Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[RobG]

Make sure that the combustion chambers are the same volume if swapping 2.0 and 2.2 heads. There's a significant difference in capacity so the combustion chambers need to be a different volume. That may be taken up in the head itself or by dishing the pistons. I'm not familiar enough with that engine to know which. If they aren't the same you run the risk of a very sluggish engine with too low compression or too much compression which will cause knock.

Exactly the same Kev

[Kevin Wood]

Make sure that the combustion chambers are the same volume if swapping 2.0 and 2.2 heads. There's a significant difference in capacity so the combustion chambers need to be a different volume. That may be taken up in the head itself or by dishing the pistons. I'm not familiar enough with that engine to know which. If they aren't the same you run the risk of a very sluggish engine with too low compression or too much compression which will cause knock.

Exactly the same Kev

So, to be sure, presumably the 2.2 has dished piston crowns?

[PhilRich]

Re Head Skimming: Please be aware that Vauxhall say the head cannot be skimmed!
However, I myself & I would imagine many others have found that the 2.0/2.2 head can be skimmed providing the bare minimum of metal is removed to correct mild warping or errosion. If the warping is more than 1mm then you are probably looking at a replacement head tbh
The original head thickness measurement is 134mm from memory so make sure it hasn't been previously skimmed by A.N. Other before attempting to get it skimmed again. I tried a second skim on my 2.2 saloon (minimum removed each time) & bent the valves on first startup despite turning her over by hand twice and feeling/hearing no resistance!
Good Luck with it, you'll find it well worth the effort!

[PhilRich]

Make sure that the combustion chambers are the same volume if swapping 2.0 and 2.2 heads. There's a significant difference in capacity so the combustion chambers need to be a different volume. That may be taken up in the head itself or by dishing the pistons. I'm not familiar enough with that engine to know which. If they aren't the same you run the risk of a very sluggish engine with too low compression or too much compression which will cause knock.

Exactly the same Kev

So, to be sure, presumably the 2.2 has dished piston crowns?

No Kevin, mine are/were flat topped piston heads

[cd 2.2]

right mini update time ...
Head wasn't too bad but has some pitting between water channels, Total removed from head was 16 thousands of an inch.
Nearly reassembled now with only the heater bypass control valve and inlet valves to grind back in and fit!

All seems to be going well atm have a circoli water pump to fit and will be getting a contitech timing kit soon as everything is bolted to the block, hope this thing is going to work when it gets put back together.

[Kevin Wood]

Sounds good. That's 0.4mm removed so I'm confident that won't give you any issues.

[cd 2.2]

Have to say it puts the valves mighty close to the piston crowns though ... wouldn't recommend more than 0.6mm to be fair, If you went that far I guess valves would be at risk?
All valves now re ground and fitted and test fitted the cams to the head, all looks good so far and I made special care ensuring that the oil ways are all very clean with some carb cleaner spray as I know these l'il buggers block easily 

Just got to clean the block face now and the egr/heater bypass control thingy ma bob mating surface before fitting a new gasket and re-fitting to the head. Once these jobs are done I'm mighty close to getting her fired up for the first time in nearly a month 
Just the timing belt kit to buy now but slow and steady will win the race lol

[cd 2.2]

Woo Hoo, Cylinder head is now on the car and torqued up using these settings :
25nm or 18lbf stage 1
stage 2 90 deg
stage 3 90 deg
stage 4 90 deg
stage 5 15 deg

Have to say it was easier to achieve than I at first thought but still took considerable effort with a 2 ft breaker bar. Did need a friend to give me a lift on with the head as it's bloody heavy assembled when your trying to put it in on your own (and that's with no cams fitted). Just got to put in the cams and tighten the sprockets up fully using a 24 mm spanner to hold the cam still. Fit new timing belt kit as not got the new one yet ... and fit all the important stuff like manifolds and injectors 
To me from this point it should be plain sailing but I'm staying optimistic that she will start after a month of standing without breaking something else lol

[PhilRich]

Good Man!, as I said earlier it is well worth the effort

[cd 2.2]

wouldn't have tackled this without the support of the forum