440 engine sound - need advice

[mms]

Hello

I'm looking to buy classic Challenger. I found this one, and one of things that are strange to me, it's working idle engine sound. Can you please tell me why is it working like this?
Hard to describe what is wrong for me in this sound, but its like working with some pattern like "1,2,3,4,pause,1,2,3,4,pause...." and so on. All challengers with 440 in that I heard was working smooth without making this "pause" in sound pattern.

Here is Youtube link :
https://youtu.be/eXgw0GlLLlc?t=30

Greetings!

[JS29]

  @mms Good luck with your search. 

[chargerdon]

My 360/408 with HOT Cam sounds a lot like that when i first start it up, until it is warm...  As, it warms, it sounds better and better.   Now...take it a notch off idle and it sounds really great... tho...   ask them to do that for you..

[jimynick]

I don't think there's anything wrong with the idle of that car. It's got a bigger cam in it and the overlap/duration of that cause it to idle the way it does. Normal and desirous too! Car looks good. 

[Racer57]

Aftermarket high performance cam. Once the rpm gets off idle, you won't hear it.

[chris NOS]

I hope you are not going to buy a 50 years old customized Challenger with out a serious inspection ? the idling can be the last of your problem if you discover full of bondo on a rusty unybody ...(not telling it's the case here but buyer beware for all 50 years old cars ...)my 2cents

[blown motor]

I think it sounds awesome. I love a lumpy idle. I have a 440 in a Charger that sounds like that. Rev it up a wee bit and it smooths right out.

[RUNCHARGER]

Pretty hard to tell over the internet but it just sounds to me like it wasn't fully warmed up. More important I didn't hear anything to indicate a weak cylinder or engine ticks. Again though, an in person inspection is a must be you or a trusted agent.

[HP2]

 Sounds fine to me, but it has the idle turned way down to something like 500-600 rpm. When I was in high school, ,we used to do that to make smaller cams sound more lopey. Turn it up to 700 and it will smooth right out.

[jamesroney]

It is a used car.  It is customized.  The only thing that matters is the condition of the parts you are buying, and the documentation of components, repairs and service records.

Ideally you would want to see a cam card, and an installation invoice showing where the cam was installed, initial timing, and a dyno sheet with break-in results.

But that car is from a consignment house, and the seller has no idea what he is actually selling.  So you have to go with what you can measure for yourself.  At minimum,  you would want to see the compression ratio, leak down test, an emissions or air/fuel ratio test, (not for SMOG, but for performance) and vacuum measurement.  Coolant temperature profile at high ambient conditions, and a safety inspection.

You can buy it just like you are buying a house.  Deposit money, and close the deal when the car passes inspection by an independent mechanic.   If you don't have a mechanic, you need one.  Those travelling appraisers don't even drive the cars.

I like the car, but beware of those CA black plates.  They used to signify provenance.  Now it just means somebody paid a fee.  A 1970 Challenger would never have been issued black plates.  If it doesn't have an E in the VIN, is not an N95 option, and you can't get registration records back to 1970...start looking for rust.





One of the best things about buying a concourse correct restoration is that you KNOW how the car should behave.  When you buy a performance car, you need to KNOW who built it, and the objectives of the build.  This is WHY certain shops are recognized, and sometimes even certain individual builders.

For me, I wouldn't care what the thing runs like...because I know that I would be putting a different cam in it.  I don't like lumpy cams, or smelly clothes, or overheated engines.  But I'll bet that thing puts down some horsepower above 4000 RPM!!!

[mms]

Thank you all for answers. Seller told me that it could have different cam and I think it does. Yes I will inspect all I could before buying it - I had 67 mustang gta so I have some experience in classic cars.