440 valve train

[Fireman Dan]

I’ve usually gotten good advice from this sight, so here goes. Getting ready to assemble my 440. I’ve got a fair amount of building experience, just not with BBM. The OE heads were planed when they did valve job. I was thinking about roller rockers just because they are adjustable and would make valve lash easy. I am way over budget so $800-$1K for a set of rockers is not an option. I also really want to keep the OE steel valve covers. What’s my options, if any? Are the $300 sets junk? I’m not looking for performance, and even running manifolds.

 

[mrmopar340]

Stock would be most economical if you don't have too high lift of a cam. Factories did pretty fair jobs making these motors for reliability. If you go aftermarket I would get something with roller bearings. I mean if you go from stock get the best you can. That would be what I would do. Overruns always seem to happen and I've got a bunch in mine and a bunch over what I thought.

 

[Fireman Dan]

I’ve got all the stock pushrods, rockers and shafts. I’m also running a stock 6 pack cam. I don’t remember the source for the engine. I got it locally in pieces 20 yrs ago. First thing I’ll do is see how far in the hole the pistons are. It might be a motorhome engine. I don’t have a lot of non-adjustable valve train experience. I guess I’ll buy an adjustable pushrod and see where zero is. Buying new pushrods won’t be the end of the world.

 

[Adam]

Are you running a flat tappet cam? If so I think you should just run the stock valve train. The hydraulic lifters will compensate for the material taken off the heads. Also valve lash doesn’t get any easier than that; it’s dirt cheap, and if you want to upgrade later on you can do so easily.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I would suggest the PRW rockers , Stainless with bushings so no roller brgs to fail , over your budget slightly but not bad

 

[Xcudame]

Unless you're running a thin steel gasket (like Mr. Gasket or Cometic), the composite Fel-Pro gaskets are about .020" thicker than stock. And the lifters have at least . 080" of "adjustability" manufactured into them. So, you could use your stock shafts and rocker arms. Early adjustable rocker arms with needle bearings had lots of failures, so most companies went with bushed rocker arms.

I've not tried a set yet, but 440 Source has this set of ductile iron rockers for $275. I've had zero problems so far with other items I bought from 440 Source.

Ductile Iron Adjustable Rocker Set - 1.5 Ratio

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Ductile are great a well , used a set of Crane rockers on a race engine for years .
Bushed are far better than needle brg type

 

[Fireman Dan]

I knew you guys would come through! Exactly the information I was looking for. The engine is basically stock so I am going to try the stock valve train.

 

[Daves69]

If they are used rockers, you might want to check the socket thicknesses for wear with ball and mic.

 

[Fireman Dan]

Definitely used and great suggestion. I’m sure I can find a new set cheap if I look around.

 

[Xcudame]

440 Source again.

Factory Stamped Steel Rocker Arms - Package of 8 (for one head)

Or Rock Auto might be a couple bucks cheaper buying individual rocker arms.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I would use ductile iron over stock , the tip that rides on the valve stem wears also .
The iron ones are also more accurate as far as ratio .

 

[Fireman Dan]

I would use ductile iron over stock , the tip that rides on the valve stem wears also .
The iron ones are also more accurate as far as ratio .

 

[Fireman Dan]

Thanks guys. I will look into all those options. I hate to say it but once I get this thing done it probably won’t ever get more than 10,000 miles on it in my lifetime.

 

[Fireman Dan]

I really like the way the ductile iron ones look. That’s probably an offshoot from the mid 60s if I had to guess. I would have to buy all new push rods also so that may be a Plan B. I’ll have to see how bad my originals look when I start assembling it

 

[Chryco Psycho]

The stock rockers will wear on the tip if the lift is higher the rockers will click as they ride over the wear ridge .

 

[Fireman Dan]

Just think of a stock six pack motor. I’m even running HP exhaust manifolds, something similar to a OE BB cam and a factory six pack set up

 

[Daves69]

......Just think of a stock six pack motor........

A decent engine reference if needed............

 

[Fireman Dan]

Thanks. I’m fairly familiar with six packs. This is not a concours resto. Been there, done that. It’s a very nice R/T tribute car. Had I not bought the sixpack set-up about 15 years ago I’d probably go with a modern 4 barrel.