Yeah I have a 2.3t motor, the original head is no good. And I heard that I can use a cylinder head off of any 2.3 L4 engine, turbo or N/A. Is that true?
A lot of people use carbed heads from 2.3 rangers. You want a head that has a combustion chamber that is between 60-62cc. It has to have D shaped combustion chambers as well. Also turbo exhaust valves.
The D shaped combustion chamber isn't a requirement. If you use an open chamber head (heart shaped chamber), the compression ration will drop a bit. Equip the head with either the factory inconel exhaust valves, or at the very least some stainless steel ones. DO NOT use the standard duty valves. If the valves from your existing head are still good, take them to the machine shop with the head you're going to use and have them installed with a good valve job. Turbo heads are prone to cracking the castings through the exhaust valve seats. If you have minor cracking, you may be able to have your machine shop install valve seat inserts. When they do, they'll actually machine out the area that's cracked, and press in the new inserts. This is one way to pontentially save a head. You're machine shop should be able to tell you if it can be saved. May want to try more than one shop, depending upon their experience with 2.3T heads.
Well, Rhea Performance are supposed to be releasing a new cast iron head soon. Supposed to flow pretty well out of the box. Or you could step to the Stage 3 Boport iron head package for $2000. Comes complete and ready to run. Bolt on and go. Faster.
or grab a head from the same car you have now at junk yard for $50 and have it tested for cracks. if it passes, and still want to go fast, its not that hard to port and polish. would just take a little time, but you could save a lot of money and still get better than stock airflow knowing it will fit.
Yeah, sounds like a great idea, except 2.3Turbo motors don't grow on trees. The turbo heads used special exhaust valves to tolerate the increased heat. If you find one in the JY that's not cracked beyond usable, certainly grab it. But good luck finding one very often. Easier to find an N/A head and have it built properly, with exhaust seat inserts and the proper exhaust valves to deal with the heat.