Need 440 3 head gasket

[budder]

Where's the best place to find or buy a head gasket set
for the 440 3 engine? Hm?

[stanDman111]

www.summitracing.com

[budder]

I can't seem to find the head gasket I need on there. D:oH!

[stanDman111]

https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/fel-8519pt1/overview/make/dodge
this would be my pick = fel-pro make good gaskets

[budder]

Thanks for the link but the head gasket does not seem to have the extra water way holes the 440 3. Hm?

[stanDman111]

ill see if I can find a fel-pro pn# for you & get back to you

[LJ-TJ]

I had to do mine and I was told that the head was off a marine engine. The two hole were designed to keep the spark plugs cool. If you check I think you'll find a little tit just blow the spark plug hole to keep you from putting the wrong spark plug in. I think I kept the box the gaskets came in. I'll go out in the barn and check today.

[budder]

Ok up date on my search for the appropriate head gasket for the 440 3 engine I've found the part number off the old head gasket which is 3614824 I put this number in to rockauto search and it has come back with this part


FEL-PRO 8519PT1

The heads in the rv has the extra water ways in them between 1&2 and between 3&4 but the gasket I've taken of does not have these holes. Could I get away with a gasket with out these holes or is it best to get the suitable gasket for this engine. W%
Thanks Craig.

[stanDman111]

that's what fel-pro web site calls  for

[stanDman111]

fel-pro truck book says #8519pt-1=single head gasket
#hs7891pt-13 is a head set=gaskets for a valve job
#fs7891pt-13 is a full gasket set=gaskets for complete engine overhaul

[budder]

I've taken some pics of the the block ,heads and gasket as you can see from the pics the block has the extra water ways in it so does the head but the head gasket hasn't got them.
The felpro ones have not got these cut outs either. i??
Can I get head gaskets with these cut outs in them?

[Rickf1985]

I can't answer you question about the gaskets, I would go with what Fel-pro recommends myself but I do have a question about that first picture. It look like the deck surface around the head bolt hole between the cylinders has been damaged and the damage seems to extend past the fire ring on the left cylinder. Is this true or just an illusion?

[stanDman111]

from the look of it,not from fel-pro any more
could try a dodge dealer & give him your old pn# and see if they are still available?

[budder]

I can't answer you question about the gaskets, I would go with what Fel-pro recommends myself but I do have a question about that first picture. It look like the deck surface around the head bolt hole between the cylinders has been damaged and the damage seems to extend past the fire ring on the left cylinder. Is this true or just an illusion?

Hi Rick it's just a illusion there's a mark from the old head gasket and I have sprayed a load of wd40 around to stop surface rust.
I think the head gasket I've taken of it was factory as it has the Chrysler stamp on it.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

This EBAY is the only one I have seen with the cooling holes on the outboard side.

[Rickf1985]

that .050 would really drop your compression ratio and hence, your power. Everything I am seeing all shows the same gaskets. Here is from the tech pages of Fel-Pro for the heavy duty Dodge.

http://www.fme-cat.com/CommercialApplication.aspx?brand=FL&make=Dodge%20M/D%20and%20H/D%20Truck&engine=7.2L%20440%20OHV%20V8%204.32%22%20Bore%20M/D%20Truck&model=M400&prodcat=CYLINDER%20HEAD%20GSKTS.

It is possible that those holes were eliminated for a reason. They had a running change on Chevy engines on head gaskets for water and steam issues.
Still digging around, here is some more information.

http://fme-cat.com/livedocs/Head%20Gaskets.pdf

[DRMousseau]

IF,.... you can be pretty certain that this is the original head gasket, then it's best to match as close as possible, including thickness. The critical differences of the -3 heads makes this choice even more important. While there were differences in applications for these, they were pretty much assembled with that design in mind. AND, the engineering of castings often have some completely unrelated matters to consider.


Now with that said,... the thickness will be the least critical. Yes, a thicker head gasket will lower compression a bit, and a thinner one will increase it. But with these low compression engines, and unless your building critically, you really wouldn't notice any significant difference other than minor adjustments necessary for the few thousands more or less in valve train. MORE important, is a good QUALITY gasket. Don't skimp here,... ya want it to last reliably with no concerns.


In younger years, we were pretty careless in that we used whatever was close enough. Thankfully these are pretty forgiving and we suffered more from cheap coices than from anything else. Oh,.... and stupid choices. We suffered most from those! W%

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

It is possible that those holes were eliminated for a reason.

My guess is for reason of economy.  One style gasket for all applications. 
The 440-3 truck heads were designed to reduce heat under heavy loads by using larger water jackets, hence, the smaller 14mm tapered peanut sparky plugs rather than the flat shoulder with gasket spark plugs used on the car 440-1 version.

[budder]

I don't think ive got small spark plugs I will have to check.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

All 440-3 stock heads used tapered peanut plugs. 
If it is not a tapered peanut plug head, it is NOT a stock 440-3 head.  It is a 440-1 head.

[budder]

These are the spark plugs that were in my head.

[budder]

The cylinder head no is 4006452.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Then a previous owner of your rig has replaced the stock 440-3 head with a 440-1 head.

440-3 head (casting number 3751213) used Champion 14mm tapered BL-9Y plugs (no gasket).  Same plug type that are in my 78 Winnebago.



To be sure, I doubled checked the 78-79 Dodge MH service manual to verify they were still using the BL-9Y plug.
Additionally, the Dodge parts books I have (covers 1969 - 1982) says the 440-3 used the same head (MOPAR P/N 3870551) from 75 until the stopped making 440-3 around 1982.

A nice little reference book: http://www.enginepartswarehouse.com/enginecatalog/CHRYSLER-DODGE.PDF

[budder]

So the part number of my heads are from the 440 1 car engine. Or will the plugs fit both heads?

[Rickf1985]

Dave, Page 7 of your chart there shows the exact part number head that he has for 79. That means he has the correct heads!!