440 tunnel ram

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E is cast crank, starting in '73 or '74, don't remember right off. The T designation began in 1976, (my guess is for Trenton) All big blocks B or RB from 76 on began with year followed by T. You can faintly make out 7 in front of 9 before the T. 43 degrees total advance seems a little high to me, even for a low compression open chamber engine with the piston way down in the hole. Your compression readings are within 10 percent of one another. Do you know the history of the engine and what it came out of?
 
Garrett Ellison said:
E is cast crank, starting in '73 or '74, don't remember right off. The T designation began in 1976, (my guess is for Trenton) All big blocks B or RB from 76 on began with year followed by T. You can faintly make out 7 in front of 9 before the T. 43 degrees total advance seems a little high to me, even for a low compression open chamber engine with the piston way down in the hole. Your compression readings are within 10 percent of one another. Do you know the history of the engine and what it came out of?
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Dont know any history of engine other then was in a ford capri before hand bit what it originally come out of i have no idea.

Initial timing could be as love as 13° as have moved dizzy but 12° was markes from inital setting up. Was about to put timing light on car when a freeze plug split dumming all the coolant. On another note someone said to me old timing lights dont like multi spark is this correct and im i best off buying msd timing light

So how to i work out best head and cam combo for engine or am i best stripping engine down seeing engine condition first.
 
Most modern timing lights will work with multiple spark ignition but older ones not so much. I really think before I went and did anything else, I would get a modern timing light and get timing verified in. Usually a big Mopar with stock heads runs no more than 38 degrees total timing. I agree with others suggestions of locking out the distributor and setting the advance curve. I would follow that up by going to Holley’s website and follow the tuning recommendations on the 660s and get them on there. If they have had power valves installed, block them and jet up 10 sizes from where you’re at. The present tune up is hurting your performance more than your converter at present. That weight, gearing etc. should be running closer to 13s than 16s, even if it’s a motor home engine. What spark plugs are you running?
 
The best thing you can do to this 440 is put a stroker kit in it. Get rid of the cast crank and low compression then the other improvements will work properly.
 
Garrett Ellison said:
Most modern timing lights will work with multiple spark ignition but older ones not so much. I really think before I went and did anything else, I would get a modern timing light and get timing verified in. Usually a big Mopar with stock heads runs no more than 38 degrees total timing. I agree with others suggestions of locking out the distributor and setting the advance curve. I would follow that up by going to Holley’s website and follow the tuning recommendations on the 660s and get them on there. If they have had power valves installed, block them and jet up 10 sizes from where you’re at. The present tune up is hurting your performance more than your converter at present. That weight, gearing etc. should be running closer to 13s than 16s, even if it’s a motor home engine. What spark plugs are you running?
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Funny you say motor home engine as that came up in convo with someone while ago tjat tjey thought was motorhome engine.

Spark plugs are champoin i think. Now you say 38 degrees all in makes me think we backed timing off to 13° with 25° advance. My 660s havent got power valves they got blankers in and have 76 jets.

Not going to lie ive tried to tune it up with limited knowledge of what im doing
 
I agree with the stroker comment for the most part when it comes to low compression stock 440s. But if your limited to 10's it's not really necessary in a 2200 pound car. I recommend going with what you have and learning how to properly tune it and seeing how the car reacts along the way. Sometimes, jumping into something that is suddenly capable of running 10s after it's been running 16s (especially in a potentially scary handful like that!) might show weaknesses in the chassis and handling that you don't want to risk fighting at that level of quickness. The experience learned will get you ready for making a thorough plan for your build and knowing how to tune not only your engine, but the rest of the car as well.
 
With the MSD ignition, you should be running a projected tip spark plug in the proper temperature range. I would start with a champion RC12YC4 to start with, they come set with .040 gaps. Before I suggest wide gaps, though, what coil are you running? With good quality plug wires and an MSD Blaster II or III, you should be able to open the gap to .045 without any problems. I meant to ask what exhaust your running as well. I am making suggestions based on the presumption of open headers, what with it being a race car and all.
 
The coil.is an msd blaster ss. The headers are custom built 2inch primary pipe work into a hooker merged collector and 3.5 secondary pipes. Then have small Glasspack cherry bomb into turn downs. We have option to unbolt cherry bombs and install turn downs but car just sounds awful with cherry bombs removed so run with them on normally
 
Ww58_bandit said:
Current best e.t is 16.1 @ 84mph

Half issue with high e.t is a very low stall rate on the standard troque converter as wont stop bogging till half track.
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Is that the 1/4 mile / If so , ugot more than one problem for a car that lite > jmo
 
I had a 5000 pound Royal Monaco that ran 15s in the quarter with the stock 440 with the Hemi grind cam. A stock smog 440 in a 2500 pound car should knock out mid 12s.
 
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I quoted 13s to compensate for the ring and valve seat/guide wear, which is to say there is probably quite a bit of for 10% variance in cranking compression. But a properly tuned Weiand hi ram set up is worth about 35HP over a single four barrel on a stock cam low compression engine, and 75 on strong street build. What is your fuel system as far as pump, line size, and pressure. What about the fuel tank and pickup? You really need a fuel pressure gauge where you can monitor it going down the track. I am going to back up and say when staring the initial tune on the center squirt carburetors that your probably lean out of the box with 76s, I'm thinking closer to 84s with the power valves blocked, but it may be right if they have four corner idling so you'll need to double check me on that. With your low compression outfit, get your timing set up for around 18 degrees initial and 20 degrees mechanical advance all in by 2800 for a staring point. If your going to run with mufflers, you really need to be running 3-1/2 inch exhaust. Cherry bomb makes them at this size for about 40 apiece but they won't be much quieter than straight headers, but there are several options available. For sound I am partial to Dyno-max or hooker Aero-chambers. You could put a high stall factory type torque converter in and go quicker with what you have now. But unless you or someone else just happens to have one just laying around but you are better off dollar wise to wait until you have decided on which heads and cam you are going with to custom order one. The majority of off the shelf performance torque converters are a compromise and aren't in the same category of what PTC, Ultimate, or Pro Torque can build for you.
 
I think the tunnel rams killing it, as in " bogg's half the track"
The last thing a 200 hp motor needs is two 4v carbs and a tunnel ram.
 
You have some major issues to work out. Start at the beginning, because 84 mph in a 2200 lb chassis is making no power at all. Wow!
 
I would honestly plug the secondaries off on the secondaries, if it's bogging in a 2200 pound car, it probably would bog off idle in neutral. I bet the timing chain and nylon cam gear is in "wonderful" condition as well. The cam is probably retarded by a couple of teeth. It's really time for a rebuild/freshen up.
 
Garrett Ellison said:
I quoted 13s to compensate for the ring and valve seat/guide wear, which is to say there is probably quite a bit of for 10% variance in cranking compression. But a properly tuned Weiand hi ram set up is worth about 35HP over a single four barrel on a stock cam low compression engine, and 75 on strong street build. What is your fuel system as far as pump, line size, and pressure. What about the fuel tank and pickup? You really need a fuel pressure gauge where you can monitor it going down the track. I am going to back up and say when staring the initial tune on the center squirt carburetors that your probably lean out of the box with 76s, I'm thinking closer to 84s with the power valves blocked, but it may be right if they have four corner idling so you'll need to double check me on that. With your low compression outfit, get your timing set up for around 18 degrees initial and 20 degrees mechanical advance all in by 2800 for a staring point. If your going to run with mufflers, you really need to be running 3-1/2 inch exhaust. Cherry bomb makes them at this size for about 40 apiece but they won't be much quieter than straight headers, but there are several options available. For sound I am partial to Dyno-max or hooker Aero-chambers. You could put a high stall factory type torque converter in and go quicker with what you have now. But unless you or someone else just happens to have one just laying around but you are better off dollar wise to wait until you have decided on which heads and cam you are going with to custom order one. The majority of off the shelf performance torque converters are a compromise and aren't in the same category of what PTC, Ultimate, or Pro Torque can build for you.
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The 660s have 76s from memory. I am running 3.5" pipe work already from collector. As for torque converter plan was always to change agter cam and head to get it matched
 
Garrett Ellison said:
I would honestly plug the secondaries off on the secondaries, if it's bogging in a 2200 pound car, it probably would bog off idle in neutral. I bet the timing chain and nylon cam gear is in "wonderful" condition as well. The cam is probably retarded by a couple of teeth. It's really time for a rebuild/freshen up.
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This has been my thinking for while. Timing chain and gear are going replaced when heads and cam go in.
 
The problem with plugging the secondarys is that theres still four primary's open at once. A stock smog 440 only needs one vacuum secondary carb and it would be happy with a 600.
 
Oldiron440 said:
The problem with plugging the secondarys is that theres still four primary's open at once. A stock smog 440 only needs one vacuum secondary carb and it would be happy with a 600.
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By plugging secondarys do you mean putting blanker in power valve
 
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