The B and RB Engines: 350-361-383-400-413-426-440
Original information provided by Eddie Hostler and based on the Mopar Engines Book. Please send new information to me and it will be added to the page.
- We have a full page on the Max Wedge engines!
- We have many details on the Plymouth Sonoramic Commando (1960-61, 361/383)!
- We have some information on the Red Ram engines (350/361)!
- We have a full page on the 440 Six-Pack!
383 and 440 specifications for squad car use, 1967-1976
Mopar B and RB engine evolution (history): 350 to 426 Hemi
The 'B' series wedge engine was introduced in 1958 with 350 and 361 cubic inch versions, followed a year later by the 413; the 361 would last until the end of the series, albeit for trucks. It took several years and considerable experimentation for the new engine to establish a reputation. [This may have been because it replaced a successful series of hemispherical head ("early Hemi") engines.] The early B engines had five main bearings and hydraulic lifters.
Richard Bowman noted that the 361 DeSoto Turboflash version of the B engine went from a 10:1 compression ratio in 1960 to a 9:1 compression ratio in 1961, without losing performance (it had 265 gross hp in 1961) because the compression change was accompanied by new enlarged intake valves; the benefit was being able to use regular gas instead of premium.
Carburetion in 1961 was supplied by a two barrel Stromberg model WWC carburetor (model number 3-188). This carburetor had a rubber-tipped needle valve in the float bowl, making the unit less sensitive to flooding by enveloping small dirt particles and still maintaining a good seal; and it had a two-stage set-up jet for better fuel flow at cruising speeds.
1961 was the first year for the closed crankcase ventilation system used on all cars sold in California, designed to painlessly reduce smog. A flexible tube connected a valve and a specially calibrated carburetor; the carburetor had a fitting just below the throttle blades into which the crankcase vapors were drawn by suction. From here they were drawn into the intake manifold for burning, leaving fewer vapors to be discharged into the atmosphere. All cars now use this system.
The B-engine performance story
The performance story of the 'B' engine begins with the introduction of the long ram, 2-4 barrel setup in 1960; this 413 cubic inch engine, with ram induction manifolds and 400 bhp (gross), was introduced on the 1960 model Chrysler 300F.
Chris Cortel noted that a short tube cross ram 383 was used in his uncle's Plymouth Fury Golden Commando (rated at around 350 hp). Chris also tells us that his father's 1957 Chrysler Windsor had a 350 though it was supposed to have been introduced in 1958.
Two years later in 1962, the high-performance, 413 Max Wedge was introduced, with two 4 barrel carburetors and two ram-air intake tubes crossing each other to gain an optimimum length. The 420 hp output was the highest up to that time, but the engine only lasted until mid to late 1963. Though it produced tremendous power, the artistic setup proved to be less than perfect at the track, where the tradeoff of power at one rpm for another was judged to be not worthwhile. The 413 Max Wedge was replaced by a 426 cubic inch model. Both 413 and 426 were available with either the high-performing 300J heads or the less desirable 516 head. (The heads had a wedge design, hence the name "Max Wedge.")
The B series 383 joined the lineup in 1962. This workhorse engine was rated at 343 hp with two four-barrel carburetors, making it the most powerful B series 383 ever produced. (Jerry Gulino pointed out that a 345 hp 383 engine had been used in 1959, in the Super D-500 2x4s. The Ultimate Guide to V8 Engines says that the 383 went up to 350 hp in 1959).
| 1970 Engine | 383 (9.5:1 c.r.) | 426 Hemi (10.28:1 c.r.) |
|---|---|---|
| Horsepower (gross) | 335 @ 5200 | 425 @ 5,000 |
| Torque | 425 @ 3400 | 490 @ 4,000 |
| Carb | 4-barrel Holley | Dual 4-barrel Carter |
| Intake/exhaust duration | 268° / 284° | 284° / 284° |
| Base transmission | 3-spd floor-shift manual | 3-spd TorqueFlite auto |
| Gears | 2.55, 1.49, 1:1 | 2.45, 1.45, 1:1 |
The Max Wedge was continued in 1963 and 1964 as a 426 in the Stage II and Stage III versions. These Max Wedge engines were very unique with special blocks, rods, crankshafts, pistons, heads, valves, valve gear, intake manifolds, carburetors and exhaust manifolds.
The A-864 hemi was introduced in '64 in the "light weight" Plymouth and Dodge models as a race only package, to be replaced by the A-990 hemi in 1965 (also as a race only engine).
The 440 engine was introduced in 1966, the same year the 426 engine was replaced by the same-displacement, legendary 426 Hemi "elephant engine." It was used not only for performance, but also for luxury yachts such as the Imperial.
The high performance 440 was introduced in the 1967 GTX and R/T models. In 1968 the 383 Road Runner and Super Bee models were introduced, starting the biggest performance surge since the early 1960s. In 1969, the first 440-6 barrel engine package was produced with special rods, crankshaft, timing chain, camshaft, valve springs and intake system. This package was continued in 1970 and 1971.
In 1971, the 440-6 barrel and the Hemi were the last truly high performance cars produced. One of the greatest moments in the 'B' engine's history was its return to Grand National racing. On July 4, 1971, four cars with 426 cubic inch versions of the 440 with ported 440 heads were entered in the Daytona Grand National race, and they finished 1-2-3-4. Performance and reliability have always been trademarks of the 'B' engine family.
The 400 engine was introduced in 1972 in standard and high performance versions. The 400, a “B” type engine, is a large (4.34) bore version of the 383B engine.
In 1978, the 360 and 400-cubic-inch V-8 engines gained dual concentric throttle return springs in addition to a torsion throttle spring. Exhaust-valve seats were induction-hardened on all engines to allow satisfactory use of lead-free fuels. In the hardening process, seats reach a temperature of 1700°F and are then allowed to air-cool. This hardened the valveseat surfaces to a depth of .05" to .08" which gives them greater resistance to wear than unhardened seats. The exhaust-valve stems were chrome-plated for increased resistance to wear.
The heat valve in the right exhaust manifold diverts hot gases to the floor of the intake manifold which helps to vaporize the fuel mixture when the engine is cold. This results in faster warm-up and improves driveability after a cold start. During warm-up, a thermostatic spring allows the heat valve to open to the exhaust pipe-so gas flow through the intake manifold crossover passage is decreased.
All 1978 Chrysler V-8 and 6-cylinder engines have an adaptor to receive a magnetic probe for timing the ignition magnetically. The adaptor is a little steel sleeve attached to the bracket that has the traditional timing marks-you can still set the ignition with a timing light. However, ignition timing was set magnetically on all engines at the factory for accuracy. The magnetic timing adaptor will also help those who have the equipment to time Lean-Burn engines magnetically.
The performance aspects of the 'B' and 'RB' engines faded from 1972 on until the last 'B-RB' engine was produced in August 1978, ending the history of Chrysler Corporation big-block engines.
Mopar B and RB engine parts
Over 3 million 383 engines were produced through 1971, and over 3/4 of a million 440 engines have been produced which makes parts readily available. The 361-383-400 series is referred to as the 'B' engine and can be identified by the cubic inches stamped on the right side of the block deck adjacent to the distributor. The 413-426W-440 series is the 'RB' engine and can be identified by the engine size stamped on a pad at the left front of the engine adjacent to the front tappet rail. All 'B' and 'RB' engine distributors are located at the right front of the engine. Parts replacement information (such as undersize crankshaft) is located next to the engine size.
'B' series wedge engines have virtually complete parts interchangeability with few exceptions. The 'B' engines are as follows:
| Block | Bore | Stroke | CID | Block | Bore | Stroke | CID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Block | 4.06 | 3.38 | 350 | High Block | 4.18" | 3.75" | 413 | |
| 4.12" | 3.38" | 361 | 4.25" | 3.75" | 426 | |||
| 4.25" | 3.38" | 383 | 4.32" | 3.75" | 440 | |||
| 4.34" | 3.38" | 400 | 4.03 | 3.75 | 383 |
All information is from MOPAR ENGINES 8th Edition
The last year of the 361 in cars was 1966, but it lasted at least until 1972 in trucks, according to Jim Smith, who said his father had a Dodge bulk feed truck with that engine (he is sure it was not a 360). We have a 1968 school-bus brochure which lists the 361 as the largest engine, pumping out 186 horsepower with a two-barrel carburetor. Likewise, “shadowrider” wrote: “I worked on the V8 assembly line at Trenton engine from 1976-78 and we were still assembling the 361 (and 413) along with the 400 and 440s until 1977 when this line was shut down. These engines (361 and 413) were going into heavy duty trucks and Winabagos. I'm not sure who got which engine as both took a lot of the 440s also.”
Chrysler wrote this about the 440, in 1978: “The combination of its large displacement, large intake and exhaust valve ports and manifold passages, 4-barrel carburetor and low-restriction exhaust system give the 440 extra power for quick acceleration at all speeds-low, middle, or highway cruising-or for towing large travel trailers. The 440 V-8 features a deep-skirt engine block, rugged cast ductile iron crankshaft and aluminum-on-steel main and connecting-rod bearings for exceptional durability and smooth operation.”
And about the 400: “The 4-barrel carburetor, large intake and exhaust valve ports and large diameter exhaust pipe give this engine the excellent breathing necessary for good engine performance. This means responsive acceleration at cruising and highway passing speeds. A deep-skirt engine block and rugged cast ductile iron crankshaft contribute to the durability of this engine. Main bearings are durable aluminum-on-steel construction.”
Quick Summary: B vs RB Engines
Gary Howell <ghowell@mail.miworld.net> wrote:
There are eight different big blocks. The B blocks are short deck and the RBs are tall deck. The RBs require a wider intake manifold.
- B: 350, 361, 383, 400
- RB: 383, 413, 426 Wedge (not Hemi), 440
All B engine use 3.38 stroke crank with different bores, and all RB engines use 3.75 stroke crank with different bores. You'll notice that the 383 is listed in two differnent places; there were two different 383s. The 350 was only produced in 1958.
Ian Smale added: The 383 cubic inch RB Block was only available in 1959-1960 on the US built Chrysler Windsor and Saratoga.
Bill Watson added: In 1959 and 1960, the "RB" block engines were used in American-built Chrysler and Imperial cars. The 413-cid V8 was used in the Imperial, Chrysler New Yorker and Chrysler 300 E/F. The Chrysler Windsor and Saratoga in 1959 and 1960, U.S. built only, used the RB-based 383-cid V8.
Thus, production of the 1959 and 1960 models, and the "RB" engines was :
| Vehicle | Engine | 1959 | 1960 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler Windsor / Saratoga | RB - 383 | 747,219 | 52,349 | 99,568 |
| Chrysler New Yorker / 300 | RB - 413 | 17,025 | 20,602 | 37,627 |
| Imperial | RB - 413 | 17,262 | 17,719 | 34,981 |
The two 383 engines (by Curtis Redgap)
Confusion can reign when attempting to repair/restore these "babies."
Of the Golden Lion 383 perhaps there hasn't been as much divisive condemnation of that engine due to its simultaneous introduction of its bored out big brother 413.
The 383 "RB" (Chrysler) had its head deck raised, and was stroked to the famous (or infamous) 3.75 inches that covered the RB 383, the 413, the 426, and with the thin wall casting techniques, the 440. It was also the same size stroke for the 426 "HEMI."
In the "RB" family, the outward appearance will not give you a clue as to the cubic inch size. The major difference is the bore size. The 383 was a 4.03 inch bore. The 413 saw a 4.18 inch hole which directly resulted in an easy leap to the NASCAR limit of 426 cubic inches by boring the block to a 4.25 inch diameter. It was about the limit for this block.
In 1966, thanks to development of precision thin wall casting techniques used to make the 1964 small 273 ci V-8, this same RB could be pushed out to 4.32 inches which gave us the 440.
While Chrysler at the time had its eyes on the racing development of the 413-426 family, it also wasn't asleep. Lynn Townsend was probably one of the better Directors to come along in quite awhile. Ford introduced the mid sized Fairlane in 1962. A mid 1962 featured introduction revealed a brand new line of "ECONOMY" V-8 engines with 221 and 260 cubic inch displacements. There were completely different from anything anyone had seen. They used the precision thin wall technique and eliminated the "siamese" valve configuration. A whole new engine family resulted later on in the Ford line, 351, 429, and finally the 460. But, Townsend was impressed and saw the need for a small engine for the "small car" lines at Chrysler. It took two years, which isn't too shabby a development time. The 273 was a great little V-8, with lots of potential that was only touched by engineers.
1963 engine production - Plymouth
Courtesy of the Plymouth Bulletin; transcribed by John Boyadjian.
| Engine Name | 30-D Slant 6 | Fury V-800 | Commando | Golden Commando | Wedge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Inline OHV | 90 degree OHV V8 | |||
| Cubic inches | 225 | 318 | 361 | 383 | 426 |
| Carburetors | 1 bbl | 2bbl | 2bbl | 4bbl | two 4 bbl |
| Bore (inches) | 3.4 | 3.91 | 4.12 | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Stroke | 4.125 | 3.31 | 3.38 | 3.38 | 3.75 |
| Compression Ratio | 8.2 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Fuel | Regular | Regular | Premium | Premium | Premium |
| Usage: | |||||
Savoy |
Standard | Standard | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Belvedere |
Standard | Standard | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Fury |
Standard | Standard | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Sport Fury |
NA (7836) | Standard | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Wagons |
Standard | Standard | Optional | Optional | |
| Production | |||||
Savoy (66,462) |
38644 | 25023 | 438 | 2110 | 99 |
Belvedere (63,309) |
20613 | 40733 | 832 | 937 | 66 |
Fury (58,214) |
3571 | 48400 | 4127 | 2064 | 0 |
Sport Fury (15,253) |
n/a | 7836 | 3370 | 3831 | 86 |
Wagons (36,089) |
9557 | 24134 | 1517 | 881 | 0 |
R E L E V A N T B O O K S
|
383 and 440 specifications for squad car use, 1967-1976
