Which head to use? Options

[tornik550]

Due to big life changes, my goals with my car are changing also.. I have a 2270 engine. Basically everything is brand new except the heads. I was planning to auto x the car but now I only plan to occasionally drive on the street.

I recently purchased a new building for my business and I have another baby on the way so I really cannot spend much money. I can only spend a max of about 2-3 hundred dollars (obviously less is better).

I need advice on what to do with a head dilemma. I have three sets of heads, all have their pros and cons. Please give me your opinions on which heads I should use (please keep in mind my financial constraints and goals). I plan on putting new seats and guides on the heads no matter which I use. Please assume there are no cracks (long story why). Heres the options:

1.- 1.8l heads that were increased to 41 intakes and 38 exhaust. They are in decent shape. The big problem is that the way that the previous owner increased the intake valve was to simply put angled valve seats in. The port is the same size as stock 1.8l heads. I really do not see how this could increase flow and may actually decrease flow. I tried to post a pic of the valve seat.

2. I purchased a set of 2.0l heads a few years ago from a guy online. I purchased them simply to play around with. The problem is that the PO pissed his neighbor off and his neighbor put bolts in 2 of the cylinders. They are obviously damaged but I do not know if they are usable. I have attached pics of the 2 damaged cylinders. Do they need fixed, if so, could I repair them in my price range?

3. I have a seat of 1.8l heads. They are in excellent condition but they are small. Performance is not my major goal however...

Thank you in advance.

[tornik550]

The heads are obviously not cleaned. I also forgot to mention that i planned on getting the heads flycut.

[McMark]

2.0. The dings and dents aren't really a big deal and while the 2.0 heads crack at the spark plugs, the 1.8s tend to crack inside the exhaust port and can often be in worse shape.

Of course, my opinion may be totally different if I were holding the heads in my hand.

[Jake Raby]

If you want those 2270ccs to be of ANY benefit you'll spend money on heads.

The best way to create a really misconfigured engine is to add roughly 300ccs of displacement and don't give the engine adequate head work..

Let me get this straight... You basically replaced everything except the heads with new parts and added displacement??

You do know that a stock displacement engine with a proper combination and money spent on the head properly would have been CHEAPER to build and will make more power at most every RPM than a bigger engine with less than optimum heads, right?

BTW- The head you have leabeled as a 1.8 is not a 1.8 head, that chamber is a 49-50cc 2.0 BUS chamber, not the 55cc 1.8L chamber that is very distinct in its shape.

Performance may not be your overall goal, so you may think that not choosing the proper heads is that big of a deal... That could not be farther from the truth. Inadequate cylinder heads effect engine efficiency, MPG, oil and head temperatures, tune-ability, drive-ability, reliability and longevity.

The quickest way to create an engine that isn't very good at anything is to make it bigger and then not properly outfit it with heads. Heads are expensive. Performance is expensive. Not making the right decision right now is TWICE as expensive as you are expecting it to be.

Been there, done that and I work with people on a daily basis that won't listen to these words of wisdom until they have worked for a year trying to make something run that never had a possibility of working.

Spend all that money on new, big parts to top it off with something thats 35 years old???? Think about it.
No, I am NOT trying to sell you something, you don't have to even look at any of my heads and I don't care if you buy from my competitor, just make the wisest decision possible and spend the damn money ONCE!

You have a large engine, it must be fed, else it won't do much of anything and might make LESS POWER than a BONE STOCK 2.0!

This post has been edited by Jake Raby: Sep 25 2010, 08:10 PM

[tornik550]

If you want those 2270ccs to be of ANY benefit you'll spend money on heads.

The best way to create a really misconfigured engine is to add roughly 300ccs of displacement and don't give the engine adequate head work..

Let me get this straight... You basically replaced everything except the heads with new parts and added displacement??

You do know that a stock displacement engine with a proper combination and money spent on the head properly would have been CHEAPER to build and will make more power at most every RPM than a bigger engine with less than optimum heads, right?

BTW- The head you have leabeled as a 1.8 is not a 1.8 head, that chamber is a 49-50cc 2.0 BUS chamber, not the 55cc 1.8L chamber that is very distinct in its shape.

Performance may not be your overall goal, so you may think that not choosing the proper heads is that big of a deal... That could not be farther from the truth. Inadequate cylinder heads effect engine efficiency, MPG, oil and head temperatures, tune-ability, drive-ability, reliability and longevity.

The quickest way to create an engine that isn't very good at anything is to make it bigger and then not properly outfit it with heads. Heads are expensive. Performance is expensive. Not making the right decision right now is TWICE as expensive as you are expecting it to be.

Been there, done that and I work with people on a daily basis that won't listen to these words of wisdom until they have worked for a year trying to make something run that never had a possibility of working.

Spend all that money on new, big parts to top it off with something thats 35 years old???? Think about it.
No, I am NOT trying to sell you something, you don't have to even look at any of my heads and I don't care if you buy from my competitor, just make the wisest decision possible and spend the damn money ONCE!

You have a large engine, it must be fed, else it won't do much of anything and might make LESS POWER than a BONE STOCK 2.0!

My situation is simple-

started rebuilding my engine a few years ago when I was an employee and had no children. I had purchased everything except the heads back then. my goal then was to build a fairly powerful auto x car.

now I have 1 child and another on the way. I work for myself and I am trying to make a nest egg for my family. i really feel bad spending a while bunch on my toy when I could be using my money for something that would better my family.

Now, forget auto x, I just want a cheap way to drive my car around. Unfortunately, I am too far in to cheaply finish the project. Crap.

Jake- I understand completely with what you are saying. I realize that what you are saying is the correct way. I think that I just need to bite the bullet and do it right. In the long run, its cheaper than buying a whole new engine.

PS- the "1.8L" heads aka 2.0l bus heads (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) are complete junk. I have been going over them closer and I there is no way I could use them.

[Jake Raby]

I understand your situation and I am glad that you understand what I was saying.

That said, if you don't have to have this car running, let those parts sit there until you can afford the proper heads.

Buy a cheap stock engine and drive the car, don't waste the other good parts you have and waste a bunch of time installing inadequate heads on that engine.

[JamesM]

Buy a closer to stock engine from someone until you can afford the right heads or trade/sell the 2270 botom end to someone for something you can use.

If you just need to get from point A to point B 1.7's can be found for next to nothing. probably even less then the 300 bucks you have to spend right now that is not going to buy anything as far as decent heads go.