New Engine for the Challenger

[good2win22]

That thing should make some awesome tire smoke!

[Steve Wood]

I am thinking the same....it's go a torque curve like a turbo car.  I remember when the Stage Ones were considered so bad on the street with an advertised 510 ft-lbs of torque at 2800 rpm.  Looks like this one has about 100 ft lbs more at the same point extrapolating back

[Forzfed]

If your powerstroke brakes down you can always use your car for hauling!

[motorhead]

Lean the bitch out! 12:1 is kinda fat for a N/A motor... I believe 12.5:1 is the rich-end safe power range, and 13.5:1 lean-end for max power.

Really cool stump puller, Steve.

[Steve Wood]

12.5 is the normal target....look s like they are very conservative in jetting and timing.  Mild cam may make it a bit more sensitive on the timing side on pump gas.  they ask for 92 minimum and I have 91 only.  May take a little Torco or Klotz in the tank for a margin of safety.

[motorhead]

I think I missed the heads and cam you chose for this... got the specs?

[Steve Wood]

Cam is mild for a 526" engine. Flat tappet hydraulic 238 degs,  0.536" lift.  Aluminum heads from 440source. 10-1 compression.  Forged stroker 4.375 square.  Edelbrock Performer RPM intake. Not the way I would have put it together, myself but it makes good sense when I think about it.

[motorhead]

Did they tell you what the DCR was with that cam?

I find it odd that the 440source heads (being their own design) don't have a "heart-shaped"/"fast-burn" chamber in them like the Edelbrock Victor heads, as that would really help with octane tolerance in a pump gas application.

[Steve Wood]

the 440source heads were a copy of the original eddies as I recall...and they were pretty much a copy of the mopar closed chamber head...they are attractive due to the price.  They need to be well ported to do much more with an engine this large.  No on the dcr

I have not seen much good about the Victor heads on Mopars but I have not done much research lately, either

[motorhead]

the 440source heads were a copy of the original eddies as I recall...and they were pretty much a copy of the mopar closed chamber head...they are attractive due to the price.  They need to be well ported to do much more with an engine this large.

I have not seen much good about the Victor heads on Mopars but I have not done much research lately, either

Price point is always a major concern; it wasn't meant as criticism just an observation on a 10:1 street engine running 91-92 octane - also why I was curious about the DCR.  I actually helped a buddy put a set of the Performer RPM heads on his '73 Charger's low compression 440 years ago; it didn't go any faster.

[Steve Wood]

I looked at the Eddy RPM's but I did not want angled plugs.  Also, lately, I have seen more complaints about the Eddies with regard to the amount of work required on them as compared to the 440source.  Used to be just the opposite.  Pair of heads for $990 is hard to beat..but, of course, I upgraded the keepers, springs, retainers, seals, etc. so Maybe not that much cheaper.  I considered the the Indy EZ heads as well.  Been thinking about this for about three years

My original intent was to deck the heads about another five cc's and use them on my current 440.  Factory 440 pistons are 0.060-.080" down in the hole...their advertised compression ratios are a full point or more higher than actual.

I also considered boring and stroking my block but local area machine shops are known for two things-expensive and halfass.  When I came across CME, I could not compete with teh price and theri reputation is good.  I lost some money by supplying my own valve train and heads-they gave me $800 of for the heads when I had more like $1200 in them with my upgrades but the price was still good in comparison to what I would have spent.

Engine arrived while ago but I had it off loaded down the road at a local warehouse...bo x is enclosed so I cannot see anything.  It's about a month too late to make me want to jump on it...unless I go find a friend with a heated shop.

As far as DCR, I don't have enuf data to compute it because it is a custom ground cam to their specs.  They say it will either run fine on 91, or it will not...they are pretty cautious because it is warrantied for a year or three years if you want to pay some.  I consider the engine to be very mild when compared to the size...basical ly one hp for one cubic inch.  But, given that I weigh 200 lbs and I can stand on either bumper and cannot make the  body move a quarter inch when I jump up and down, I don't think I need anymore power because weight transfer is going to be minimal.  I set out to build a road car that drove like a go-kart and it is pretty close.  Still have to weld on the rear sway bar brackets.

Porting the heads, longer cam, and a 950 cfm carb would add another 100 hp without much effort at all...As it is, the 2500 rpm stall probably should be 2000 and I don't think burnouts will be any problem...618 ft lbs at 3000 rpm is pretty good!  the 255 Nittos cost about as much as drag radials.

I wish I had taken my son's WRX when he traded it in...it was more fun to drive than most things I have driven lately...he and I both miss that one.

[motorhead]

200lbs! How tall are you?

I really should make a thread about how budget heads aren't really a bargain - I have some firsthand (expensive) experience.

[Steve Wood]

lol... lotsa my bargains were expensive.

6 ft and too much junk food over the holidays

[good2win22]

Beautiful weather Steve!  You got that engine installed yet?

[Steve Wood]

It will be awhile, like spring, before I get to it.  I am going to do several other things to it while doing the swap and want to get a fabricating friend to help me...he's backed up with cars he is building and I hate the cold.  But, you are right, it is beautiful weather.  I think that changes tomorrow night.