Specifications for a 440 Engine
by Paul Novak
Produced from 1966 to 1978, the Mopar 440 engine is legendary among muscle car aficionados. In its highest performing version, the 440 Six Pack, this engine could keep up with and in some cases outperform the even more highly revered 426 Hemi. Available in a wide variety of makes and models, the 440 was available from Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth as both a standard-duty and high-performance engine in most mid- to full-size vehicles.
Basics
The 440 was first introduced in 1966 and was a 90-degree V8 design that used hydraulic lifters actuated by a single camshaft mounted in the center of the engine block. The valves are a standard in head design and are opened and closed by push rods actuating a shaft mounted rocker arm system. Production of the 440 ended in 1978.
Bore/Stroke
The 440 engine had a 4.00-inch diameter cylinder bore and a crank stroke of 3.75 inches. This resulted in a 9:5:1 compression ratio. Later high-performance 440 Six Pack engines had a compression ratio of 10:5:1. After 1971, compression ratios were lowered for emissions compliance.
Crankshaft
The 440 used a forged crankshaft. The main crank journals were 2.75-inch, and the rod journals were 2.375-inch. The crank was secured in the block with two bolt main caps. Later four-barrel and high-performance Six Pack models used an improved-quality forged-steel crank, and in 1974 a lighter-duty cast iron crank was introduced.
Ignition
The 440 engine used an angle mounted distributor that was located on the left front of the engine. The engine used a 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 firing order throughout its production. The number 1 cylinder is located at the right front of the engine.
Oil
The 440 had an externally mounted oil pump and produced 45-65 psi of oil pressure. The oil filter was located at the lower right of the engine and was a standard screw on paper element design. Depending upon the version of 440, oil capacity ranged from 5 to 7 quarts.
Casting Material
The standard engine block, intake manifold and cylinder heads were made of cast iron. The intake manifold on the Six Pack performance versions was a cast aluminum unit produced in limited quantities in 1969 and early 1970 for Chrysler. Later Six Pack intake manifolds were made of cast iron.
Power
The 440 in base form as introduced in 1966 produced 350 horsepower at 4,400 rpm. It produced 480 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. Horsepower ratings increased in the following year to 375 for four-barrel performance versions, and the later 440 Six Pack performance engine was rated at 390 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque.
References
Writer Bio
Paul Novak is a freelance writer specializing in Web content creation. He has owned his own business for seven years, and has for 10 years written on a variety of subjects from politics to the paranormal. His articles critical of paranormal claims have appeared in "Xproject" magazine and "Ufoevidence."
