The Mighty Fine Chevy 409 Engine - Super Chevy Magazine

Mighty Fine 409
It seems that lately the 348/409 engines have been experiencing a Lazarus effect. Since their introduction in 1958 until their demise in 1965 (with the introduction of the 396), the Chevrolet W-motors have been dismissed and praised by drag racers and performance enthusiasts alike. Even those unfamiliar with automotive sports will certainly be familiar with the 409 engine thanks to The Beach Boys. The Lazarus effect is, the 409 is back from the grave. Let us explain.

Just a little over a year ago, the Edelbrock Corporation decided to start mass-producing aluminum cylinder heads, dual quad intakes, and water pumps for the fabled engine. Conventional wisdom and critics alike told them they were nuts. Why produce parts for an extinct engine? Thankfully, Edelbrock thumbed their nose at both by reviving and producing performance parts for an engine that-let's be honest-never really left the scene.

It was at the SEMA show in 2007 that Edelbrock's first set of aluminum cylinder heads was introduced. This year at the 2008 SEMA show, a set of shorty headers, a single quad intake, and full roller cam and lifter were set to debut.

Fresh from the foundry in Hemet, California, the rough cast cylinder heads arrive and are ready to be cleaned and machined.

Fresh from the foundry in Hemet, California, the rough cast cylinder heads arrive and are

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Bill Mitchell and the crew at World Products in New York have been working with 409 guru Lamar Walden of Lamar Walden Automotive (Georgia) to produce an entirely new aluminum 409 block. Yes, that's right, an entirely new aluminum 409 block based on altered designs by Walden and produced by World Castings will soon be available to the public at large! Imagine surfing the Summit website buying parts for an all-new 409. We'll have more in-depth information and builds as soon as production starts.

Recently, Super Chevy had the chance to sneak a peek at the production of a set of cylinder heads at the Edelbrock facility in Torrance, California. It was there that we got to witness the transformation from rough bare castings into the finished product. I guess this proves once again that what goes around comes around.

Chevy 409 Engine Cast Iron Truck Engine Block

The mill that you see here is an in-house test build 409 at Edelbrock. The block is a cast-iron 409 truck block punched out to 421 cubic inches. The cylinder bore is 4.37-inches. The crank is also a GM steel crank with a stroke of 3.500. The rods are Eagle Specialty pieces, length 6.135-inches with JE pistons. The cam that was used has an intake duration @ 0.050 of 230, and exhaust of 234. Intake lift is .616 and exhaust is .628, with a lobe separation of 112. The lifters are Edelbrock lifters, and a Cloyes timing chain is employed. The rocker arms are 1.7 ratio roller rockers. The oil pan is a GM pan, and the oil pump is a Melling pump. The ignition is an MSD electronic distributor with bronze gears. Of course we know who made the intake, heads, water pump, and carbs. The peak engine is 469 at 6,000 rpm. Peak torque is 467 lb-ft at 4,000. At 2,500, the torque is a healthy 402 lbs-ft.

Specifications:
220cc intake ports
90 cc exhaust ports
2.190-inch intake and 1.720-inch exhaust valves (stock High Performance Version diameters) with 11/32-inch
stems (stock is 3/8-inch)
Stock valve length
1.55-inch diameter single-coil springs with dampers
Recommended gaskets: Intake - Edelbrock PN 7240, Fel-Pro 9788 (large port); Exhaust - Edelbrock PN 7241

Valve Lift	.100"	.200"	.300"	.400"	.500"	.600"	.700"
Intake	73	143	203	239	260	272	285
Exhaust	62	118	158	185	205	217	222

As you can imagine, the machining process is quite a modern industrial process. The cylinder heads are put onto this carrier four at a time. The deck is surfaced, valve guides honed, gasket area surfaced, etc.
As you can imagine, the machining process is quite a modern industrial process. The cylind
After a look at the untouched head on the left and the machined head on the right, it is plain to see that this automated process will precisely machine each head to its blueprinted specifications.
After a look at the untouched head on the left and the machined head on the right, it is p
After the heads are machined, the valve seats are ready to be tapped into place. The way this is done is the seats are dropped into the liquid nitrogen and cryogenically frozen.
After the heads are machined, the valve seats are ready to be tapped into place. The way t

Working as a team, one employee pulls the valves seats and sets them in place, while the other taps them in with a guide and hammer. Once the seat warms and expands, it's dug in tighter than a tick and is now a permanent part of the head. Done in 60 seconds!
Working as a team, one employee pulls the valves seats and sets them in place, while the o
The frozen valve seat (approximately -321F) has reduced in mass by just enough of a tolerance to be tapped into place in the cylinder head.
The frozen valve seat (approximately -321F) has reduced in mass by just enough of a tolera

At the same work station, the cylinder heads receive the stock height valveguides. From there they are sent to the next step in the assembly process.
At the same work station, the cylinder heads receive the stock height valveguides. From th
Finally, the springs and retainers are put in and this cylinder head is ready for action.
Before final assembly, the intake and exhaust valve ports are hand-blended by an employee. This man has the magic touch. As he ground and smoothed each chamber, he would feel with his finger if it needed more work or was just right.
Before final assembly, the intake and exhaust valve ports are hand-blended by an employee.

Final assembly: the intake and exhaust valves are installed along with the valve seals, seats, and pushrod guide plates.
Final assembly: the intake and exhaust valves are installed along with the valve seals, se

Before the heads are boxed and sold, a leakdown test is performed on both the intake and exhaust passages. Proper valve seating is a must for quality control issues.
Before the heads are boxed and sold, a leakdown test is performed on both the intake and e
Here are a few facts and figures on these new 409 cylinder heads:
Besides the cylinder head, finned aluminum air cleaners available in black and polished are in production as well.
Besides the cylinder head, finned aluminum air cleaners available in black and polished ar

It used to be until recently that purchasing a set of finned aluminum Edelbrock 409 valve covers would have run just a little north of the $1,000 mark. Brand new re-pops have laid to waste the swap meet and eBay vampires that would not sell them for less than a grand; now you can buy them new!
It used to be until recently that purchasing a set of finned aluminum Edelbrock 409 valve
Also available is this dual quad intake, of which there are two versions-one for small-port cast iron factory heads, and one for factory large port heads. Soon there will be a single quad intake.
Also available is this dual quad intake, of which there are two versions-one for small-por
Are the seals bad in the old stock water pump? Brand new aluminum pumps are available as well.
Are the seals bad in the old stock water pump? Brand new aluminum pumps are available as w