440 chrysler engine

[des48]

 HI, as I mentioned in my last post that I was buying a 1976 clipper with 49k original miles. The engine had been rebuilt some where around 45k. Is it normal for these engines to have to be rebuilt at this mileage ? The owner previous to the current owner has no idea why the engine was rebuilt. He did how ever rebuild the carb and put a set of headers on it. The guy I am buying it from put in a new electronic distributor and did a tune up. Should I try to do a compression test on this rig ?. All the systems work, the box is tight, inside nicely redone, good tires, comes with a Honda 3,500 watt gen. We have settled on a price of 4,000.00 just how much of a pest should I be at that price ? I drove it, and was supprised at how slow these things are, but I have never driven  an RV before. Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Dan   

[JerryT]

Dan
My 440 runs good, almost spunky for a heavy van. I can almost always get the pole position coming off a toll gate if I want My experience with 440's over the years has been that I could never keep that last quart of oil in them. Once it burned, leaked, or threw off the first quart it would stay at that level for quite some time. One might have their engine rebuilt thinking it was an oil burner. Motorhomes run under load and most if not all use oil to some degree. Dodge trucks and vans hold six quarts of oil vs five for cars, so even running a quart low is still full for a car. I think the thought behind the design was that when you are a quart low you're still full   As for having the dist changed out, it could be way out of time making it doggy, or the cam or the dist drive gear was reinstalled in a retarded position during the rebuild and the new dist was an attempt to fix that condition that did not, and would not have worked. Congrats on your new Clipper, they are like an onion, just keep peeling away the layers of problems till you get to your happy spot!
JerryT

[John Eversoll]

I would get rid of those headers..  it will just make that right foot feel
VERY WARM!!! OR like someone put a match on your small toe!!
I have the cast iron constipators and my right foot still gets plenty Warm.
But I have blown out two sets of Mufflers comming down the grape vine.

[mccammonds]

As far as the heat off the doghouse
Even with the gasket, I had incredible heat in the cockpit. I used "The Insulator" thermal acoustic insulation, dualside foil. A package contained one 4' x 6' sheet. I followed instructions to line the interior of the doghouse . Used spray adhesive and tape to seal seams. A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!!!!

I ordered the insulation from  Summit

[John Eversoll]

Hey there Army, I did try that heat sheild under the dog house.
" I not joking, It caught fire"
I called the company that make them and they sent a guy out to see the sheild.
He gave me a check for 150 bucks for my troubles.  Never did I hear from them again.
Don't think I will either.
Just be carefull, When you hear your daughter Yell "Dad the dog house is on fire"
Just beleive her and pull over!!!! I had the wife pull the clamp off the pass side and I pulled
the drivers side off and Yanked the dog house out of the rig and threw it about 20 feet.
Just as a CHP came pulling up and asked if I needed some help. I looked at the cop as my daughter was putting out the fire with the extinguisher.  " Nope we got it under control"  What a day that was ... Take care // John