Calling all 2L 8Ver's!!!!!!

[mardak at cogeco.ca (Mark)]

Scourge wrote:
> Hey
> 
> I've found a low mileage ABA(100k kms) for sale in the area. The guy
> wants $300 CAN for it. Is this a reasonable price? 


Yup, that's reasonable.  Check the bores for scratches.  My 90,000km 
longblock looked new - no ridge at the top of the bore, and the factory 
cross-hatch still showing.


 > What all will I
> need to use this block(I'm looking at you mark!)? I want the keep the
> JH head and stick with CIS.  All I want to do is change the block. I
> know I'll need a longer downpipe(I'm in the process of ordering one
> so this came at a good time). Will the JH distributor work? or will I
> need some sort of adapter or some hybrid thing? Will all coolant/oil
> pasages line up, or will I need to modify something?


You'll need to fabricate or buy a block-off plate for the breather hole 
in the front of the block.  You can also leave the breather in place and 
mount the CPR somewhere else, but you *may* have some minor running 
issues on warm starts since the CPR won't be against the hot block...  I 
made my own blockoff plate out of aluminum - it's not difficult. 
Techtonics also sells them.

For the distributor I bought the proper one for the swap from 
Techtonics.  I'm not 100% sure on the other options at the moment (it's 
been a while since I did all the research for this particular swap). 
The other option involved swapping the gear on the bottom of the 
distributor with the ABA one (isn't always easy), and either buying or 
making an adaptor where the distributor mounts to the block (Techtonics 
sells this as well).  I'll look through my info and get back to you on 
the distributor options...

All the oil passages will line up.  There are issues regarding the 
headgasket though.  I use the stock metal ABA gasket (p/n: 
037-103-383-N).  This gasket will fit the "dowel pins" in the ABA block, 
but the contour of the JH head doesn't quite match this gasket at the 
left side (front) oil return hole.  With the head torqued down it seals 
fine, and you don't have to worry since there is no oil pressure there 
anyways - it's just a return hole.  If you want to use other gaskets 
(the 2.0 16V gasket works, or the JH as well) then you have to remove 
the dowels from the ABA block and replace them with ones from the JH 
(easy peasy).  Personally I'd go with the nice metal ABA gasket.  I've 
beat the living piss out of my ABA/JH combo for a year, and then put 
well over 5000 towing miles on it and it worked without a problem.


> 
> Also, does anybody know the compression on these? \


With the JH (or 3A, RD/HT, ABA) head the compression ratio will be 10:1


Will I NEED a knock
> box?


Not if you run high octane fuel and keep your ignition timing on the 
mild side.  Grafting in the knock box stuff isn't too difficult, but I 
wouldn't bother if you don't mind paying the extra for fuel...  If 
you're raising the compression you might want to add it, but I'm running 
close to 11:1 with a dead knock sensor, timing set at around 8deg btdc 
and don't have any pinging on 91+ octane.  With 10:1 you can crank up 
the timing to almost 12deg btdc, but without a knock sensor I'd back 
that off a bit.  Just make sure you listen for knock...


  If it matters this is an OBD2 block.


Doesn't really matter swap wise, but this block doesn't have the oil 
squirters, forged crank, or forged rods...


> Anything else I will need
> to buy to put this in?? 


I'm taking off in the morning for another run at the border, so I don't 
have much time at the moment to dig through my swap info.  I'll get back 
to you on Sunday when I'm back though...

Later,

Mark.
75 x2
80 S
81 S x3
81 Caddy

Thanx Muchly -George
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