I went to the AA site to look at the model they have on sale. I see this link to an Extreme 914 Makeover. Interested, I go looking through it and come to where they are doing the engine. It's a 1976 914 and of course its a 2 liter engine as that was the only option in 76. I am looking at the heads, and notice, they are not from a 1976 914. They modified early 2 liter heads with bigger valves rather than to use the stock 76 heads. So is there a problem besides the air injection holes with the 75/76 heads? Why didnt they disclose the fact they were not using the 76 heads? Is it that much of a big deal? If someone was following that and doing the same thing on their own car, leaving out that little detail could mess them all up. I dont know, maybe I am just being too picky. I ran the 76 heads on mine with no problems at all.

I'm in the middle of freshening up a 75 2.0. Nobody has said anything to the effect that the 76-76 heads are not as good. They just have the those holes, which just get capped.

I think you are tripping

It's an "extreme" makeover, not a concours car, anything goes in my book.....they also mentioned that the original motor dropped a valve seat...maybe they had those larger valve heads sitting on the shelf??

If anyone tries to build a motor just by looking at pictures and reading a little text and description, they deserve the have the darn thing blow up

Actually...those in the know avoid the 75-76 2.0L heads when given the chance...they run hotter, have become heat stressed, and hence wear out faster.

That bit of wisdom from the Bmeister himself...

Why would the run any cooler than any other head? They are the same except for the holes drilled in them for EGR take-offs. The catalytic converters that were installed would add more heat to the engine, but the heads themselves won't cause the engine to run any hotter than the early cars. Just toss the cats and problem solved.

the '75 and '76 /4 cars, the heads are subject to higher heat due to the piss-poor exhaust design, not only is it more restrictive, the exhaust will have more radiant heat rise up to heat soak the heads due to the exhaust going forward and then back towards the back of the vehicle...


One positive of the '75/'76 models is that they are not as highly sought after for track/auto-x so there could be a slight chance of finding one that has not been driven as hard as a highly sought '73 2.0

high temps equals dropped valve seats

I've never seen a difference in how the heads run early to late heat wise... The 76 engines did seem to run hotter, but that was because of a few more things not just the heads.

Hey Scott,
I found this lurker on a previous thread.
I'm sure he knows the answer.

Ron


Doug, I like the car. How do you like the fit of the rear ducktail spoiler?

--------------------
Greg
Automobile Atlanta - http://www.autoatlanta.com
800-792-4944

There is no problem that I know using the late 2.0 heads. The air injection ports add air to the top of the exhaust port to dilute the exiting exhaust gas, much like adding water to a toilet. ...the exiting mixture is just the same but diluted!!!! In the case of my engine, I retained the 2.0 original engine as a whole and in stock form, for originality, instead building an additional engine in high performance mode. I chose the earlier heads I am not going to use the air pump and the earlier heads are more plentiful.

heads that lived life with catalytic converters, and other smog related items did tend to run hotter in their original life. Becuase of the high heat, they can fail. The damage that high heat can cause to aluminum alloys is in the metallurgical structure, the alloying elements can move, and form a weaker structure, that will remain that way forever (unless you remelt, and recast the heads, using the correct heat treatments).

hence an old "smogged" head might have damage to the metal structure, and hence it will be weaker, and fail sooner, even if "rebuilt" Once an aluminum head has been over heated, it is ruined., it doesn't have to melt for significant structure changes to take place.

Smog heads are probably move valuable, at least to someone that must have their 1976 car smogged in California (recall the smog nazi's, including the govenator, arnold, sign a law that will keep 1976 and later cars in the smog test program forever, no more 30 year exemption) I imagine that the price of late model exahust systems will be worth their wieght in gold soon also.

Speaking of which, I happen to have a late model system for sale (exhuast) that I could let go for say.... $1500? It needs work, but hey, it will probably be worth $10k in a few years. Think of it as an investment. I wonder if I will regret throwing away all those late systems for all those years? Even tossed lots of late 911 systems in the recycle bin as well.

QUOTE (greg.treadway Posted on Dec 21 2004 @ 09:16 AM)

There is no problem that I know using the late 2.0 heads. The air injection ports add air to the top of the exhaust port to dilute the exiting exhaust gas, much like adding water to a toilet. ...the exiting mixture is just the same but diluted!!!! In the case of my engine, I retained the 2.0 original engine as a whole and in stock form, for originality, instead building an additional engine in high performance mode. I chose the earlier heads I am not going to use the air pump and the earlier heads are more plentiful.

Look at Mr. Treadway contributing technical content.

Welcome to 914club.

QUOTE (skline @ Dec 20 2004, 10:01 PM)

I dont know, maybe I am just being too picky.

nooooo, not *you* ....


Andy