Which Heads for a 440

[jlcoffell]

I was wondering how popular or actually how good are
the old 2406518 casting heads ? These heads are on my 69 440.
I have a book by Don Taylor how to rebuild big blocks and it says these heads are originally from a 1964 426 max wedge. They should have the 2.08 intakes and the 1.88 exhaust.
How well do these actually work ??
My dilema is that I have run these too long with unleaded fuel and basically just can't keep cylinders running right. Suspect exhaust seat damage. Anyway I got a hold of some 2843906 heads and had hardened seats installed, guides reworked stainless valves, correct springs for the cam I will be using, surface shaved just to clean up etc. The 906's have 2.08 intakes but the smaller 1.74 exhaust.
Should I get what I can out of the 906's and haves the 518's reworked or just use the 906's.
I don't know if it matters but the casting on the 440 block is
2536430 which is suposed to be a 66-72 440 and I have 11.1 to1 forged pistons and will be installing a mopar purple repro HP split duration cam. The engine is in a 1974 dodge 4X4 w/a727 3.92 gears
Any help or actually opinions will be greatly appreciated

[lenweiler]

You will definitely have valve recession if you run these heads on unleaded gas, so you have the option of having a Very good machine shop install unleaded seats or run leaded race gas with hi test unleaded. By the sounds of it, race gas will be your only option.

[DartGT66]

Are you really sure about your head casting number? It is 1406518, and not 2406158? I ask this because the Max wedge heads have huge ports compared to the stockers and a stock style intake will not fit them, nor will the valleybaffle etc. If you really do have Max Wedge heads, your intake will not fit the 906 heads correctly either.

[Magnum440]

I dont see any listing for a 1406518. But there is a 2406516. Which is the head used on 1964-67 361-383s. Is it a closed chamber head but with a 1.60 exh. valve I believe. If you have Max Wedge heads,as DartGT said, it is easy to tell! If you want to see some heads compared you might wanna check out Chuck Senatores's "BIG-BLOCK Mopar Performance." Available thru his web site: www.musclemotorsracing.com

[DartGT66]

Sorry, I misspelled the numbers, should've been 2406518. There are '67 440 heads with a casting number 2401658 These are with 2.08/1.60 valves and closed chambers, low performance heads. There is also the 2406516 head that may be easy to see as a 518 head.

[jlcoffell]

Thanks for the replies but I have figured out the issue.
The number I got came from the top of the head under the rocker arm shaft. 3 people have looked at it and agreed it reads 2406518-5. Once I got the head off though, the underside is more clearly labeled 2406516-5.
This actually helps me because I have close to $ 1000.00 into
the 2843906 heads. I know if I tried to sell them I would not get that much out of them.
Well needless to say I don't feel very bright right now (but better) as going to the 906's does not even take a 2nd thought.

[mr_340]

The MW heads are pretty easy to spot. I had a 318 block in a shop having the cylinders honed for an el cheapo rebuild while I was in college. The shop guy says that he had some Mopar heads for sale. He points to these BB heads and I'm starring at big ports and no exhaust crossover. I ended up buying them (286 Stage I heads) and the crossram intake for $300. This was in 1982. Being a college student and having only a 273 Dart, I sold them to a friend for his Roadrunner.