I am looking to adapt a 16 valve ( Honda or other make) head to an Alfa block. Bore spacing is 93mm and the Bore is 84mm.

Does anyone know of a suitable candidate or perhaps point me in the direction of someone who would know?

I do know the B18 (C&A) heads along with the B20B4 are candidates as far as bore... but I do not know what bore spacing they use.

Internet searches have not provided much in terms of bore spacing and a few calls to Japanes engine importers we unsuccessful too.

Thanks in advance.

 

I've thought about doing similar crazy work like you with my Fiat 131. Trying to find abarth stuff and suitable pistons and all else. In reality, it's just alot easier and less time consuming to swap in something new and up to date. Are you doing a spider? If it was the spider i would do a S2000 drivetrain all the way. you have a better trans, more hp, and a better rear, with independent suspension. It it was a bigger car, i would do a Nissan SR20DET because you would have room for an intercooler and turbo ancillaries. It's alot more work than it's worth trying to make a head work with a totally different block, and dealing with an old trans too.

 

b-18 is 90mm centers

I would swap the complete motor

 

I understand the swap the whole motor bit... but if I can find a 16v head with 93mm bore centers it could be easier to machine the head than to make a new flywheel and bell housing. Like I said... it may be easier... that's why I am looking at head options first.

I have heard their is a book out in Japanese only that lists ALL the specs for the Japanese made engines... just cannot find a copy.

 

Cam rotation will be a problem with a Honda head.It will run but I believe the lobes are asymmetrical.

 

Just swap an engine and trans, then you don't have to worry about the whole bellhousing and clutch issue. It's RWD i am assuming, so just do a newer rwd engine and trans setup, like a s2k, miata, rx-7, 240sx, something like that. you'll have choices, and it will be reliable.

It's more fun having fun with the car than having to do crazy things to make it work, then even crazier things to fix it when it breaks.

 

The car has a rear mounted transaxle... the swap is not as straighforward as you might think... hence the search for a head conversion first.

 

h22 head has a 94mm bore space, but the stock bore is 87.

f22's should have the same spacing as an h22 and i believe the bore for them is 85 -- this head is prolly cheaper/easier to find as well

hope this helps.

 

the f and h series motors can all swap heads (except for the f20c - s2k motor) f22 is 85mm bore, f23 is 86mm those are both SOHC heads. there is a f20b which has an 85mm bore and is a DOHC head. thats a JDM motor and it's not real common, so it might be hard to find.

hope that helps

 

which alfa? rear engine too?

 

It's a 116 series GTV... front engine with a rear mounted transaxle.

The original 2.0 has been fully built (one reason to keep the bottom end) and turbo'd and produces over 300BHP with a 1950's designed 8 valve head. Seeing the power the Honda heads make though invites me to look at the possibilities of doing a graft. I have a willing and capable machinist to do the work if I can find a suitable candidate. The SR20DET uses staggered bore spacing so that won't work. Now I learn Honda uses asymmetrical cams... could have new ones ground but that kind of leads down a path I do not want to travel.

Any other heads to look at?

 

ever consider a vw head? dont know any of the specs but its another option.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jweller &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the f and h series motors can all swap heads (except for the f20c - s2k motor) </TD></TR></TABLE>

hehe where did you hear that :looks to sig VV:

Rosko is right, the h22 does have 94mm spacing. and you can use any h or f head. the f20b is kinda rare but is dohc vtec. there is also the f22b which is a jdm dohc non vtec.

 

very nice car. I can't really help anymore with the bore spacing, don't know much about all those specs.

best of luck

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Alfa Turbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I understand the swap the whole motor bit... but if I can find a 16v head with 93mm bore centers it could be easier to machine the head than to make a new flywheel and bell housing. Like I said... it may be easier... that's why I am looking at head options first.

I have heard their is a book out in Japanese only that lists ALL the specs for the Japanese made engines... just cannot find a copy.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I understand why you are pursuing this idea, but also consider the following. Heads also have special coolant and oil passages. Matching these passages will be much harder than matching the bores. Plus you also have to find sprockets for the cams which are the correct diameter, in order to time the cams with the crank. If you are replacing a DOHC head, this won't be too bad. If not, this is another major problem. Perhaps if you have an incredible machinist, anything is possible. But I would think that would make this idea impractical.

Also, IMHO, regrinding a cam isn't a big deal at all. The cams will be the least of your concerns.