I can't find the original thread with all the information on the swap. Yes I have searched and if there is a different way to search 086 head and 086 head swap in the search please let me know. Does anyone have a link to it?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Tuesday, October 09, 2012 7:13 PM
"sometimes the respect is more important..."
I was one of the first to do this swap and its not all that hard to do. You can do this 2 ways, match the block to the 2.3 gasket or match the head to the 2.4 gasket. We will discuss matching the head to the 2.4 gasket because it is easier and does not require disassembly of the bottom end.
Important info...
1. Compression will jump to roughly 11.37-1 but slightly less for pre 99 engines because the piston has a slight dish.
2. The combustion chamber is closer to the head than the 2.4 head so you will need to check valve clearance for any cams with a lift higher than Secret cams. It is said that HOs just barely have enough clearance but no one has actually measured to know for sure.
3. if your not going to order a custom MLS gasket with a larger bore use a felpro head gasket for the 2.4, the bore is large enough for the 2.3 combustion chamber. Some other brand head gaskets are not.
4. You will need 2.3 intake and exhaust manifolds along with a 2.3 water neck and some coolant lines will need tweaking.
DO NOT DRILL WHERE RED X IS, THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN OIL AND WATER PASSAGES BETWEEN THE 2.3 AND 2.4 IN THAT SPOT
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Sunday, October 17, 2010 11:19 AM
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So just gasket match those 7 passages on the 086 head and as far as modification and fit, thats it?
"sometimes the respect is more important..."
There are a couple other holes that need to be slotted for a better match...the two to the left you can see in the pic. But yes thats it. Its much more straight forward than people say.
Awesome thanks for the info man
"sometimes the respect is more important..."
No problem. I just was thinking I do recommend using hp tuners to data log and look for knock and adjust timing. With the extra compression even the premium fuel doesnt alleviate all knock but every engine varies.
Oh of course HPT is a must and this isnt going to be a throw together build, its going to be a very well built and tuned motor
"sometimes the respect is more important..."
Good glad to hear that. I am in the process of doing the same.
Another question for ya, not having ever seen an 086 head, do they have an EGR?
"sometimes the respect is more important..."
No they have no provision for egr, however there is a way to set the values in HPtuners so that removing it does not cause any codes.
Sweet that is what I was hoping for, since I am doing the 97+ harness swap since I got unlucky enough to have a 96
"sometimes the respect is more important..."
I am going to be putting a non egr engine into my 96 vert and will need to do that swap myself. I keep hoping I will win the lotto and have one of the later year 96's that has the correct harness to plug directly into the 97 ecu.
Also my original plan was to just use HO cams with the 2.4 head with upgraded valve train. With the 086 head is the stock valve train is good enough to handle 7k plus revs?
"sometimes the respect is more important..."
Some say yes some say no. It all depends on the head, some non oem valve springs arent quite as strong as the stock valve springs. Im doing an LSx spring swap because my cams are like .439 lift. Its experimentle tho since I will be ditching the spring rotators for it to work.
More info on LSx swap? Where did you get those cams?!?
"sometimes the respect is more important..."
So far I just looked for a set of lsx springs that were less than 95lbs of presssure at 1.8" install hieght. I also bought spring cups. My retainers might need modifying although the measurement is close. Also the spring seat might need machining so that I can't have the desired install hieght.
As for my cams I only had the HO intake cam reground ground to 215@50 and .439 lift.
Zs Z wrote:I was one of the first to do this swap
Not to start some kind of fight, but no you weren't. The 086 head swap has been known about for over a decade.
I have no signiture
i honestly dont see the reason to have to mod the head. the LD9 jackets are larger... the 086's are smaller... use the LD9 gasket and the smaller flows right down into the larger.
the titan head gaskets come with the larger LD9 style jackets and they say they can be used on either engine, it doesnt matter.
thoughts?
Underdog Racing
The problem isn't that the 086 water jackets are smaller. The problem is that they simply don't line up with the block.
I have no signiture
Whalesac wrote:Zs Z wrote:I was one of the first to do this swap
Not to start some kind of fight, but no you weren't. The 086 head swap has been known about for over a decade.
Its no big deal, I was under the impression I was, you and Dearman i believe were the only 2 I knew about on here that before I did it. But you learn something new every day.
lol i know ur pointing at the water jacket but i dont see what ur trying to illustrate there...
id have to see a block and head together....
Underdog Racing
There were a few spots that did not completely line up.
2.4 gasket set on a 2.3 head and then traced.
looking at that i see no reason to mod the head.
unless the coolant flows up? hahahha
Underdog Racing
At some point in the cycle it does flow up.