motor home RB motors any good?

[68fury]

I've been offered an RB motor out of a motor home by a guy who's not a mopar guy, doesn't know if its a 413 or a 440. Its out of a 70s motor home. I was interested in it as its cheap. Not been to look at it yet. Are there any problems using a 413 or 440 out of a motor home in a passenger car ('68 Fury) I have heard stories that the heads, water pump, bell housing, crank etc may be different. Even if the heads and water pump are different can I not just fit some 440 or even 383 regular heads and a normal 440 water pump or are there other differences which would stop me doing this.

Looking for a cheap and easy upgrade from a 318.

Thanks in advance guys.

[TK]

good blocks and bottom ends! usually have steel cranks. the normal heads and waterpump housings fit to turn them into a normal 440 too.
get it!

[rellik eeb]

Id check it out first some of the stories you have heard are true, I know the 413's in motor homes are very differant as you thought.

[DartGT66]

Check the rear crank flange. If there is six bolt holes with threads, you should be fine, if eight without threads, not.

[Stoga]

What Dart66 said, and everyone else. Even if it has the 8 bolt crank, there are plenty of companies offering 440 cranks. If it was me I'd grab it just so I'd have a 2nd 440 block to add to my collection,lol!

[cutting torch]

Stoga's shed will be the only one not to fly away in a tornado. Too much ballast!

torch

[wile]

jumped on this one a little late but let me tell you about my 1973 440 motorhome motor.
forged crank, LY rods, double roller timing chain.
this one is turning into a 6 (bbl) motor.

[68fury]

did you have waterjackets that were different or any other problems with it?

[custom880]

Originally Posted by 68fury

did you have waterjackets that were different or any other problems with it?

I have a motorhome motor from a 1975 Dodge Class A motorhome. This motor is different in a few ways. First the crank is forged and will not accept any standard pully. The only pulley as well as flex plate that will fit are the ones that came with the engine. I tried several different ones from several different big blocks. Even my 400 engines with cast cranks will not work. The other problem is valve covers. Mine has different threads on the covers. Mine uses fine threads in the heads. Even though the heads are 452 heads they are different. The exhaust valves have HD springs with dampers. The plugs are different and yes they have extra water jackets. The heads as well as the block have extra water jackets that flow around the plugs. The 440 that I have is a very low compression engine (8:1) and cant get out of it's own way, but will tow a house. The good thing....it's a 440.

[68fury]

I think I'm going to pass on it as it sounds like bother, and I've found a cheap 383 which will do pretty well I think.

Doesn't even sound like I could use the crank to make a stroker? You get 430 with a 440 crank in a 383?

[wile]

It sounds like I might have got lucky, although I have not started the engine build. Mine has a 6 bolt crank flange and yes the extra water jackets in the block/heads.
Right now I am focusing on the body and the suspention, I plan to work on the motor in a year.
The heads have gone off to be ported and no problem so far.

[Mopar4LIF]

I saw this a little late, but another great source of decent 440's are older vans. I have two 440's from 74 dodge vans. The bottom ends are cast but seeing as they haven't made a new 440 in nearly 30 years it is always nice to have the blocks around for future use. Just about everything else for them is made.

Anyway, good find and have fun with it!