440 source heads on a stock 440

IQ52 said

I don't recall telling him to take apart or deck his engine. He's got a fresh low compression rebuild, good enough. I maintain the heads will make a big difference and you disagree, I'm okay with that. As to the cam, I'm all in favor of using the parts you already own, so if the cam fits the engine application, use it. That is why I asked about the engine usage, gears and torque converter.

Your suggestions are fine.

Here is my experience putting heads and camshaft in a low compression 440 (what he asked about). The Stealth heads should be better than the heads I used. I don't recommend my cam for a low compression engine, but it's what I had laying around.

Dyno testing a stock(?) 1972 440

Click to expand...

Sorry, I got your reply mixed up with the first guy, don't mean to be contentious.

I guess the thing about the heads is that they are essentially copies of what he has already with a slightly smaller chamber. It's my understanding also that aluminum will not keep as much heat in the chamber as cast iron. based on those assertions, the benefits of Stealth heads in this particular combo would be marginal at best and could almost be counterproductive.

If we re talking bang for the buck, a cam that would increase cylinder pressure more than what he has now would be a better choice. There is too much overlap in the larger cam and it will bleed off cylinder pressure, like the experts always say.

I agree the heads and cam would generally be a better choice over the ancient boat anchors but in this case, it may not provide the best results per dollar spent.