Make One Good Head Out Of Two Bad Ones?

rev10eight

I just watched the videos here about the valve train swap. https://youtu.be/V8aA9HhsAHo

My senerio is: I have a head with hydraulic lifters in it. The head itself is cracked so it is no good.

I have another head that is bad. It has mechanical lifters. The problem with this head, the rockers arms and the cam are destroyed due to poor craftsmanship and quality. However the head itself, valves, springs and seals are good. They passed a leak down test without issues.

Can I take the the cam and hydraulic lifter upper assembly from the cracked head and put it on the good head that has the bad cam and rockers?

I hate to just throw two heads and components away. It looks like an option to get my truck running without spending more money. I'm feeling tapped out.

MazdaMitch

Yes you can.
Just remember this... those cam caps... They are mated to that head and that cam of course so look at the journaling on the head that you want to put the hydraulic setup on and make sure it's okay, and what I mean by okay is just make sure it's smooth nothing that your fingernail will grab or anything like that.

And yes it's been mentioned dozens of times but I'll mention it again just make sure that with the hydraulic lifters you use the 2.2 cam.

The mechanical setup uses a 2.0 cam you cannot really for lack of a better term cross pollinate these two.

In the past some truck owners have simply swapped the top of the valve train leaving their 2.2 cam, getting rid of the hydraulic lifters, and putting on the mechanical valve train setup, and they can never adjust out the tapping.

Some have done this and later have come back with pictures similar to yours where it wiped the cam because they were trying to get the noise out not saying that happened to you at all but that has happened in the past so be mindful of that.

So on your good head you can transfer your springs that's fine transfer your 2.2 camshaft and hydraulic lifter rocker arms and oil rails to the good head. If it were me I would use the cam caps on the good head as well and just let the 2.2 cam work its way into these cam caps.

Hope that makes sense I'm sitting outside with my dog in 28° weather on the porch drinking coffee talking this out on my phone 😆

Axel-Breaker-Earl

MazdaMitch Hope that makes sense I'm sitting outside with my dog in 28° weather on the porch drinking coffee talking this out on my phone 😆

I thought I heard a shiver in that post! LOL.

Axel-Breaker-Earl

As Mitch has stated, the best thing to do is to keep the cam CAPS married to the head they came on. Since your previous head (before the Ebay one) had the hydraulic lifters (and Camshaft) and the 2.2 cam, you can use them on the Ebay head......I would check the Ebay head for any warpage (as the service manual shows) also......you never know!

Keep us posted on your progress.

rev10eight

Thank you Mitch, that made perfect sense. Enjoy the day, your little dog and cup of coffee. Thanks again for all you do.

Ill double check the cams and that the rail assembly it put together correctly. Im going to order new hydrolics to go in those lifters.
Crossing my fingers and hoping to have my truck back on the road Soon. I've been down 3 months and miss driving her.

I believe the springs on the bad that head are ok. You think I should transfer the springs over to it from the original blown head?

28°, dang son. That's cold. I hope you shared your coffee with Mooch.

Thanks Axel, I'll have some news up soon. Ill start back working on it tomorrow. I try not to fix stuff on Sundays.

I'd love to have someone help with it just for the company but I'm up in Hickory NC area. Thanks for being willing.

Axel-Breaker-Earl

Good luck buddy, and we're only a keyboard away!

rev10eight

Can the oil pan and oil pump be removed without removing the engine?

MazdaMitch

rev10eight it can but it's going to be tough.

Axel-Breaker-Earl

I believe Cusser has done this.......he changed his rod or main bearings (can't remember which) while the engine was still installed, if I remember correctly.

Cusser

Yes, I've had the B2200 oil pan off and replaced the pistons/rings and connecting rod bearings without pulling the engine from the truck. I did not remove my oil pump though.

rev10eight

Cusser
I was just looking at the oil pan.
Did you have enough room to remove the pan or did you have to take other things off?
It looks like, what I guess is the stabilizer and steering bar would have to come off.

Cusser

Remove the 2 bolts that go through the frame on the pass. side that hold the idler arm to the frame. This will allow the steering link to drop down enough to allow the pan to drop far enough down to remove it. You also need to remove the cross brace that's directly under the oil pan......it has 2 bolts & nuts on each side. Mark the front of it and each side so you'll know exactly how it goes back in when you’re done. You shouldn't need to remove or unbolt the sway bar. You'll remove the two gusset plates (#1) and the cover plate (#2). Remember, just RTV when installing the pan (NO gasket), and I recommend a Harbor freight 1/4-inch drive torque wrench for the pan bolts.

Disregard the part about a front differential.

rev10eight

cool.
Thanks Cusser.
So drop this bar with the four bolts circled in green?

And these two bolts on the idler arm on passenger side.

Removing these two bolts will allow it to drop enough to remove the pan? From what I'm seeing, it looks like it would have two flex point in the red circles that will move enough to give me what I need? Is that correct?

Axel-Breaker-Earl

You are correct rev10eight.

As Cusser mentioned, mark the cross bar so you can reinstall it in the correct position afterwards. I would also take the weight off of the front suspension by jacking the truck up and supporting the frame with jack stands.

Cusser

Someone years ago posted: "You can remove the 2 bolts on the idler arm where it's bolted to the frame and it keeps you from having to separate the joint between the drag link and idler arm. I think it's way easier too. If you look at this pic you can see the wrench on the bolt that runs through the frame and into the idler arm and secures it with nuts and washers. Pull the nuts and washers off and slide the bolts into the frame a couple of inches and the whole idler arm with the drag link still attached will drop down far enough for you to slide the pan out."

Axel-Breaker-Earl

Sounds like someone I know!

rev10eight

So it will begin.
I believe I will be picking up a head from Clearwater/Ebay, link HERE. Waiting for a response back as I have two cores to offer. They require one be sent back out they will charge you more. A complete head is $485 or Best offer. They pay for return shipping on the core. I'm hopping to pick it up for $450 Max. Can't blame a man for trying.

If i knew i could trust any of the other sellers at a cheaper price, I would do it but done been bit once. I believe the first thing I should do before I install a new one it to remove the cam, and lube the saddles and rocker arm tips. I am done fighting this truck and don't want to do this again.

SLee

Hello Rev,

I would keep the original head or keep the valve parts and cam off that head...(if still good)
That is what saved me from buying another one! We see how this holds up! but
so far so good. My guy who rebuilt it stands by it! He states the metal made back then is a whole lot harder and better.
I will say it's running better than it ever has.
Just finished installing a bushing kit in the trans. Man, she is tight! like new!

I know how you feel, been there! Don't give up! you will be glad you got her back going again. They don't make them like these old ones.
She's worth every penny to me! of course, the wife doesn't understand Since I bought the new Ranger to replace the Mazda. But I had a change of heart decide to keep her. So the Ranger is garaged!

Mitch and his videos had a lot to do with this!

rev10eight

I don't want to give up on her, but keep her. My wife dont understand either about why I keep at it.
One, I don't like letting something beat me. I will win this. I just have to keep getting back up when knocked down and keep punching back. Two, I have already invested too much money and time into it to part it out.

As far as the original cam and head parts, well........ I have a/some problems.

The first problem is the Pin in the cam. It is too far down in the cam., I must have did it somehow and dint know I did it. The washer must have slipped of the pin as I was tightening it down before. well phooo, is all I can say. I'm sure Cusser or Mitch might have some better choice words for it. It is high enough to lock onto the camshaft pulley but not in the washer hole. I made it even worse, How you say? well let me tell you. I tried to remove it but I couldn't get a grip on it to grab it and pull it out. I damaged its shape trying to get it out.

Secondly, I noticed the the camshaft Pulley lock hole is wallowed out. Probably did that myself again..... It just keeps getting better. This is the job that keeps on giving. I have a new camshaft pulley on the way from Jaypan. I thought I could just rotate it and use a different hole but the arrows on the different numbers would not line up where they need to be on the teeth. If you take yours and look at it you will see what I mean. I could figure it out, mark it and make it work but what about the next poor guy, if ever, that comes behind me. I wouldn't want that to happen to me.

With the new camshaft pulley, I could still use the the original cam, mared and short though as the pin may be. It would lock in place with the bolt and washer but the washer hole wouldn't lock to the pin.

I can make it all work with the new pulley, and even the old pulley, but now you see why I was looking at a complete new head. I would prefer to keep and use the original cam. Its already proved itself to me. If I keep and use it though, I'll have to be carefull with it. I also would get new hydraulic tappets. Some of the old ones didn't keep the prime when I reprimed them.

Well enough of all that, here are some pictures of my latest adventures..
Cheers.

MazdaMitch

Sorry this is happening to you.
These "problems" are just opportunities. You'll be a Mazda savant in no time!

Those holes on the cam pulley, the ones that are not at the #1 or A, those are different cam degrees.

I have a lot of info about that but it's lengthy. I can post if you want, just let me know.

I think you are doing right to order a new cam pulley.