MEL combustion chamber

The MEL is similar to the Chevy 348, which grew into the 409 when it comes to cylinder head design. Both the 409 and MEL share a flat surface "plank head". There is no combustion chamber in the head. The FE for instance, has a wedge shaped combustion chamber.

The MEL cylinder bore is sliced off at an angle. Therefore when you bolt on a FLAT head surface with valves also flush with the flat surface, what you have is a valve opening into a cylinder bore, rather than into a combustion chamber in the head. The MEL cylinder bore is therefore the combustion chamber.

I think this may limit the motor in some manner when it comes to high rpm racing, but the motor was released in 375 hp trim, and it did produce huge amounts of torque, so this is just my speculation at this point.

The cylinder heads and how they fit up to the block are the MAJOR difference in concept between the MEL and the FE motors. No parts are interchangable between the MEL and FE series to my knowledge.

P