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[QUOTE=crazzywolfie;3382517]being a 350 it would likely be just as heavy build as it would for a diesel. i don't think hydro boost was ever a factory option on a dodge truck. that is most likely a conversion someone did along the way. it is common for people to do the swap when they are trying to get brakes to work better. most likely chevy parts adapted to work like most people do.
The hydro boost system may be adapted but it would have been done by Monroe Truck Equipment. The P.O. list is- 1989-Monroe Truck(builder)-1990- North Central Tecnical College-2009-Peterson Kramer Funeral Home- 2014-R&L Yard Care(us)
This is one of our long term work trucks, it doesn’t get a ton of miles, but when we use the DT it is always a load of landscape rock, black dirt, bark much, brush and snow hauling. I’m not always the one driving it and in its history-Peterson Kramer put in used engine #1, we bought it with very sick tbi 360 so put in used #2 tbi 360 which burned valves shortly and #3 is a 2bbl 360 with stage 2 cam, stealth intake, headers and full dual exhaust which powered it fairly decent but with no rev limiter that was short lived.
The 440-1 should provide a better reliability at the power level needed being less stressed, correct?
you can try but in the end maintenance and how it is abused by a driver can really effect the reliability of the engine. i know some days i wonder how my small blocks survive the abuse i put them thru but i guess it comes from the maintenance.
The 440 will most certainly develop more torque, for a lot less money, than a carbed 360....... Given what you use the truck for, that really doesn't seem like a bad idea.
I will admit some of the people we have are hard on equipment. The 360 2bbl engine had nothing wrong with it. Getting it stuck in the snow pile did that in, the digital cdi ign said 6751.8 peak rpm so that comes to me for not putting a 5500 rpm limiter on it with that motor.
If I can get the deal with Duane done I’ll be going 440-1 as if it is as durable as our 427 tall block Chevy in our K3500 Dually Chevy which has made 5 yrs with us, 440-1 should be a similar designed engine.
Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on this!
Before you drop it in you should put a new timing gear set on. The ones from the factory had some kind of plastic on the gears that over time broke off and go down to the bottom of the pan. Second thing would be to remove the valve cover/s and rocker shafts. Look at the second support(from the front) for a grayish goo. If you have it this needs to be cleaned. What this is is the babbitt from the cam bearing. The 440's have an oil gallery that comes up to the second cam bearing, The cam itself is cross drilled so the rocker shafts do not get constant oil pressure only when the holes in the cam line up. One of the bad designs of the big blocks. I think some of the aftermarket bearings have grooved second bearings to help with this.
Before you drop it in you should put a new timing gear set on. The ones from the factory had some kind of plastic on the gears that over time broke off and go down to the bottom of the pan. Second thing would be to remove the valve cover/s and rocker shafts. Look at the second support(from the front) for a grayish goo. If you have it this needs to be cleaned. What this is is the babbitt from the cam bearing. The 440's have an oil gallery that comes up to the second cam bearing, The cam itself is cross drilled so the rocker shafts do not get constant oil pressure only when the holes in the cam line up. One of the bad designs of the big blocks. I think some of the aftermarket bearings have grooved second bearings to help with this.
Thank You for this good advice! I was thinking of doing this like our Ramcharger’s 318, meaning crank seals, check the rod and main bearings, oil pan gasket, timing cover gaskets, new oil pump and timing chain and possibly cam change for a bit more pep from idle to 4800 and the Summit Racing 9006 thermoquad and headman headers(exhaust on truck set up for that).
Probably a newer electronic distributor that will plug in to the existing cdi ignition.
Are RB Mopars hard on cam bearings?
If I find Babbitt specs in the oil gallery should we be putting in new cam bearings?
Thank You!
You won't find specks it's like a gray goo similar to thick maple syrup. As soon as you take off the rocker shaft look at the second from the front bolt hole and support. This is where the oil flows to the rocker shaft and it builds up there. Cam bearings will last the life of any mopar motor so no. But if you are going to tear down the motor that far why not put them in especially with a new cam.
So I talked to Duane today and finalized the 440-1 and matching TF727B deal up, he agreed to the magnum 5.9 and 46re 4x4 trans, plus the old DT with all parts less cdi ignition system and a few nib la cams/lifters and springs I had pawing around.
My Wife(accountant for us) cleared the $500 we had set aside ( if it went that way) for parts so:
Conp Cams XE250H- our cost from O Reilly’s $129.00
Cloys HD timing set for 440, OReillys, $52.00
Headman Dodge Truck 440 Headers,Amazon $202.46
Mr Gasket 440 UltraSeal gasket set, EBay , $119.00
That put me at $6.00 over but that was ok so on Wednesday this we the swap will be done. I can only hope we have the one in the picture done by then
thank You
