Re: [Chrysler300] 500 ci

["Laurence G. Johnson" <laurence_g_johnson@xxxx>]

All,
I looked up the specs for the 440 mag cam:
Intake opens:	19º BTC
Intake closes:	69º ABC
Intake duration:	268º
Intake lift:	0.458"
Exhaust opens:	77º BBC
Exhaust closes:	27º ATC
Exhaust duration:	284º
Exhaust lift:	0.450"
Overlap:	46º

Note that the intake duration is 268 degrees, same as the ram cam. The 
exhaust has more duration at 284 degrees. The impact on the ram setup would 
be the overlap. The ram cam is probably less than the 46 degrees the Mag 
cam is rated at. It would be interesting to see the specs for the ram cam 
(with the 4º retard figured in) side by side with the 440 Mag cam to see how 
close (or different) they really are.

The 440 Mag was rated at 375 horsepower @ 5200RPM and 495 lb-ft torque @ 
3600RPM. On paper, at least, the short ram version looks like a better 
candidate for this displacement/cam combination, since the peak torque RPM 
coincide better than it does with the long (2800RPM) version. Has anyone 
tries the short version on a 440 Mag? It should be able to produce enough 
torque to twist axles off cleanly right at the flanges.

The real trick to getting the long version to work correctly is to find a 
cam that produces peak torque right around the 2800RPM resonant point for 
the cylinder head/displacement combination. The rules of thumb are: As 
displacement goes up the peak torque RPM goes down. As the heads flow better 
the peak torque RPM goes back up. The 906 heads flow significantly better 
that the 1960-1962 heads and the 440 has 27 extra inches over a 413 and 57 
more than a 383 so the matching cam now becomes a question mark. The long 
version seem to be very sensitive to the matchup and Chrysler did an 
excellent job in designing a cam that worked well in either the 383 or 413.

The short version doesn?t seem to be nearly as sensitive. The 400 and 405 
horsepower versions used cams with 292 or 308 degrees duration and made lots 
of power.(Remember the famous 62 Chrysler that Hot Rod magazine featured in 
1962?) Maybe your friendly neighborhood cam grinder could suggest a grind 
for a ram induction 440 Mag that would out perform even the Chrysler design.

> From: "Don Verity" <d.verity@xxxx>
> To: <dan300f@xxxx>,"Donald L Smallwood" <zincspot@xxxx>
> CC: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] 500 ci
> Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2002 21:10:35 -0800
> Hi All,
> I have to dispute Don's letter about rams not working on non-ram type
> engines. My F has a 69 440 in it. It has a basically stock rebuild with the
> reproduction 440 magnum cam. I have the 300-F ram set-up on it with heat
> tubes and automatic chokes, there are no heat riser components though. It's
> got stock 2903S carbs. This set-up always started well and could be driven
> immediately. It was actually better cold than my stock G! I also had a 62
> torqueflite, with a higher than stock stall converter. With 3.23 gears it
> had run a best of 14.33 in the quarter mile! ANY engine that is over 
> cammed.
> or not set-up right is going to run bad.
> 300ly,
> Don
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Donald L Smallwood <zincspot@xxxx>
> To: <dan300f@xxxx>
> Cc: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 12:03 PM
> Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] 500 ci


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