Chrysler B Engine

The Chrysler B and RB engines are a series of big-block V8 gasoline engines introduced in 1958 to replace the Chrysler FirePower (first generation Hemi) engines. The B and RB engines are often referred to as "wedge" engines because they use wedge-shaped combustion chambers; this differentiates them from Chrysler's 426 Hemi big block engines that are typically referred to as "Hemi" or "426 Hemi" due to their hemispherical shaped combustion chambers.

Design

Design features of the B and RB engines include 17 capscrews per cylinder head, a cylinder block that extends below the crankshaft centerline, an intake manifold not exposed to crankcase oil on the underside, stamped-steel shaft-mounted rocker arms (race versions used forged steel rockers), and a front-mounted external oil pump driven by the camshaft.

The 'B' series wedge engine was introduced in 1958 with and versions. The 361 would continue in production until the end of the series, albeit only for truck installation. The RB ("raised B") arrived one year after the launch of the B series engines, in and displacements. Unlike the previous B-engines, which had a stroke, the RB engines had a stroke.

For 1960, a "ram induction" system increased the 413's torque up to on the Chrysler 300F versions.

The last 'B-RB' wedge-headed engine was produced in August 1978, ending the era of Chrysler "big-block" engines.

B engines

All Low Block B-series engines have a stroke, a deck height and connecting rods, resulting in a 1.88:1 rod ratio.

350

The B engine was, along with the 361, the first production B engine, first available in 1958. It had a bore of . The 350 is classified as a big block engine. All parts except for the pistons are fully compatible with the 361.

Vehicles using the B 350:

* 1958 DeSoto Firesweep
* 1958 Dodge Coronet
* 1958 Plymouth Fury

361

The 361 cu in B engine also introduced in 1958 was essentially the same as the 350 except with a larger bore, for an actual displacement of . In 1962, the Dodge Polara 500 came standard with a version of the 361 that had a four-barrel carburetor, dual-point distributor, and dual exhausts. Plymouth called their versions of the early B engine the ''Commando'', variants of which included the ''Golden Commando'' and ''Sonoramic Commando''. It produced . DeSoto's B engine was named ''Turboflash'' and produced . The Dodge standard version was a 2-barrel with called the ''Super Red Ram'' with an optional variant that was called the ''D500'' and produced .

The 361 would last until the end of the series, albeit for trucks only. In its early years, the 305-horsepower 361 was optional on many vehicles, and standard on, among others, the Dodge 880. The 361 had a fuel injected version in 1958 only. Very few of the fuel injected B engines were made and only a handful remain, since most were brought back to the dealer to be fitted with carburetors.

* 1961–1964 Chrysler Newport
* 1959-1961 Chrysler Windsor (Canada only, sedans and coupes)
* 1958–1961 DeSoto
* 1958–1966 Dodge
* 1966 Dodge Charger
* 1959–1965 Plymouth
* Facel Vega HK 500
* 1958–1961 Facel Vega Excellence (EX1)
* Jensen CV8
* 1963-1973 Cadillac Gage V-100 Commando APC (M75 Chrysler industrial engine, waterproof)
* 1973-1988 Cadillac Gage V-150 Commando APC (M75 Chrysler industrial engine, optional)
* 1966-1974 Food Machinery Corp. M-113 APC, (M75 Chrysler industrial engine, waterproof)

383

The 383 cu in B engine — not to be confused with the RB version — was essentially a larger bore version of the 350 and 361, using a bore for a displacement. This venerable engine was introduced in 1959. Dodge's version, the ''D500'' had a cross-ram induction manifold and dual four-barrel carburetors as options. In some Dodge applications, this engine was labeled as the ''Magnum'', while the Plymouth version was called the ''Golden Commando''. Both came with a dual point distributor in high-performance versions.

The 383 became the standard model Mopar performance engine for the next decade. The big bore allowed for larger, , intake valves, and the relatively short stroke helped it to be a free-revving and free-breathing engine.

Producing a maximum of ( gross) and of torque for the 1960 model year, the 383 beat the 392 Hemi that had reached . The 1960 383 engines featured the same basic ram induction system as the Chrysler 300F's 413 RB engines (named ''Sonoramic Commando'' when sold in Plymouth form). The later 383 Magnum (starting in 1968) used the 440 Magnum heads, camshaft, and exhaust manifolds. This engine was advertised at .

* 1962–1965 Chrysler 300 base models
* 1961–1971 Chrysler Newport
* 1959–1971 Chrysler Town and Country
* 1962–1971 Plymouth Sport Fury
* 1966 Chrysler R/T police special in Canada
* 1959–1960 DeSoto
* 1965–1971 Dodge Monaco
* 1965–1971 Dodge Coronet
* 1967-1971 Dodge Charger
* 1970-1971 Dodge Challenger
* 1963–1965 Dodge Custom 880
* 1967–1969 Dodge Dart
* 1960–1971 Dodge Polara
* 1968-1971 Dodge Super Bee
* 1967–1971 Plymouth Barracuda
* 1960–1971 Plymouth Savoy
* 1960-1971 Plymouth Belvedere
* 1960–1971 Plymouth Fury
* 1968–1971 Plymouth Road Runner
* 1965–1971 Plymouth Satellite
* Bristol 411
* Facel Vega HK 500
* 1961–1964 Facel Vega Excellence (EX2)
* Facel Vega Facel II
* Jensen CV8
* Jensen Interceptor MKI and II
* Jensen FF

400

The B engine was introduced in 1972 to replace the venerable 383, and were power-rated via the net (installed) method. Chrysler increased the bore size of the 383 to create the 400. Its bore of was the largest used in any production Chrysler V8 at the date of its introduction. All parts except for the pistons were interchangeable between the 383 and 400.

Crankshafts were of cast iron composition. Three versions of this engine were available: a two-barrel/single exhaust version producing at 4,400 rpm with of torque at 2,400 rpm, a four-barrel/single exhaust version producing at 4,400 rpm, and a high performance four-barrel/dual exhaust version rated at at 4,800 rpm, of torque at 3,200 rpm. All three versions used the same 8.2:1 compression ratio. The 400 was used in car, truck, and motorhome chassis. Horsepower and torque ratings gradually declined through the years due to the addition of more federally mandated emissions controls, until all Chrysler passenger vehicle big-block production ceased in 1978. For its last year of production, it only produced (although a heavy-duty version was also available).

Due to its large factory bore size, short (compared to RB engines) deck height, and bottom end strength that is greater than any other production B or RB engine due to extra material added around the main bearing caps, 400 B engine blocks have become a popular choice for high-performance engine build ups.

RB engines

The ''RB'' engines, produced from 1959 to 1979, are raised-block (taller) versions of the B engines. All RB engines have a stroke, with the bore being the defining factor in engine size. All RB wedge engines share a deck height of , and were fitted with long connecting rods, resulting in a 1.80:1 rod ratio. Bore center distance is . All RBs are oversquare.

383

Not to be confused with the 383 ''B'' engine, the 383 ''RB'' had a bore combined with the long stroke of , for a displacement of . It was only available in 1959 and 1960 on the US-built Chrysler Windsors and Saratogas; one of Trenton Engine's lines had been converted to the new RB engine (to make the 413), and demand for the 383 B engine was too high for the remaining line. The solution was to create a 383 RB to fill the gap until the plant figured out how to quickly switch from one block to the other.

413

The RB was used from 1959 to 1965 in cars. It was also used in medium and heavy trucks including truck-tractors such as the C-1000, up until 1979. It has a bore of 4.1875 inches. During that period, it powered almost all Chrysler New Yorker and all Imperial models, and was also available on the lesser Chryslers, Dodge Polara, Dodge Monaco, and Plymouth Fury as an alternative to the B-block 383 and the A-block 318. It was also fitted to some European cars such as the later Facel Vega Facel II.

In the 1959 Chrysler 300E the 413 wedge was fitted with inline dual four-barrel carburetors; it was factory-rated at at 5,000 rpm and at 3,600 rpm. In 1960, a long-tube ram induction system was made standard on the Chrysler 300. It continued as standard on the 1961 300-G, and remained on the option sheets for Chrysler 300s through 1964. In 1962, a special version known as the "Max Wedge" was made available for drag racing and street use; this version produced at 5,000 rpm.

426 Wedge

Not to be confused with the 426 Hemi, the RB was a wedge-head RB block with a bore. The 426 Wedge served as Chrysler's main performance engine until the introduction of the 426 Hemi. It was initially offered as the "non-catalogued" option S42 in Chryslers (the number of such produced is uncertain), offered with via a single 4-barrel carburetor (11.0:1 or 12.0:1 compression ratio, respectively), or via ram-inducted dual 4-barrel carburetors (with the same compression ratios). For 1963, horsepower ratings would slightly increase (see below), and it became optional in B-bodied Dodges and Plymouths. After 1963, it would be used only in Dodges and Plymouths.

The Max Wedge was a race-only version of the 426 Wedge engine offered from the factory. Known as the Super Stock Plymouth and Ramcharger Dodge, the Max Wedge featured high-flow cylinder heads developed through state-of-the-art (at the time) airflow testing. They had 1⅞-inch exhaust valves, which required the cylinder bores to be notched for clearance. The blocks were a special severe-duty casting with larger oil-feed passages than other RB engines, and the blocks were stress-relieved by the factory. Induction came by means of a cross-ram intake manifold tuned for peak power above 4000 rpm and two Carter AFB-3447SA 4-barrel carburetors. The Max Wedge also included high-flow cast-iron exhaust manifolds that, on the later versions, resembled steel tube headers. The Max Wedge was factory rated at (depending on compression), and at 4400 rpm.

Before the end of the 1963 model year, Chrysler introduced the Stage II Max Wedge with improved combustion chamber design and an improved camshaft. The last performance year for the Max Wedge came in 1964 with the Stage III. The factory-advertised power rating never changed despite the Stage II and III improvements.

A ''426 Street Wedge'' block was also available in 1964 and 1965. It bears little relation to the Max Wedge except for basic architecture and dimensions. The Street Wedge was available only in B-body cars (Plymouth and Dodge) and light-duty Dodge D Series trucks. It was an increased-bore version of the standard New Yorker 413 single 4-barrel engine.

440

The RB was produced from 1965 until 1978, making it the last version of the Chrysler RB block. It had a light wall construction, precision cast-iron block, with iron heads and a bore of , for an overall displacement of .

From 1967 to 1971, the high-performance version was rated at ( in 1971) at 4,600 rpm and at 3,200 rpm of torque with a single 4-barrel carburetor, and from 1969 to 1971, the highest-output version had an intake setup with 3X2-barrel Holley carburetors ("440 Six Pack" for Dodge, "440 6-BBL" for Plymouth) producing at 4,700 rpm ( in '71) and at 3,200 rpm of torque.

In 1972, changes were made to the horsepower ratings of vehicle engines from gross (engine only, without air cleaner, exhaust system, alternator, or other power-consuming components) to net (with alternator, air cleaner, mufflers, and other vehicle equipment installed). The new rating system produced lower, more realistic numbers for any given engine. At the same time, emissions regulations were demanding cleaner exhaust. Engines including the 440 were made with reduced compression, modified cam timing, and other tuning measures to comply with the newly tightened emissions regulations. The 1972 440 produced (gross) at 4400 rpm; the new net rating was —which very closely coincided with period German DIN ratings and TÜV measurements.

The high-output 440 (4-barrel/mild cam/dual exhausts) was marketed as the ''Magnum'' in Dodges, the ''Super Commando'' in Plymouths, and the ''TNT'' in Chryslers. From 1972 to 1974 the engine (detuned to run on lead-free gas) was rated at net, and dropped in hp each year until 1978, when it was rated at (in police specification) and limited to Chrysler New Yorkers, Chrysler Newports, Dodge Monaco Police Pursuits, and Plymouth Fury Police Pursuits. It was also available in marine and heavy-duty commercial applications until that year.

* Chrysler 300 letter series
* Chrysler 300 non-letter series
* Chrysler New Yorker
* Chrysler Newport
* Chrysler Town and Country
* Dodge B-series vans
* Dodge Coronet
* Dodge Charger
* 1970–1971 Dodge Challenger
* 1969 Dodge Dart
* Dodge Charger Daytona
* Dodge M-Series Chassis
* Dodge Monaco
* Dodge Polara
* Dodge Ramcharger
* 1974-1978 Plymouth Trail Duster
* 1969–1971 Dodge Super Bee
* Imperial
* 1969–1971 Plymouth Barracuda
* Plymouth Belvedere
* Plymouth Fury
* Plymouth GTX
* Plymouth Road Runner
* Plymouth Superbird
* Plymouth VIP
* Jensen Interceptor
* Monteverdi Safari
* 1968-197? Cadillac Gage V-200 Commando (waterproof, export Singapore Armed Forces)

Crate engines

Chrysler also offers complete new 'crate' engines through its Mopar parts division in various displacements, these engines are built from entirely new parts.

See also

* Chrysler ball-stud hemi
* Chrysler engines

References

External links

The RB Engines: 383, 413, 426, and 440 -Allpar.com

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