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Dodge 440 Engine Rebuild - Mopar Muscle

A Solid 440 Rebuild

By Rick Pewe, Photography by Rick Pewe
  • 16. Lightly lubed bores allow the pistons to slide easily into place. The rod bolts are covered with a condom to prevent marring the crank, and a piston ring compressor squeezes the Sealed Power rings down into shape.
    16. Lightly lubed bores allow the pistons to slide easily into place. The rod bolts are co
  • 17. Proper Fel-Pro gaskets seal the head to the block and line up the cooling passages between the two. Using top quality components makes for a reliable, trouble-free rebuild, rather than discount-priced parts that may not fit right or last long. It's worth it in the long run to use quality components.
    17. Proper Fel-Pro gaskets seal the head to the block and line up the cooling passages bet
  • 18. Lifters are coated in a break-in lube, and then slid into the bores in the valley. Pushrods slide home and are topped off by the rockers on the shaft with all the appropriate retainers. The timing chain, gears, and cover are also fitted onto the block.
    18. Lifters are coated in a break-in lube, and then slid into the bores in the valley. Pus
  • 19. Unlike most other rebuild shops, Coast Motor Supply has a run-in fixture for each engine. This machine pumps the assembly with oil, and then spins the crank to lube and break in the components. The engine is left running away on the fixture as oil is pumped through the block, and proper oil flow is noted. This is the critical time when pushrods can be bent or other problems arise. Using this fixture ensures proper lubrication before initial firing of the engine.
    19. Unlike most other rebuild shops, Coast Motor Supply has a run-in fixture for each engi
  • 20. Coast can supply you with a turnkey engine, but in our case we decided to finish the assembly ourselves. We painted and installed our own tin as well as the intake manifold, and all the little ancillaries needed to make an engine run.
    20. Coast can supply you with a turnkey engine, but in our case we decided to finish the a
  • 21. The final product may not look like a full-on race-ready power brute, but then again it will be far more reliable than such a build. Stock rebuilds with great attention to detail and proper machining can lead to a reliable and economical engine choice.
    21. The final product may not look like a full-on race-ready power brute, but then again i

Not all 440s are created equal, and while all are good, some are better than others. For instance, early style engines come fitted with forged cranks and a host of other important items aimed at the race crowd. However, for most 4x4 and towing uses these upgrades and improvements aren't critical, but if you have a choice at the same price then go for the good stuff. Here's a few numbers we pulled to show what means what.

  • The stamped pad numbers tell a strange story on this block. Located on the left front top of the block, these stamped numbers "9 T 440 E" indicate that this is a 1979 440 with a cast crank. 9T is 1979 (even though it was produced in 1978, it wasn't built or installed until 1979 in an '80 model year motorhome chassis), while the 440 is displacement. The E indicates a cast crank, the only style available at that time.
    The stamped pad numbers tell a strange story on this block. Located on the left front top
  • The cast numbers on a block tell you many things. This 4006630-440-4 tells you the block is a 440 from '78, as the date code above it shows as well. The first 440s were built in 1966, and the last came about in 1978, even though they weren't being used in passenger cars.
    The cast numbers on a block tell you many things. This 4006630-440-4 tells you the block i
  • The crankshaft damper on our engine is clearly marked "use with 440 cast crank only," which is what we have on this engine. Even the torque converters are different for the two and must not be interchanged.
    The crankshaft damper on our engine is clearly marked "use with 440 cast crank only," whic
SOURCES
Federal Mogul
26555 Northwestern Hwy.
Southfield
MI  48034
248-354-7091
www.fmperformance.com
Coast Motor Supply
7251 Deering Ave
Canoga Park
CA  91303
N/A
By Rick Pewe
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