Get The Full Details Here: Why You Must Have a Supercharger for Your 440 Mopar Engine
Installing a supercharger for 440 Mopar engines is a popular choice these days. As many new and late model vehicles today, are sold with a blower, pre-installed by the manufacturer, this wasn’t always the case, though. Many older vehicles never had the option of installing a supercharger, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it now.
Installing a blower into your car will transform it instantly, and it will breathe a new life into your old 440 Mopar engine. Let’s check out all the reasons why this is a good idea, as well as all the necessary info you’ll need in the process.
If you haven’t already watched the video below, I strongly suggest that you do this now. The engine in this 1968 Roadrunner is a stock 440 engine out of a 1978 Chrysler New Yorker.
The engine still has the factory cast iron crank, factory cast iron rods as well as the factory cast pistons! Cast iron heads too! You won’t want to miss the info on this one.
[read more]What Is Mopar?
Mopar is a company that designs vehicle parts. It was a division of Chrysler for years. Today, Mopar is owned by Stellantis, which is a Dutch-based company. When Mopar first appeared in 1937, the term was used to describe Chrysler Motor Parts. The idea was to use the brand on cans of antifreeze, but the company soon started making custom cars.
It is worth mentioning that the term Mopar soon started to be used for any vehicle designed by the previous parent company Chrysler. These vehicles include Dodge, Plymouth, DeSoto, and of course, Chrysler.
Throughout its history, Mopar was an important part of drag racing and many motorsports events. The name Mopar became a synonym for any high-performance vehicle designed by Chrysler or any other subsidiary of this brand.
Of course, Mopar is not a brand of vehicles, and you won’t find a logo on the car like you would with Chevrolet or Dodge. This means that there are plenty of engines and vehicles that could be considered Mopar, and the choices are endless. Needless to say, some people disagree about which vehicles fit the term, but there are many models regardless of your views.
440 Engines
Famous Chrysler B or RB engines were introduced in 1958. It is a series of big-block engines from this company, and the first model was used on Chrysler FirePower, which was the first generation Hemi.
As you can probably assume, B and RB engines come in all shapes and sizes. You can find anything from 5.7-liter to 7.2-liter models. They are our primary focus here. A 440 is an engine made by Chrysler, and it is a 7.2-liter model. The production of these engines started in 1965, and the name comes from the cubic displacement, which is 440 cu in.
The first series of 440s offered 375 bhp and 480 lb-ft of torque. Over the years, the design changed slightly, and there were improved models with 390 bhp at the beginning of the seventies. In 1972, there were a couple of modifications to the engine, and the new rating was 225 horsepower.
The production of 440 cu in big block engines stopped in 1978, and at the time, it offered 225 horsepower in models like Dodge Monaco.
Models that had a 440 engine include:
| Chrysler | 300 Series |
|---|---|
| New Yorker | |
| Newport | |
| Town and Country | |
| Dodge | B-series |
| Coronet | |
| Charger | |
| Challenger | |
| Dart | |
| Daytona | |
| Monaco | |
| Polara | |
| Ramcharger | |
| Plymouth | Barracuda |
| Belvedere | |
| Fury | |
| Superbird | |
| GTX |
These are just some examples of models you could find that used a 440 cu in engine. Each series of engines had its own name based on the model of the car, so we had Magnum designed for Dodge, Super Commando that could be found in Plymouths, and TNT engine in Chryslers. Between 1972 and 1974, the engine ran on lead-free gas.
What Type of Vehicles Had 440 Engines?
As we could see in the previous part, 440 engines are something you would find in Chrysler cars. The size of the engine is 7.2-liters, and it was quite popular for Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth cars during the seventies.
Unfortunately, the engine was soon replaced by other models, and it is not something you’d be able to find today unless you buy a used car made in the seventies. Furthermore, you will have a hard time finding a truck or SUV with 440 engines, and they are quickly replaced. The last models with this type of engine were police vehicles, and they were manufactured in 1978.
440 Big Block Supercharger
If you own a vehicle with a 440 Chrysler engine, you might want to improve its performance at some point in the future. The simplest way to achieve this is by installing a supercharger. Superchargers are air compressors designed to bring more air into the combustion chamber.
This means that the engine will be able to burn more fuel, which will result in more power. While there are other ways to improve the performance of your car, such as replacing exhaust pipes, fuel pumps, and similar, having a supercharger will offer the best results and the highest increase in hp and torque.
There are plenty of different options if you are looking to buy a supercharger. You can find:
- Centrifugal turbo
- Centrifugal supercharger
- PD pumps
The main difference here is that the turbo is powered by exhaust fumes, while superchargers and PD pumps are connected to the crankshaft, most commonly via the belt. This means that the second and third options will show an increase in performance regardless of RPM.
When it comes to PD or positive displacement pumps, the most popular options are Roots and Lysholm superchargers. While both have two screws, Roots-type offers two identical rotors, while Lysholm (or twin-screw) has a male and a female part.
Dodge 440 Supercharger
As we have mentioned before, Dodge used a 440 engine on several different models between 1965 and 1978, and this is one of the most popular options if you are looking for a blower for your vehicle.
- B-Series vans
- Coronet
- Charger
- Challenger (1970 and 1971)
- Dart
- Daytona
- M-Series
- Monaco
- Polara
- Ramcharger
- Super Bee (1969 to 1971)
These are all vehicles manufactured by Dodge that used this type of engine. If you own any of the vintage vehicles from the list, then you might want to consider getting a supercharger. The increase in horsepower will vary on the model you buy, and you can expect anything from a 30% to 70% increase.
If you decide to buy a supercharger for your Dodge, you will be facing two different options:
- Complete the installation yourself
- Leave it to the professionals
The first option is excellent for those with experience, but if you are not comfortable with doing the entire process yourself, there is nothing wrong with leaving it to the pros. You will also eliminate the possibility of something going wrong in the process, and if there are any missing parts, the service will order them for you.
Things You Need to Know Before You Buying a Supercharger for 440 Mopar
Finding a supercharger that fits your vehicle requires a lot of research. The last thing you need is to spend a lot of money on something that can’t be installed on your car. This is why you need to have the necessary information before you are ready to continue with the process.
You need to know the model of your car, the type of supercharger you want and can buy, as well as how you want to approach the installation. Needless to say, a lot of these things will depend on you, your budget, and the type of car you own.
Fortunately, you don’t need to rush the entire process. The more details you know, the easier it will be for you to make the right choice. So let’s take a look at some of the things you need to know before you go shopping.
Mopar 440 Supercharger Kit
If you don’t want to worry about any missing parts, the safest option is to buy a supercharger kit. This kit arrives with every necessary part needed for the installation, and it will ensure the proper work of the blower.
Among the parts in the kit, you can find:
- A supercharger (for example, Novi 1500 supercharger, or any other)
- Mounting plates
- Drive belt
- Oil feed assembly
- Oil drain assembly
- Bypass valve
- High volume fuel pump
- Others
It mostly depends on the type of car you have and the model of supercharger you want to buy. Some models might require hood replacement, but it mostly depends on the type of intake manifold on your car.
Buying a kit is the simplest option since you will receive the necessary parts, and you will get step-by-step instructions if you want to complete the installation by yourself.
How to Find and Install a Supercharger Kit for 440 Mopar
There are several things you need to cover before you can use the supercharger on your vehicle. Firstly, you will need to find a model suitable for your car. This process is fairly simple since the manufacturers of superchargers usually provide all the necessary information.
The info you need includes the model of the car, year of production, type of engine, and size of the engine. In this case, we know it is a 440 Mopar engine, which also tells us it is a 7.2-liter version. This means that the only thing left for you to do is to ensure that the engine in your car is indeed 440 Mopar.
If you own any of the vehicles on the list with this type of engine, you will be ready to start looking for a supercharger. Once you find the model you like, you can either install it by yourself or leave it to the professionals.
Those who plan to do everything on their own should know that it takes between four and ten hours, and the amount of time mostly depends on you. Keep in mind that some kits might miss a few parts, which is why you should find as much info as you can for your model of the car to ensure that you can finish the process without any problems.
Is It Possible to Find a Mopar 440 Whipple Supercharger?
Whipple Superchargers was founded in 1987, and the last Mopar 440 was made in 1978. This means that you might have a hard time finding a Whipple supercharger for 440 Mopar engines. While it is not entirely impossible, keep in mind that this is not the most popular option.
Whipple does make replacement 6/71 to 14/71 superchargers, best advice would be to call them for your specific needs.
Usually, companies design centrifugal or Roots-type superchargers for old muscle cars, and Whipple versions are more popular for the newer models.
Are Supercharged 440 Big Block Vehicles New?
No. As we have mentioned before, newer vehicles don’t use 7.2-liters big-block engines. The biggest engine on the new generation of Dodge Challenger, for example, is 6.4-L Hemi V8. Even though Mopar engines are still available in Chrysler vehicles (which includes Dodge as well), the design is modernized, and you can’t find as big engines as they used to be.
Interestingly enough, newer models offer significantly more power in a smaller package, and these big block models were abandoned in 1978. So there are no new vehicles that use Chrysler B or RB engines, which means that there aren’t as many options for superchargers either.
Supercharged 440 Big Block Engines Are Quite Popular
In the past few years, we have seen an increase in the popularity of old muscle cars, and we understand it fully. There are many people who prefer the 1969 Dodge Charger to newer models, and these vehicles were quite unique.
Naturally, if you own a car as beautiful as this, you want to make it perform as best as possible. This is why superchargers are quite popular for 440 engines. Furthermore, movies like Fast and Furious just made Roots-type superchargers more popular, and many people would like to have their own supercharged muscle cars.
Are Supercharged 440 Mopars Available as Stock?
No. Supercharged vehicles as a stock version became available later. Today, you can find Challengers, Chargers, Mustangs, and other cars with pre-installed superchargers, but back in the 440 days, this was not a norm.
The 440 Mopar already had more than enough power, and people never thought about increasing it. When they needed better performance, Chrysler tweaked the engine like with the Monaco version. Unfortunately, you can’t find a stock supercharger with 440, but to be honest, it is challenging to find a stock vehicle with this engine due to its age.
Why Should You Get a Supercharged 440 Mopar?
Well, why wouldn’t you? Installing a supercharger system can be so much fun. Needless to say, you will improve the performance of the engine significantly, especially if you know you can get up to a 70% increase in horsepower. Further details about improving your 440 Mopar can be found at this link.
The difference is quite noticeable, and it is a nice way to make your beloved 440 Mopar run even better. We all know that cars require a lot of attention, you need to ensure that everything runs well, and regular service is a necessity.
So why not modernize it and make it more in line with vehicles today while keeping the thing we love about vintage muscle cars and big block engines. It is a win-win situation, and there is nothing to lose by adding a blower.
Keep in mind that installation doesn’t require welding, cutting, or any other permanent modification, and if you discover that you prefer the original engine, you can remove the blower easily without any harm.
Looking To Buy a 440 Mopar Supercharger?
Are you in the market for a supercharger for your 440 Mopar engine? There are several kits on the market, from a handful of manufacturers. Perhaps you’re looking for something that you can simply bolt on to your stock 440 engine. Something you can drive on the street with, as well as the occasional trip to the drag strip.
We’ve found and recommend a kit that can easily fit under the hood of your car. This could mean potentially driving in almost any weather too. For more information simply click the link here to learn more about this 440 Mopar supercharger. Happy reading.