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  #1  
Old 02-26-1999, 08:10 AM
Chris A
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I have a 73 Sattelite with a 400 engine / 727 trans that I am restoring/modifying and I want to push four hundred horses out of this combo. The engine has 90,000 on it and I will rebuild it in my highschool auto shop in a year.

This engine stock in two barrel form pushed out a measly 185 hp. That sucks and it will be changed. Now I have a edelbrock carb and manifold with 2 inch dual so I might have 250.

My main concern is compression. It was 7.6 or 8.2 to one (i cant remember, its a aftermarket engine.) I need to get about 9.5 to one out of it. If any one knows how to do this without milling the heads 2 inches I would really like to know.

I have heard of putting in a 440+.030 overbore piston in and boring the 400 out .008 but I cant find the Federal mogul piston numbered :L2388F30 anywhere!

I also know I could stroke it with a 440 crank underground but I dont think that would raise compression.

Also know any good heads under 1500 complete that would help this engine out.

I need help!! Chris867@juno.com
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  #2  
Old 02-26-1999, 02:37 PM
Bryant Fields
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chris, If you decide to install the 440 crank, you will be ordering a special set of "stroker pistons" ,which has the pin location moved. this is going to solve your compression woes . check out the full page ads in Mopar Action magazine for MUSCLE MOTORS. They list several kits to be used w/ your block. Good Luck!
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  #3  
Old 02-28-1999, 01:06 AM
caveman
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you need to bone up on your info.the mopar speed secrets book is another good one.the 400 is a good engine that will make good h.p. and torque without spending big bucks,get the right tips from the right sources do it right
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  #4  
Old 03-10-1999, 01:44 AM
ChristianCuda
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Chris, I have a four hundred block i am building also. After doing lots of research to get your engine to work up to 400 horses. In order to put the 440 stoker in you can either have the crank cut down or have the 400 block line bored out to the 440 main size. This is actully cheaper and stronger than cutting the crank. On heads find a set of 452 or 346 late 70's 400 or 440 heads and port them with the Mopar performance template porting package. This brought my cuda down one full second from 13.81 to 12.65 also use new valve springs
(MP P3690933) and a back cut on the intake valves. Good Luck and if you have any questions write.
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  #5  
Old 03-10-1999, 06:31 PM
Brian Mills
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Get the Mopar Performance speed secrets manual, and the parts cataloge, price your parts from Mopar Performance first, the best quality most reasonably priced parts are available from the people who run this chat line. Oh yeah, the best advice is also here. Read the books first so you don't get into long phone conversations, they're really busy this year since everybody is running a Dodge.
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  #6  
Old 03-11-1999, 04:48 AM
Chris A
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Thanks for all the info. After I found out that the 440 crank would raise my compression, I looked around in a lot of mopar magazines. In Mopar Muscle I found a company called Hughes engines. They have kits for my four hundred. The one I plan on buying comes with a set of kieth black pistons, used 440 crank (cut down), bearings, damper, used 400 con rods balanced+shot peend, pins on the pistons connected to rods, and some other crap for 1660. This seemes like a pretty good deal considering I could send my crank, rods, and damper and save a couple hundred extra. This would raise my compression to 9.9:1. I can then send my heads to them for porting, resizing of valves(bigger) and new springs for 700 bucks. I'll get roller rockers with a 1.6 ratio, chrome shafts custom pushrods for around 600 bucks. This combo pushed out easily 500 horses and got a car my size(stock) into the 11's!! This is probably what I will do since it's proven power and I probably couldn't port the heads out that good. Comment's tipps?? i still want feedback if you have something to say. Thanks Chris Arnold
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  #7  
Old 03-12-1999, 02:21 AM
dbdartman
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Cam specs, compression ratios, stroker kits, horse power & torque...blah blah, woof woof. This all sounds good but it doesn't mean much if your chassis can't handle the power! You say your car should run in the 11's. It MIGHT! I'll bet it'll be pretty inconsistant too! As a chassis man, I see this all to often; "I want a 500 HP engine!" They get their engine & say something is wrong with it because it won't run the number for a car that weight. What they don't understand is that they are loosing between 100 & 200 HP just twisting the chassis! "If you can't put it ALL to the ground, you're wasting it!" (HP & $) I'd suggest you put your money into the chassis first, then build your killer engine later. You'll have a better performing car & a safer car too.

Just my $.02 worth!
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  #8  
Old 03-12-1999, 04:04 AM
Brian Mills
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Chris, I have to agree with Dartman, get the speed secrets book and a copy of the Mopar Performance cataloge, they test everybody elses stuff and they list all kinds of changes to the car. They recomend changes to the alignment and tire pressure as the car goes faster just to name a few little things. They list recipes to get cars from the 13's all the way to the 8's and 9's, they don't come by this info by chance, they go this fast. Buy the books and read.
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  #9  
Old 03-16-1999, 12:08 AM
Belvedere
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Chris, before you send your heads off take a look at Indy's SR heads. The amount of money you spend on your stock heads will go a long ways on a set of after market heads that have way more metal and better port configuration. They will have room to grow in case you want to go faster. I also agree with dbdartman. A good efficient suspension is worth as much money as you can throw at it. It is not good if you can't get power to the ground and keep it straight to the other end.
Mopars have a very simple suspension and it works better than other brands of cars, but there is always room for improvement. I know that super stock springs are a good way to go. I'm just not a fan of leaf springs. I prefer coil-overs and 4-links or ladder bars.

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  #10  
Old 03-16-1999, 09:14 PM
Chris A
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Ok. I guess I really should look into the suspension and drive train. I plan on rebuilding the trans and putting a good shift kit into it. I think I have 355 gears in my diff so I want to stick with them to keep some gas milage. Would posi help? could I get a complete rearend setup for undr 500 bucks? For my suspension, I know it needs to be rebuilt but I don't want to replace the leaf's. Would coil over shocks help? what exactly do they do? I don't want this to be a dragster, I want it to handle and be a safe driver, but I might race it sometimes. I couldn't find the speed secrets book. Where's it at? What exactly do you mean buy the chassi? suspension or drivetrain?
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  #11  
Old 03-18-1999, 03:40 AM
guy incognito
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it sounds like you are in high school, so where are you getting all the money to do this? I think you should start out moderately and build on that. I would start out by building a solid bottom end. Get some Keith Black forged pistons, ARP rod bolts, resize your rods, polish rod beams, shot peen them too and you should be able to hit 7000 rpm. Pick up some 452 heads and get them magnafluxed, template ported, deck them down to 75 cc's, and some miloden valves{they are not dished like mopar perf., so they take up more room resulting in less cc's and more compression.} Also run a steel head gasket to help out your compression probs. Use an M-1 intake single plane.Use a 750 edelbrock carb, and buy a jet kit. Use the second from richest jets and rods; and set your accelerator pump on its highest setting. Use stock pushrods and rockers. Get some new valve springs and a M.P. 292/509 camshaft. Run a 3500 stall and throw a posi in it with your 3.55 gears. Get some headers and some flowmasters. Get an M.P. electronic ignition and set your total timing at 34 advanced at 3200 rpm with vac advance plugged off.Put a b&m transpak in your 727 and run some mccreary road star tires. They are dot approved and they hook up good. This should get you into the 12's, and should cost alot less than a stroker. You can build onto this in the future and you probably won't wrap it around a pole before you break the engine in.
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  #12  
Old 03-20-1999, 05:50 AM
Christopher
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This is how I built a 400 for a customer of mine a year ago... Bore and hone block for +.020 Sterling cast pistons and moly rings,follow a factory service manual buildup using the following... Federal Mogul engine bearings(tri-metal)Hi-volume oil pump Mopar 280 cam/lifter pkg,A GOOD timing chain set,Street hemi valve springs,steel retainers and have the guides cut for teflon seals.Have the machine shop do a QUALITY valve job.Gasket match the ports if you like.Shoot for 9.5:1 compession,you may have to cut the heads .030.We used a Moroso 8qt oil pan. Use a quality gasket set.(I use Fel-Pro)We used a Edelbrock Torker 383 and a 750 Holley double pumper,1 7/8 Hooker headers,727 auto with a 2800 stall converter and 3:91 gears.This is in a 66 Belvedere and weighs 3600# The car runs 12.60's all day long and he gets 14-16 mpg (driving sensibly)Shifts it at 6000 at the track,bolts up the mufflers and drives home.Has been driving it for 15 months now.The key is sealing the engine and putting it together RIGHT using the correct clearances.You don't need alot of $$$$$ and you probably don't have it anyway.Just use common sense and the rest will fall into place.Take your time too.
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  #13  
Old 03-20-1999, 05:55 AM
Christopher
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Also I saw where you said you prefer ladder bars and 4-links.The Mopar super stock springs WORK.The Pro Stock cars in the 70's were using them and they were going 9.90'sthen and they ALL used this suspension setup.(including the Fords and Chevys)Use the K.I.S.S. formula and you won't go wrong.
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  #14  
Old 03-22-1999, 12:47 AM
Chris A
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To Christopher:

Super stock leaf springs? I don't really know what your talking about. I also want the car to handle, not be a drag only car. I ordered the chassis handbook from mopar. I don't have the time or money to put a four link in but maybe frame connectors. How hard is it to put it in? what do they do?
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  #15  
Old 03-22-1999, 03:04 AM
Christopher
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These are the Chrysler designed factory leaf springs for racing.You can use them on the street also.(The ones on my Road Runner are 28 years old!)They are listed in the chassis book and in the M-P catalog.They help hook the car up and they do give a real firm ride.The back of the car will raise up with these springs.If you can find subframe connectors for your car, they are a worthwhile addition to the chassis package.They connect(by bolts or welding,depending on manufacture)between the front and rear"stubframe" thus creating a"full frame" effect.Basically stops the flexing of the floor pan thats between the front and rear frame sections.This is covered in the chassis book also.
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