2.8 Head Swap
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2.8 Head Swap
Does anyone know if the North American 2.8l 3 port heads are interchangeable with the european 2 port ones? I have an '83 TVR Tasmin with the Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and the main limitation to increased power is the siamesed ports of the 2 port heads. The North American 3 port head with a good intake manifold and carb should be an improvement. Which truck had the best flowing heads?
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From: Maine
The 2.8 was in the 83-85 ford rangers and the heads were all the same. The heads that I would try to look for are the ones from a 1974 mustang II. These will probably be hard to find so I would dwell on just that year. That was the only year the 2.8 didn’t have an EGR port, which I guess makes that years heads flow a little better. That’s what I have heard, but it does makes sense. Basically, any other head after 1974 is exactly the same. And any year American 2.8 head is a 3 port design. I’m not sure if it’s interchangeable or not with the European motors though.
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There are apperently some minor differences between the European heads/blocks and North American heads/blocks that supposedly prevent the use of the Euro heads on N-A
blocks and vice-versa. I am not sure of the actual differences but I was advised of the incompatebility of these items by Team Blitz in the USA when I was trying to see if I could fit a Euro 6-pack intake to my N-A capri 2.8 engine. If anyone knows for sure it would be nice to find out.
blocks and vice-versa. I am not sure of the actual differences but I was advised of the incompatebility of these items by Team Blitz in the USA when I was trying to see if I could fit a Euro 6-pack intake to my N-A capri 2.8 engine. If anyone knows for sure it would be nice to find out.
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2 port vs. 3 port heads
Are there any 3 port European heads that would fit a European 2.8 that currently has 2 port heads? Any chance that the 2.9L heads fit the 2.8L? I plan to do some engine improvements and would like to start off with the best heads possible. Team Blitz can provide intake manifolds for both configurations, but the 32 port heads will flow better.
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From: Maine
For the 2.9 heads, there is a 99.9% chance they won’t fit without MAJOR machining. Id say just try the American 3 port heads if you can find some cheap enough to experiment with. I don’t know much about the European 2.8s so there could be differences that would prevent the use of the American head. You could contact burton power as they are in the UK and they probably know allot about the European motors and the head interchangeability.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
I know this is an old thread, I'll give it a shot. Ptrxly, are you sure that your TVR has a 2.8 and not a 2.6? The German 2.6 as used in the Mercury Capri, Ford Taunus, and Saab had the 2-port heads and was replaced by the 2.8 with 3-port heads that our modern 2.9 evolved from. Or do you possibly have the English V6? I know I've got some info on that one somewhere but I can't lay hands on it right now. As I recall, it evolved about the same time as the German V6, but Ford of Germany and Ford of England were not working together on the projects, and while they were remarkably similar in design, nothing was interchangable between them. If you have the English V6, it is an orphan-nothing else will fit. As for the 2.6, I believe there are too many differences between them and the 2.8-2.9....different water passages, etc. However, a 2.8-2.9 still shares the same bellhousing bolt pattern with the 2.6 so you can swap the whole motor. I hope there's some help for you in all this. -Dan
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