Mike7447

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195634609121?itmmeta=01HZZNNNVQATJSTDJ7G63HSCVF&hash=item2d8cbb3be1:g:zCsAAOSwdNxkAanu&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4DEkhSWi4U0gG2uljqI8fqMw6BP5U4yLkrQrdoIOVxq7fYAlSBkK7IYNRgIWqggNDOZkE1lUpu6xXbHohTvs5cjfvqzKvJ6m%2BwoUne9%2Fo5Gv7RIxpR8hPBQj2bOoJXuQx2Pp5zPxaoQ4825d7QbwU0omhxcty01C5j8L1Wa6hp7lc2v8RM0DQOcMOB1OvAZ%2Foet1%2BbxLVKTEyxdfliak5UocI%2BKHWsZCw2mD1cnlqskdHs2Lk1O%2BQxlGeQ5%2FrVYJWvEns7JYghiAhIhy6%2Fqd7lSFDa17%2BSKsZiYnzm3XG8%2Fh|tkp%3ABFBM-t3W9f9j

I’m looking on EBay for a new head. There’s a complete head listed there( several of the same from different vendors) as a g54b sohc head for a 2.6 for around 500 bucks. When I click on the “ see if this fits your vehicle” it says it does not. What’s different about this head?

I don’t know why but I am starting to be “that guy” lately. I usually buy worn out junk, with the full intent to completely redo everything. That way, when I find some f’d up junk, it’s no big deal, cause I’m gonna replace it anyway. The last two cars however have been a different story altogether, I paid waaay too much for the 1980 Corvette project that’s currently stalled in my basement because I didn’t bother to ck what those cars typically brought at sale. I bought a giant piece of crap that needed everything,…. But this time I wasn’t planning on replacing everything. Stupid me. Such is the case for the Conquest. I bought this car sight unseen except for about 70 pics for probably what a lot here would consider premium dollar ( 13k) When I drove it the first day, I noticed it ran a little hot. I ck’d the radiator and it was waay low. I filled it with almost 3/4 gallon, and drove it the next day. The car ran way cooler. Actually ran very well, with no wierd idle or performance issues. I didn’t notice any smoke or smell antifreeze that you typically would smell if there was water getting into the exhaust, and when I pulled the old exhaust manifold off, nothing weird happened ( like antifreeze dumping out an exhaust port.) I ckd the oil. And while it was decidedly black and in need of a change, no typical chocolate milk mix could be seen on the dip stick. But today I pull the head, with the intent of getting it to a shop, and look at the cylinders… and this is what #2 looks like: Looks cracked to me, in multiple places. How can this be? The engine woulda smoked like a dog because water had to be able to come into the chamber. When I drained the oil only a little antifreeze came out, but I blamed that on the fact that I pulled the head before I drained the oil. I pulled the engine because one way or the other, this thing has to go to the machine shop The shop I use seems to be competent, and they did good work on the 2jz the last time. This time, I’m gonna have them sleeve that cylinder if it is cracked. the Aussie Engine before the 2j had all 6 cylinders sleeved, and it woulda been fine if the machine shop doing the work didn’t have monkeys working at the boring machine. 13 k for a car w/rusted out lower front fenders, sun baked leather seats, no Freon in the “ working” A/C. And now this. I definitely am “ That guy”.

Well then,…. That settles that. The heads coming off, the jet valves are getting plugged, Hell who knows..the wife is out of town Sunday-Tuesday next week. The starters off, I can see the converter bolts, very little holding me back from just saying wt...., and just pulling the whole mess. Im committed to not find something lurking inside that’ll bite me. With That pic you sent me of your engine compartment as motivation to keep up with the Jones-es….( or the Kevs), I’m gonna see what I can do to bring my 72 k mi engine to zero.

Every rocker has an adjustment stud in my engine. I’m assuming solid then? Where would I find lash specs?

I know this thread is a little cold, but this is what has been a “winter project” for the last two years for me. This thing is the reason the CQ sits out in the driveway, and has completely hit a standstill. I honestly don’t know what possessed me to buy one of these pieces of crap. I made a scary gantry, and separated the body, reinforced the weak-butt frame w/some judicious bracing, and freshened/replaced everything to new. Anybody whose ever had one of these cars knows what flaming piles of crap they are from the factory… one day post CQ mods, I’ll have to refocus on this turd.

Well personally, I find facebook to be an enormous waste of time, so I doubt I’ll be going there. Removing the valve cover shows the engine suffers from improper oil changes. There is significant crud on the rocker shafts where the springs are that keep them spaced. I thought these were hydraulic lifter actuated, but it looks like the rockers are in direct contact with the cam lobes. Am I just not looking at it closely?

Annnd the hit just keep on coming… Pulled the valve cover and found it to be a jet valve head. ( I thought they had eliminated the JV by 1989). I see there are JV elimination plugs out there. Is this a good idea or am I band-aiding a future problem prone head? If they aren’t cracked, will the JV eliminate kit guard against that in any way?

I just want to say thanks Kev for all the supplied info and pics. You, and @psu_Crash appear to be the only active members willing to answer the basic questions. It also needs to be said that your work ethic, and attention to detail are top notch. With pics like you have supplied, there’s a pretty slim chance I’m ever gonna post work of my garage floor DIY intake unless I can smudge up the camera lens pre-pic. Now that all of the proper credit is given…( please comment directly) I know me. Pulling that head will be the rabbit hole. I will get kia if my wife ever comes out to that driveway and sees the engine…. ( because the deck won’t support a HG swap)….swinging from my hoist. Part of me just wants to apply the “Since I’ve gone this far”, and fix the junk that needs fixing ( add head studs, washer inserts, machine the head, add an EBC, put a 10 pound spring in the gate, pull the engine, deck the block, freshen the bottom end, new oil pump, new water pump, add rod bolts, have the rods resized and balanced) , so I can lean into it and get to the “ just right” amount of power the seat of the pants tells me I’m at. * That was 23 psi in the last 2jz project The other part says, put the parts that I have on it, replace the head gasket, have the head “ reworked”, use new head “bolts”, Ignore the block deck, put a 15 lb spring in the waste gate, install the new turbo on the manifold I bought and tune it to 15 psi and be done. Whatever that is, is.

Additionally, I haven’t looked yet, but what “ bearing surface” is in the head, and how does the nut and washer from a stud contact the head different that the flange from a bolt head? *Edit.. Why would I even pull the head in the first place? If I don’t need the perceived benefit of the head studs. What boost level Will the stock HG tolerate?

Damn. Then is the consensus that at 18 psi I “ don’t “ need the head studs? I wasn’t planning a total rebuild on this thing. If the block deck surface is marginal, then I’m guessing that there isn’t any “in car” remedy to solve that issue. And I know that pulling the engine for a resurface will require the thing come apart. a 2jz this isn’t.

Well,….what is the break point between boost, and too much boost? What will it take ( boost wise) to make 300 whp?

If you’re pulling it only to change out the head gasket for an Ajusa, add a set of ARP studs, and replace the timing chain/ eliminate the balance shaft. the engine has a little over 70k on it, but that still doesn’t change the fact that it has still been on the engine for 35 years. I’d think at the very least have them clean and ck it, touch up the valves replace the seals,….maybe true up the head mating surface? Seems logical to me. On the other hand, I have heard that tightening up the “ seal” on the valves, invites a little leakage past the rings,…but like I said, I’ve “ heard” that. Thoughts?

The vacuum pump isn’t worth the trouble. It doesn’t pull enough vacuum to overcome crankcase pressure in boost. ( I don’t think the thing will pull enough vacuum to overcome crankcase pressure at idle). On a previous Ford Aussie engine project I had, I tried everything to control the blow by under boost in that thing to include that electric vacuum pump, valve cover mounted breathers, remote puke tank, and that “ vac-u-pan” vent tube thing you have pictured. Nothing worked on this engine. it looked cool, and it made over 500 ft/lb of tq at 2600 rpm at 12 psi, but it huffed like mad. ( lousy machine work turned out to be one of my issues that they could never get right)

You’re saying you have a ck valve and a pcv valve in-line? Do you have pics?

Firstly, thanks for consistently being there with an answer. Ordinarily, I’m just ripping crap out and replacing everything relevant to the build. It’s good when there’s somebody that has been there and done that. Funny that my stated plan was to keep it stock, fix what’s not working, make it run good, and drive it. I’ve had the thing since end of April, and I just paid my CC bill…..4k…. 4k worth of stuff that I honestly don’t know how it got that high, and nothing, not one single thing is actually on the car. Im old enough though.. I’m old enough to know that being w/o power brakes sucks. Being w/o power steering sucks. Being w/o AC in Alabama sucks even more. Having a car overheat because you’re driving in the Summer in Alabama with the AC on mega- sucks. And when justifying to myself that I just spent close to 20k (with mods) on a 35 year old, mostly obsolete Japanese car that nobody knows what it is…so I can drive it wherever I want, w/ potentially 300-350 hp w/o hassle ( because I fixed/improved/modified/ the vehicle, which to date has cost close to 20k), and not miss a new car that is 2-3 times my investment that I would have to make a payment, insure for 50k and register it as costing as much instead….. I suddenly forget the little things that might not be absolute.

The menagerie that lives in the lower rf corner where the charcoal canister is is the question for today. What is everybody doing for PCV/ crankcase venting? Everything I’ve ever heard or done when in a turbo application is that trying to plumb pcv back into the intake will invite engine oil in, and engine oil in the intake increases the risk of detonation. I’ve been trying to see pics of other engines here, but there are only a few out there. In absense of PCV, That leaves a standard valve cover breather(s), and possibly a puke/separator tank as the solution to that. Secondly, the charcoal canister itself. I don’t mind keeping that thing for the sake of fuel tank venting, but that cluster of vacuum lines, ain’t happening. I only want to keep essential vacuum and consolidate separate lines into one. I’m keeping factory everything functional w/regard to engine/interior accessories. Im askin’

When I had my last Conquest, I purchased the factory service manual for the schematics, as I completely rewired that car. Ultimately I can get that info from there, but I figure I may take a path towards doing something, where somebody here asks: Why didn’t you just….? So better to ask first.

I tried to research, but a lot of info that is archived had non-functional photo links, and if there’s a schematic I need to see rather than read “ steps” in order for my brain to work. If you think the tach will work directly from the tachometer output on my MS3pro mini, I’ll wire it that way. ( just don’t want to kill the factory tach by sending 12 v to it if it’s expecting something different.) Is that wire in the engine compartment, or do I need to pull the cluster and splice it in there?

Been reading…( means I have questions). it looks like the factory tach might get its signal from the negative side of the coil? I plan to eliminate that coil. in its place I’ll run a crank trigger and individual coils. The MS ecu provides a square wave 5-12v signal for tacho. DIY sells an adapter to make the MS output work with the factory tach, looks to be about 75bucks. should I get this thing, or is there another way to solve that problem?

Ok…( man I hate freakin paint and body work..) The lesser of the two fender projects met its 90% completion date today. Not without several self-inflicted calamities mind you… This fender only needed the new bottom blended into the existing fender. Despite my declarations that it was good to go, primer revealed that it was not. After about 3 of those come to jesus moments, I finally came to a “ F” it moment and decided that the paint job on the rest of the car determined howjz I should be on the repair. It’s not great by no means, but it looks way better than rusty- a ss holes in the bottom of the fenders. At least on the easy side. This may or may not tell any tales to a seasoned body/paint guy. at this point, I was confident enough to clear it. those diagonal things are some kind of optical phenomenon, I swear they are not there in real life. At this point, I’m waiting on paint to dry. I’ll wetsand and buff to blend, paint the bottom with a bed liner to protect the bottom ( and to try and match what’s goin on underneath) and this side is done

I guess I’ll leave everything in place then

I need to understand why the factory ran what looks like a second little condenser that is mounted on the driver side behind the front bumper, and why they looped a hard line for the ps cooler in front of the intercooler. And If I can get rid of the additional little condenser, and shorten the path to and from the ps cooler by eliminating the extra loop. thanks as always

I will need a base tune for this combination, (T3/T4 57mm turbo, 4 LS coils, MPI using 4 LS shorty 60 lb/hr injectors, and of course crank triggered ignition). Can you point me towards that?

Well glad you do . I was here back in 2006-7, but was an outcast because I was putting a ford motor in the car instead of a Chrysler v8 swap.