L16 to L20b parts compatible?

[sondat]

Looking at purchasing L20b for our 521 project. The L20b is not a complete engine, bare block, rebuilt head, crank, pistons and rods. Will the crank journal caps from our L16 fit the L20b? Also there are no bolts, would the bolts for engine assembly from the L16 work?

[shacks510]

L16/18 crank mains are 55mm, L20B is 60mm. Caps will not interchange. You might have to line bore if you mix match.

 

Most hardware will interchange; the L20B has an extra bolt on each side at the top of the timing cover for the taller block, has three 10mm bolts for the alt bracket vs. two 8mm on the L16 (depending on year L16). Also, L20B uses a 6 bolt flywheel, not 5. ZX turbo head bolts are also a better option if you're buying new.

[datzenmike]

L18 main caps will work but not the L20B. Most all other bolts will swap.

[sondat]

Thanks for the replies. Due to the compatibility issues might stick with our L16. The L20b is being offered with a couple other engine parts which includes a L16 210 peanut head. It's already rebuilt, plained, new valves and seats.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I would never purchase an engine block that is missing its main caps. But if the price is right, just get another L20B block and transfer all the parts over. Obviously there may be some machine work involved, depending on bore size and overall condition of the block.

[hobospyder]

I personally will not buy an engine that is reported running again. Let me see it running, either on a stand or in the car, before I buy

[datzenmike]

It's worth exactly what you see or can see. Or estimate what the engine is worth to you for scrap weight or value of the parts on/in it. If it was 're-built' it should have been installed and sold running to get the most value out of it. If re-built why is it for sale??? If re-built where are the parts or machine shop bills or charges??? It's the seller's fault that it's worth so little.

 

The seller may have a totally different idea of the definition of the word re-built than you do. This is where receipts for parts and work done comes in handy. 

 

Lastly just how reputable is the shop that put this engine together???

 

 

 

My boss:" JC you guys want what??? You guys were given a brand new work van"

 

Me: " Yeah, new in a 2007"

 

My boss: " !!! "

[sondat]

Agree with all your replies. My son and I have pulled the head off his L16 which we did have running before we bought the truck. We will strip the block and take a trip to the local machine shop to get estimates for what needs to be done. The seller of the L20b and L16 peanut head is allowing us to take them as well to get checked to decide if the L20 and head are worth while or maybe just the L16 closed chambered head for our block.

[Busta Nut]

Timing cover need to be machined to match the block......

 

.....just FYI.....

[datzenmike]

Best head for the L16 is the stock 210 with a compression of 8.5.

Second best is any closed chamber 'peanut' head from an L20B. It will drop the compression to 8.2 *

Worst is any open chamber L20B or L18 . It will drop an L16's compression to 7.7

 

* This head can be milled to raise the compression, then it becomes a best head as it has larger valves and ports than the 210.

 

 

 

Open chamber heads are often mistaken for closed. Be sure to post pictures of it.

[racerx]

Not to hijack the thread but I have a junk L16 that I'm thinking about rebuilding and was wondering if parts are available still.

[Busta Nut]

Not to hijack the thread but I have a junk L16 that I'm thinking about rebuilding and was wondering if parts are available still.

 

 

Everything is available.......

[sondat]

Datzenmike, you talked about the best options for L16 head but didn't mention a L16 peanut head which is an option from the engine parts find we are looking at. If the head checks out would it not be a better option than the open chambered head that came on our L16?

[sondat]

The L16 peanut head is a 210 head

[datzenmike]

Are you sure it's a 210 and not a 219 or 912??? The 219 head came only on the L16SSS and L18SSS used in the 510 Coupe in Japan. It has a slightly larger combustion chamber than the 210 head (so flattop pistons were used to keep the compression up) and it had huge ports and valves.

 

The closed chamber 210 is very rare. I have no idea what it came on but what ever it was, it was only on Japanese engines. It would be an advantage if the valves were larger and it had larger ports than the open 210. This would breath better if you plan a larger carb or carbs and more cam to take advantage of it.

 

 

Closed chamber (top) has large areas where the piston comes withing the head gasket thickness of the head surface. These areas are known as the quench (or squish) areas. Open chamber has open space above all of the piston top.

[sondat]

Here are the pics that we took. You can see a 210 beside the timing chain cover.

 

 

 

[sondat]

Other faded markings

 

[sondat]

And the combustion chambers.

 

 

I'm assuming this is a L16 head because the intake ports are smaller than on the second head which would be for the L20B block that we originally went to see. The smaller ports on the above head measured 30.24mm and the other heads ports measured 35.24

[wayno]

That would be a rare head, how large are the intake ports?

[datzenmike]

Valve diameters?

 

The numbers on the back are just the mold number.

 

 

This is the second picture I have ever seen of one.

[sondat]

I unfortunately didn't measure the valve diameters but as mentioned, am lucky enough to get parts checked out at reputable machine shop before we buy. might be able to get those before hand to get your guys opinions. Appreciate the help.

[datzenmike]

Like wayno said... rare. I have no info on them. Valve and port size would be useful.

[sondat]

Ya, I guess rare doesn't mean good. I'll get the valve dimensions.

[wayno]

Ya, I guess rare doesn't mean good. I'll get the valve dimensions.

And intake port size.

[sondat]

I did measure the intake ports at 30.24mm. That being 5mm smaller than the open chambered head the seller had which I assumed was for the L20B block.