440 problems/quenching?/advice needed

Ok, I reached out to people on a facebook post and got blown away by the information. I a 24 with experience with mechanics and the assembly but not much on the technical side of compression/combustion facts. So I turn to you guys to school me up.

I am a mechanical engineering student in my senior year, so don't be afraid to throw some big words at me....

The motor runs and drives, but I had a go kart in middle school that I think was 5 hp that ran MUCH better than this... The 440 is detonating.

I did some reading on quenching and how it effects performance while avoiding detonation. From what I gathered, quenching is basically the excitement of the fuel in a specifically correct amount of space between the piston and the flat part of the chamber. Quenching from what I understand it to be, helps with fuel combustion and "atomization" of the fuel providing great longevity and effectiveness of the process. Phew, that is very hard to explain and it sure took me awhile to get into my head.

Here is my combo. I understand why I am having a problem, I am just here to learn how to fix it.

440 - 1978 block.

FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD~~~

it is a stock stroke with a 20/20 crank
stock rods
aftermarket flat top pistons (.030) WITHOUT VALVE RELIEFS
ZERO DECKED....
I have 516 close chambered heads from a 1967 383
fresh valve job with very little porting done
springs to match the cam
STOCK VALVE ROCKER ASSEMBLY... I know..
Weiand dual plane intake
750 edle carb

Cam specs~~~
Mopar performance .528 purple mechanical camshaft/ I measured this lift to be correct.
Didn't calculate the duration..

Now when you guys stop laughing at obvious mistakes... feel free to chime in to what I can do to have a decent cruising street motor. I have no intention on going 11 in a quarter mile or blowing the doors off of someone. Just want to enjoy the car.

Now the obvious mistakes that I pointed out, is that the lift of the camshaft is WAY to big for non-adjustable rockers. I am sure the cam has already been smoked in the process of this motor running... Quenching is going to be absolute garbage since the motor is zero decked on stock stroke with a closed chambered head without valve reliefs.... I am sure my TDC piston to flat chamber height is less than the recommended .040". Not really sure what the compression ratio is, but with a stock style head gasket I am sure this thing is well over 11:1 compression and will not run on the fuel I have hear in my state..



Now with that all said and done.... I want to do this with a budget. Surely I can keep the crank and rods/piston combo that is already there.

From what I can think in my head and calculate, I plan on running a much smaller cam. Probably within the .484 range so that I can avoid spending the big bucks on adjustable rockers... Next is the heads, I am going to trash the close chambered heads and get an open chambered cast to help with the compression ratio, as well as a thicker head gasket or head shim.

Experts of FABO, you guys never let me down. I admit I am young and not as knowledgeable as some of our members, so I ask for the common courtesy and respect I give you guys.

Thanks a million.


Here is a video of how it runs. Since the video I have fixed the RPM drop between park and gear, with a stall converter. Sorry for the video quality. There is no knocking in the motor, but a little valve rocker clatter. Expected with a big solid cam and non-adjustable rockers...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwAXUiEZr0k"]70 dart swinger 440/727 first move in decades. - YouTube[/ame]