NewBe in Indiana, just bought a 66 Chrysler 300 has a 440 , need help identfying year

[GKevin Wright]

Hello Everyone,
The engine block has 5 T 400 E , can anyone tell me what is means? Also trying to identify # 1 plug wire location on distributor . Thanks

 

[GKevin Wright]

Sorry 5 T 440 E

 

[69.5CUDA]

you cant verify the #1 on the dizzy without turning the engine to TDC ..and then the rotor will point to #1 assuming your not 180 out...youve got a 50/50 chance...and no you wont hurt anything by trying

as far as the block numbers....if your trying to verify if its #'s matching..forget about it

 

[TheIronSausage]

The number one plug on the motor is the front one on the driver's side. You should be able to chase that wire back to the distributor. If the wires are off the car, you'll have to find Top Dead Center on the #1 cylinder. You'll have to turn the motor until the piston in the #1 hole is at the very top, and pushing air out as it comes up. If it's not pushing air, it's not on the compression stroke, and the engine will be at TDC at a different piston. You can pull all the spark plugs before hand to make turning it easier. You can also pull the valve cover to make sure that the rockers on #1 are all the way up when the piston is at TDC. After you find TDC, check the timing mark on the crank pulley to make sure it's correct.. Should be at 0. Then, pull the cap off of the distributor to see which terminal the rotor is pointing at. That's number 1. The cylinders on the driver's side are odd, (1,3,5,7) and the cylinders on the passenger's side are 2,4,6,8 starting from the front. If this motor hasn't been started in years, I'd recommend changing the oil, and priming the oil pump and system first. That involves removing the distributor and the gear underneath, and cutting down a 5 gallon paint stirrer from Lowes and running it in a drill down the dizzy shaft. Then reassembling, and finding TDC on the distributor again. I'll provide more details on that if you need it. As for the motor numbers, there should be a date code, month and year stamped under one of the heads, but I'm sure somebody else will chime in with more accurate info

 

[71ChargerRT]

Welcome aboard! We like pics!

 

[Dr.Jass]

5T440E indicates a 1975 (5T) 440 engine (440) with a cast crankshaft (E).

41 years after it was built, it's not likely #1 is where it once was, so we'll skip that entirely. This is how to find it and be sure you're not 180° out of phase, which makes loud bangs, blows apart mufflers, and shoots flames out of the carb.

Disconnect the coil wire and remove the #1 spark plug. Using a bump switch on the starter or a breaker bar on the crank bolt, rotate the engine with your thumb sealing the top of the spark plug hole. Turn the engine over (just bumping if you're using a switch, don't crank it) until you start to feel pressure against your thumb. Continue to rotate the engine with a breaker bar or your hands until the timing mark on the damper is at 0 on the timing tab. You're now at #1 TDC firing. Remove the distributor cap and see where the rotor is pointing in relation to the cap; whichever terminal it's pointing at is #1, so if it's not there already place the #1 plug wire on that terminal. Firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2, counterclockwise.

Distributor's out of the car and you're completely confused? Use the same method to find #1 TDC firing, then look down the distributor hole. The slot in the intermediate shaft should "point" at the driver's side shock-absorber stud (or tower). This isn't critical, but it helps with plug-wire routing, it's where the factory did it, and it makes for an easy reference point. If it's not, use a large screwdriver to twist the gear, and it will rise up out of the cam gear. When you twist it in the other direction it will pull itself back down, so twist it until that slot aligns correctly when you re-engage the gear in the cam. The oil pump will handle itself. Install the distributor with the body rotated so that the vacuum advance's hose fitting points at the trailing edge of the battery tray, which leaves room for adjustment in both directions as necessary. The rotor should be pointing at approximately 7-8 o'clock when viewed from the front of the car. That's will be your #1 terminal. Follow the firing order around the cap counterclockwise as you install wires.

That's how the factory did it, so if your engine's totally unmolested your #1 plug wire should be in that position now. You can verify this by aligning the timing mark with 0 on the tab and pulling the cap to check rotor orientation. It's either going to be about to hit #1 or #6.