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440 RV engine

Terry Hauck

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I have a chance to buy a 440 RV engine cheap. It is a 76 has good compression and oil pressure. Cast crank but comes with an extra steel crank. Are these blocks the same as the HP blocks. I plan to use it in for street driving only. Most of my HP parts from my 383 should swap right over. What if any are your experiences and suggestions with this engine?
 

Russ69Runner

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Hey Terry what you have in the car now. If that motor is good that would be a good buy. Lot of guy's have done it in the past. Don't know what you will run into if you have a 383. Like motor mount location's and the bell housing bolts. Keep us up on the project. Russ.
 

6PKRTSE

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I have used several 440 motorhome engines in the past. I got lucky none of them had the angle plug extra cooling heads. Just have to swap the motor mounts, pan and pick up tube to put it in a car chassis.
 

Terry Hauck

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Well I picked it up yesterday. It's a 76 with low miles and also came with an extra steel crank and a set of LY rods. Going to get it on my stand and tear into it a bit today. I would have to tear it apart to have the crank snout machined for a 4 speed. That's why he threw in the steel crank. Lets hope it all pans out. 440.jpegLY.jpeg
 

Terry Hauck

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Hey Terry what you have in the car now. If that motor is good that would be a good buy. Lot of guy's have done it in the past. Don't know what you will run into if you have a 383. Like motor mount location's and the bell housing bolts. Keep us up on the project. Russ.
I have a 383 now. It runs good but not that good. A buddy put a motor home 440 in a Sport Satellite and it gets up and goes. I understand I will have to use a few parts from my 383 like the pan, pick up, windage tray, motor mounts and I think my timing cover. The crank is not drilled for a 4 speed so I have to change it and the damper also. Took the top half off yesterday and this engine has flat tops. I will need a cam and pistons so this will be a rebuild not just a drop in. Guess it's true, there's no replacement for displacement.

Flat tops.jpg
 

Terry Hauck

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I am using a stock steel crank, LY rods and 906 heads. What is a good piston to get the compression up around 10.5 - 11?
 

quikbird

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There are several manufacturers of pistons that can help you on this question. I have diamonds in my engine. Others would be mahle, wiseco. Call any of them and give them that info and see what they suggest. Item to consider is that as boost compression, means squeeze the cylinder more. That gets you closer to the valves. Will probably need relief areas in the piston
 

Russ69Runner

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Half dome piston in my 383 got 9.8 to 1 compression. With valve relief in them. Used diamond piston as far as I know.
 

James Kelly Heaton

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I have a chance to buy a 440 RV engine cheap. It is a 76 has good compression and oil pressure. Cast crank but comes with an extra steel crank. Are these blocks the same as the HP blocks. I plan to use it in for street driving only. Most of my HP parts from my 383 should swap right over. What if any are your experiences and suggestions with this engine?
Hi Terry, I have two of those motorhome engines. One is cast crank and one is forged crank. The forged craqnk motor only had 40k miles on it. I put a set of Edelbrock Street Performer aluminum heads 64CC, a Lunati VooDoo mild cam and lifters and new roller timing chain and gears. I added an Edelbrock RPM intake and Barry Grant 750 double pumper, Aluminum Water pump housing and HP pump. Its no 10 second drag car but it has very crisp throttle response. Left the forged assembly in it all stock. Great motor for the price.
 

Terry Hauck

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Hi Terry, I have two of those motorhome engines. One is cast crank and one is forged crank. The forged craqnk motor only had 40k miles on it. I put a set of Edelbrock Street Performer aluminum heads 64CC, a Lunati VooDoo mild cam and lifters and new roller timing chain and gears. I added an Edelbrock RPM intake and Barry Grant 750 double pumper, Aluminum Water pump housing and HP pump. Its no 10 second drag car but it has very crisp throttle response. Left the forged assembly in it all stock. Great motor for the price.
I will be using a steel crank and some Ross flat tops. Edelbrock performer RPM with 800 Holley and the 906 heads. I'm probably going with a hydraulic 509 cam and stock HP exhaust manifolds. What size cam did you use and what exhaust?
 

Russ69Runner

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Hey terry did you micrometer your cylinders before you took it in. Bought gauge off line to do mine. Won't use it much and can under stand if you did not invest the money for one. Hope you have enough meat left so you don't have to sleve it. Keep us up on the progress buddy. :thumbsup2:
 

Terry Hauck

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Hey terry did you micrometer your cylinders before you took it in. Bought gauge off line to do mine. Won't use it much and can under stand if you did not invest the money for one. Hope you have enough meat left so you don't have to sleve it. Keep us up on the progress buddy. :thumbsup2:
It's an RV motor that had low miles. Should be able to get away with a 30 over stock. My machinist said it looked great but had a little lip and would probably need bored. He said it's common because the RV pistons are so far in the hole. Will let you know.
 

Russ69Runner

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Sound's good Terry. Yes the crust ring at the top is normal. Good to here the taper in the cylinder is not bad. 30 over is still a good driver motor. Got lucky and found a block for my car that only had to go 20 over and made my day. Good luck with the build and know your excited to say the least. Russ.
 

Terry Hauck

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Actually waiting for the machinist to let me know what he finds. I may be able to get away with a simple hone or 20 over.
 

6PKRTSE

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Bad thing around here with the last one I called around to 36 different junk yards, scrap metal places and recycling centers. No on one would take a motorhome even after I stripped out all of the wood from inside. I wound up cutting the whole thing into a million pcs....

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Terry Hauck

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Bad thing around here with the last one I called around to 36 different junk yards, scrap metal places and recycling centers. No on one would take a motorhome even after I stripped out all of the wood from inside. I wound up cutting the whole thing into a million pcs....

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Lucky me. I bought the motor from a guy that did what you are doing now. What are you putting yours into?
 

ACME A12

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Bad thing around here with the last one I called around to 36 different junk yards, scrap metal places and recycling centers. No on one would take a motorhome even after I stripped out all of the wood from inside. I wound up cutting the whole thing into a million pcs....
Wow. What a PITA.
 
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