Hello,
I apparently have an unusual cylinder head just out of my '87 Colt E. The jet valves do not have the slotted caps over them in the cc's (which I see in all the depictions of any MCA jet engine, where it is usually called the "jet piece"). The valve heads are simply recessed slightly in the roof, where there is a groove for flow towards the spark plug instead. No shop I spoke to has ever seen such a head, just the capped type. Can I use this type in my car ?(want to replace it with a reman and this is all they have to sell me apparently) I have seen one and the cc's are completely different from what I have, though can't tell if the chamber volume is the same. Everyone lists just one head for all carbureted 1.5l engines '85-'88. Not like auto parts info has ever been wrong before, right ?!! I am told the pistons changed in '87 to those that would be used in the FI 1.5 engines (4G15 ?) then soon to come. Do these have to be matched to the head I have? Mine say 15N on the crowns (or N15, can't remember) and they are recessed in the center, and the sides come slightly OVER the cylinder deck @ TDC. I am certain the head is original as the car has been in my family since new. I did notice very high compression test readings whenever I tested it (abt 185 psi) but that can depend on many factors, cranking speed, etc. Head gasket blew, cylinder walls are still in great shape at 190k mi (still honing marks all around !), and car gets great mileage (35mpg) so I want to save it and get things right the first time. Can anyone enlighten me on this ?