at sounds like they had no idea what they were doing. And they tell you to keep it at 2000 RPM all the time ? Even around corners? Thats unheard of. When these motors are properly built they run awesome. I would find a shop that has experience with stroker 440s if possible. Really take a close look at the piston tops. The pointed part between the valve reliefs should point toward the spark plug, not away from it. Call 440 source they can help out. I just built a 451 and it runs awesome! What part of the country are you located in? Maybe some one close by can assist you with finding a good mechanic. I'm in Colorado. Good luck!

 

I'll be blessed if I know. I'm not used to seeing pistons like that. More like these is what I'm familiar with:

http://www.cmclassics.com/DSC02908.JPG

 

Yea, thats more what my Ross pistons in my 451 look like. What kind are those? That you posted, 440? The top of the heart shape is supposed to be towards the top of the cylinder toward the lifter valley. With the little pointed part pointing towards the spark plug. The big inch stroker motors often are designed with a dish, to lower the C/R back to a streetable 10 to 1. But the raised flat area needs to meet the flat portion of the cyl head to develop squish and quench and turbulence as the piston nears TDC. Ok