Who Has blown head gaskets on 440's??

[frogburner]

I was wondering who has blown head gaskets on the 440's, and if you have what compression and what cam?? I bought all new stock head studs, and think i am going to give it a shot just to see what happens.. Its not going to be a daily rider, just E.T Drag racing... I guess I will torque the head down an extra 3 or 4 pounds.. FTZ, C&D, and I guy I work with who pulls tractors, say I dont really need the oversized ones,, So, I am just going to try it.. Besides all it gotta do is go 300 Feet in a straight line..

[mustang]

good luck but I wouldnt add more torqe to the studs that would just increase the possibilitys of the threads ripping out

[440exwlspankyou]

The reason that the head gaskets are blowing out on the guys who have 440s is because the stock head bolts are stretching. The BEST way to do a fix is to replace the stock bolts with thicker heavy-duty ones. Personnally I changed my gasket to a steel one from triple-r motorsports. I have not had a leak yet. That is good enough for me. I do recommend changing studs. My piston is a standard 440. If you are going to have larger valves, high compression piston or any other major motor work , you WILL have a leak. Definitely get the triple r gasket. It is cheap and well worth it. Drag racing to a motor is tough its always full throttle or nothing at all. do it and do it right.

[BSTURDIVANT]

The problem is not with the studs but the cylinder! the aluminum gets soft after running hot due to muddy conditions or someone heating the cylinder over 400 to install the sleeve. it's definately worth the money and time to install oversize studs like FDO's. They use 7/16 NC threads like small block Chevy's aluminum race block down in the cyl.

[nakomis0]

I have had a 440 sense 2000. I ran a 10:1 for 2yrs. And now a 11:1+ for about 2 yrs. Always used the cosmetic flex gasket and never had any problems.

I have the timing advanced, ran this thing lean a few times, just abuse it alot.. and no problems. Head studs and everything related are all stock never been replaced, no helicoils, etc.

[airheadedduner]

I havn't had problems either and I have abused my 440. I am using a stock gasket milled by powroll. I even did a heat cycle on it, took it apart, reused the gasket, and it was still okay:p

[QuadJunkies]

My 440 has has about 1 hour on it and blew a gasket... :o

I do not have the head bolts though, I am running a 12:5 piston . Do I need dif. Vavles springs too?? Im not sure if I had those on my 426 kit or not...:confused:

[BLEEDRED]

I blowed up a head gasket on my 440 after about a year. But as it turns out it wasn't a problem with the head studs. It was the three 8MM head cover botls on the timing chain side that tap into the jug. Two of them stripped and one broke. So I started blowing oil out around the timing chain and then the oil worked it's way around the cylinder and starting blowing out pretty bad. It's torn down now and I am in the process of installing helicoils and also throwing in HD head studs while I am at it.

By the way the HD head studs that people are selling are a complete rip off. They are charging anywhere for $70-120 for four bolts...total rip off. And the ones I ended up with are just regular grade A bolts with American threads so they probably cost $2-3 each to make...so get ready to bend over and take it...unless you have a way to have somebody make you some.

[TC426EX]

The gasket isnt your problem its DEFINITELY the studs... I have a 12:1 426 and even had my stock ones heli coiled and it didnt hold after half a season... I had a period last summer where I blew a head gasket 3 times in a very short period of time. This caused me to basically write off the racing season and fix it right. I found that the compression was pulling the studs out of the cylinder even with the heli coils. I took those out and installed a set of oversize ECATV studs and that has been the end of the problem... Spend the money, even if it is 100 bucks and you wont have to worry about that again...

As far as the valve springs, that depends more on the cam youre running than the compression of your motor.

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by TC426EX
The gasket isnt your problem its DEFINITELY the studs... I have a 12:1 426 and even had my stock ones heli coiled and it didnt hold after half a season... I had a period last summer where I blew a head gasket 3 times in a very short period of time. This caused me to basically write off the racing season and fix it right. I found that the compression was pulling the studs out of the cylinder even with the heli coils. I took those out and installed a set of oversize ECATV studs and that has been the end of the problem... Spend the money, even if it is 100 bucks and you wont have to worry about that again...

As far as the valve springs, that depends more on the cam youre running than the compression of your motor. Im running a Hot Cam Stg 2

So.. Would that be why it blew so fast?? I BARELY went threw the heat cycles andwent to re jet when that happened...

I NEVER had any issues with head bolt or any gaskets with my 426 and it had a 11:1

[QuadJunkies]

This is what I have on mine..

It is the Magnum top end Gasket kit 89mm bore..(metal)

[maskale]

I got a cosmetic from C&D, and I very carfully torqued to 38 ft lbs, I torqued to 33 and then went up in one pound increments. I have not had much use on it but it has lasted longer than the last gasket I had in there.

[400ex2072]

My head bolts are over torqued to around 45 ft lbs...

[tigerdog]

im curios about something?
if the stock studs pull out from compression why dont the over sized ones? they are both threaded into the same metal. seams from what you guys are saying the studs pull out. right?
so what keeps the bigger stud from doing the same thing????

[shamisc]

They use a more coarse thread to bite in the aluminum more than a fine thread.

[joshyz125]

They are bigger so they have more of a contact patch, and are less likely to pull out.

[440exnacsracer]

i had a 13:1 440ex.....9 head gaskets, 4 heli-coils, and 4 h-d studs later, i went back to stock bore....its just not worth the trouble:rolleyes:

[joshyz125]

I can't convince a buddy of mine that would be the best thing to do. He would rather replace a head gasket once a month then "Down grade", He just won't listen to me.

[440exnacsracer]

yea, if your not racing, its just not worth it. i even had my motor built by a professional. you can really get just as much power by running a higher compression stock bore, or even 416. but hey, i guess theyll all break sooner or later,.. all three of mine are down and the project r i started right when the polaris broke will probably be the first one running, and i got it in peices. anyway, i digress from the topic:p

[atvracer190]

i gotta 440 in mine and its shaved and has a 12.5:1 JE in it and has a Stage 2 hot cam so it prolly has are 14.5:1 compression and we have only blew like 2 head gaskets, but it gets tore down and checked regularly so i dunno, but i have had problems w/ the head studs, and i also put the helicores in, so i dont really kno
just lettin u kno my experiences, it is also raced everyweekend

[QuadJunkies]

well, my headbolts and new Gaskets will be here on Wed. so we will give her a whirl.... :ermm: