I'm building a 440 and useing up parts I've collected over the last few years, the oil pump is from a 426 hemi and is noticeably larger than the stock 440, I read somewhere that the bigger pump could cause the intermediate shaft tip to fail but this was in all out drag race, high rpm situations. I also have a question about this pump emtying the pan into the upper part of the motor. What do you think, should I run this pump or not?
You have a hi volume pump I believe. I think the part number is HV63 Melling if memory serves me. A hemi normally has the same pump as a 440 but used a higher pressure relief spring. The hi volume pump which you have is a normal and recommended upgrade for any B or RB series engine. It is approx 5/16 thicker and has thicker rotors to increase volume. Any seious 440, 426 or 383/400 should have and increase in pan capacity. The Hemi pan is often used and is avaialble from people like Mancini at a very resonable price. You should buy the matching dipstick too or recalibrate your own. I put in six qtz , run the motor then remark the dipstick. A windage tray should also be used. You will not have any trouble with your intermediate shaft until you get into roller cam territory. 440s are my favourite engine. In fact i wrote the book on them. You may know it as "Old Reliable" (ISBN 1-55306-035-0) For HP per $$ spent they are about unbeatable. All the best with your project. Don
Mopar Performance sells a shaft with a hardened tip. The part number is P3571071. Mancini Racing sells Mopar Perf parts about the cheapest of anybody.
Unless you have a high-rpm (strip only) motor, I would say a hi-volume pump is only a waste of horsepower. I had a hi-volume pump on my 440 and it ran at about 100 psi all the time. Switched it out with a factory pump and haven't had any problems. It's in a hard driven street car. If you do run the hi-volume, you should also get a 7 or 8 quart oil pan so you don't **** the factory one dry like you mentioned. I've seen that happen before. No too good on bearings. My recommendation would be a factory oil pump with a 7 quart pan and pickup from 440source (only like $80). Good luck.
Thanks for the answers. The (I wrote the book) really adds credibility and theres no subs***ute for personal experience. Based on your advice I'll increase the pan capacity with a weld on bulge on either side of the rear sump pan, the size to be determined by how much room I have left when everything is installed. Thanks
You can replace the intermediate shaft if you like. I have never had one fail,,,although it is a possibility. The racing ones are really for the radical racing engines with a roller cam and a lot of pressure. I have about 65 pounds warm,,80 pounds cold. Have never had a problem. Yes, I have a 440 with a solid cam (.609-.620 lift),, and a tunnel ram with two 750's,,high volume pump,,8 quart pan,,lots of other stuff too,,,,Love it. If a shaft fails it will be at the point where the hex shaft meets the round shaft,,that is why the racing shaft is radiused at the hex,,,look at my pic. Also,,the racing piece is a little longer as well,,for more pump engagement. I have several. Good luck,,whichever course you choose. How radical do you want to go? Tommy
THe bulge pan is a good set up.I built one for the 400 BB I sent to the NASCAR RETURNS TO LEMANS Project. I measured a car i had here and made a paper pattern of how much room there was in the average ch***is.I opened up the pan on both sides and fabed the bulges from 2 1/2 exhaust tubing bends bought off the shelf at the local parts store. I sliced the bends of in the middle of the curve. After welding it all together i spent a fair amount of time making sure it was thoughly cleaned and no residue left to cause trouble. They installed that engine at Dusseldorf in a 72 Charger Road racer and it is still killing porsches so they tell me almost 4 years later. That engine BTW was a 400 cubed mopar thoughly reworked with a custom cam but had to run on 95 octance so it had pistons custom made. It had a Hi Volume oil pump and ran the stock intermediate shaft as well. It has run trouble free despite the hard use it gets. Hi pressure is because of a hi pressure relief valve spring BTW and can be dropped by using a stock pump spring however I always believed oil pressure is like money. Better to have a bit too much than too little. You might have 100 PSI cold but you wont hot. More like 70 to 80. There is a lot to these oiling systems. More than one can say here but done right these engines are bullet proof. Don
the roller cam intermediate shaft will have a bronze gear on it. the gear can be changed out and the good shaht used. if you are going through all that work to remove the pan and modify it a good idea is to redrill and tap and radius the block to 1/2 inch. and get the proper pick up tube. some pickup tubes have the length but have a step down to 3/8. this can be cut off and a 1/2 inch pipe welded on. the worst part of the oiling system is the suction side so work here will yield the best results. also just widening the pan for extra capacity does not insure the pick up tube is covered. to do this right depth needs to be added and baffles added to keep the oil where it needs to be. the moroso deep pan and pick up are a great update and work very well. while the pan is off throw in some full groove bearings to. i have not written a book but i do have thousands of p***es down the track and thousands of street miles in some fast mopars. this is basic bread and ****er mopar stuff.
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