PeteStupps Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Evening all. Can you fit mk3 / mkIV heads on a Spitfire mk2 block? I bought a mk2 engine a few months ago (FC engine number, mk2 according to Canley's list), for no good reason other than it was fairly cheap. Old bloke sold it on behalf of some even older bloke, who may have raced or something, but had this engine and allsorts sitting around for many years. I put it under the bench and forgot about it. Then I was reading the other day about 8-port heads for Mk2's and started daydreaming about finding one. Then I thought I should look at the engine under the bench: lo and behold, it's an 8-port head. But would it just be a mk3 or mk4 head? I was only in the garage briefly and have not had the head off yet. It's entirely possible the seller just stuck on a head from something else. But do they actually fit? (The engine is behind and under a load of stuff so I literally just peered at it from a distance. Tomorrow I'll be double checking whether it's iron or ally! The rust is a bit of clue I suppose...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 They don't fit, the 1147 has 11 head studs later 10. I suppose someone could have drilled the block. The 1147 8 port heads have a couple of very short studs under the inlet ports Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPearce Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Upload some photos! As Dan says, the Mk3 head won't fit a Mk2 block without serious machining. The "stage 2" 8-port head for the 1147 is a rare beast and, I think, quite different in appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted October 21, 2018 Author Share Posted October 21, 2018 Hmm no very short studs under the inlet ports. There's nothing to suggest the engine was running with the current head, I suspect it's nothing exotic! Will go and inspect more closely in a while. Thanks, I'll let you know what I find Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drofgum Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Pete, Very easy to see. The extra stud is on the manifold side so it shows. Count the head studs/nuts on that side and you will see six. The eight port heads for that block had two of the full length studs removed and replaced them with short ones below the paired inlet ports. Cheers, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted October 22, 2018 Author Share Posted October 22, 2018 Thanks all for the input. Well my hopes of finding treasure have come to nothing, it appears to be a 1500 head. Was only held on by 4 studs, and the empty holes don't line up with the block. I tried an old mk3 inlet valve for size and it was a bit small, sitting in the seat rather than on it, so I think that makes it a 1500 head. Photo below, if I can get it to attach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted October 22, 2018 Author Share Posted October 22, 2018 I've just looked up the casting number, RKC 0589, and it is indeed at 1500 head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Pete what are the valve sizes? You may be lucky and it is a 1500fwd head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy916 Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Peter sorry for hi-jacking your thread, I see you can post photo's, since the web site upgrade I can't post photo's, so could you please help me out, I click on the "insert" then image, the box opens and it tells me to put in "source" and "image list" what do I put in these boxes, I use an iMac pc, it's so frustrating not being able to stick up a photo, also I don't seem to be able to PM anybody either I really need help with this Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted October 22, 2018 Author Share Posted October 22, 2018 Quoted from thescrapman- Pete what are the valve sizes? You may be lucky and it is a 1500fwd head. Not 100% sure, it didn't have valves so I just tried a mk3 one for size. What would be the advantage of a 1500fwd head? I tried to measure the inlet aperture (? whatever you call the hole where the valve sits!) but with callipers wasn't very accurate. measurement was 31.33mm, but how that corresponds to valve-head size I don't know. George don't know I'm afraid! I did the photos on my phone (Android, Sony). It crashed the first time I tried, so I am definitely not an expert. Have you tried using a different browser? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky_spit Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Hi George - I understand that, as a non-member user of the forum, you cannot post photos. Only member users can. If I'm wrong in this, please someone shout me down sharpish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky_spit Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Hi George - I understand that, as a non-member user of the forum, you cannot post photos. Only member users can. If I'm wrong in this, please someone shout me down sharpish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 It is true. Non-members can no longer post photos - one of the dis-improvements. If you are a member then either the forum is not aware or technology is mis-behaving. This new platform also seems to play differently dependent on how you are accessing it, which complicates. The useful number from the "1500" head is the stamped number not the cast number. 1300 and 1500 heads are very similar with the principle difference being the thickness, the 1500 being the thicker to give a deeper chamber to suit the bigger displacement. Colin's comment about the 1500FWD head is simply that they have the biggest valves and potentially are the most easily tunable. IIRC the early 1300 Spit heads have the same valve sizes - we have one on our Spit. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Quoted from Guppy916- Peter sorry for hi-jacking your thread, I see you can post photo's, since the web site upgrade I can't post photo's, so could you please help me out, I click on the "insert" then image, the box opens and it tells me to put in "source" and "image list" what do I put in these boxes, I use an iMac pc, it's so frustrating not being able to stick up a photo, also I don't seem to be able to PM anybody either I really need help with this Ta Can you see a box in the bottom left corner - left of the Post & Preview buttons labelled "Click to attach file" ?? I'm a member - and It took me a while to spot it - ditracted by the Insert options at the top! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy916 Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Thank you guys, i'm an unpaid member so I shall have to carry on regardless, Nick how are we feeling now fully recovered ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpeg.b15b81ef10abeea1c3039ae03c4a9f3a.jpeg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.