85 2.2 in a 90 horizon?

[estilljoe]

well i have gotten back front drive dodges again and have a couple questions.i just got a 90 horizon with a 2.2 and an auto with what i thought was a bad head gasket,but upon tearing it down found a hole in #2 piston and the combustion chamber on that cylinder looks like you beat it with a hammer and chisel. i dont want to go the turbo route right now although i have a couple of good turbo engines,i am just trying to get a work car put together out all my spares. the engine i have is out of an 85 charger and was a good runner and i have a flexplate that was re-drilled for another project years ago to overcome the whole 6 bolt 8 bolt thing so that shouldnt be a problem. what i am wondering is there anything else i am overlooking as i have been out of the loop for a while and can i run the roller cam with the square tooth pulley or will it be out of time?

[BAKES]

yes can run a roller cam with square pulley

[estilljoe]

thanks,i couldnt remember if they were ground on a different centerline or not.

[22dodge]

they are but it's sooooo insignificant, you'd never notice the difference.

[DaytonaTurbo87]

If you do it, I'd put on the head off the 90 motor. The 85 will have the G head, the computer in the horizon will be calibrated for the swirl head. Would probably make the combo feel more gutless than necessary.

[estilljoe]

i didnt think about the computer cal.i would reuse the swirl head but the #2 chamber is beat to death.i did find a 1990 2.5 at the pull a part,$159.00 with 30 day warranty and core charge but will i have to get the 2.5 computer too or will the 2.2 computer run the 2.5? thanks for the help guys!

[22dodge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by estilljoe i didnt think about the computer cal.i would reuse the swirl head but the #2 chamber is beat to death.i did find a 1990 2.5 at the pull a part,$159.00 with 30 day warranty and core charge but will i have to get the 2.5 computer too or will the 2.2 computer run the 2.5? thanks for the help guys!

naw, it works fine. I did a 2.5 with a 2.2 computer and all went well for 50,000+ miles until the car found an unfortunated death against a blazer.

[estilljoe]

sounds good i guess ill be heading to pull a part this weekend to grab the 2.5.thanks again for the help.

[detobias]

Cool ! a 2.5 '90 Omni ; the car ChryCo SHOULD have built

you may wish to pull the balance shafts from the 2.5 ; exchange a little NVH for a little Hp ... or not

your 90 2.2 electronics should be fine with the 2.5; swap the intake mani & TB over from the 2.2; at WOT you will be running a bit lean but during normal closed loop operation the O2 sensor/feedback will keep you at 14.7 stoich; maybe get an AFPR and bump the fuel P up a little - like 10% (to cure the WOT lean issue)

[estilljoe]

i have got a left over stock exhaust from my old shelby charger i think i am going to try to swap in as well as the complete suspension from an 86 shelby charger that was burnt i bought several years ago for parts that i am going to swap in too.i will probably try to do some of the other little tricks like the extra throttle body gaskets and such to try to add a little extra kick.i am not expecting a race car,just a decent little work car for now. my oldest son is turning 15 in a little while so this will probably be his first car.

[estilljoe]

got my new to me engine last week and have been swapping everything over as time permits but i have found something that is making me scratch my head. i pulled the engine from an 89 dakota and it looks very clean,plugs all looked good etc,and in fact looks like a rebuilt engine. i noticed the edge of the head gasket that sticks out from under the front edge between #1 and#2 cylinder has made in mexico wrote on it and after i got it home and pulled the valve cover it looks like brand new and has made in mexico on it as well as some type of date code that looks like 1997.the block has a 1988 date code on the bottom but has no vin or other numbers stamped on the back under the head. is this a factory replacement engine or some type of mexican transplant? i have read the mexican heads and blocks have less core shift,is this true?

[Sasky]

Warning!!! The 2.x engine in the Dakota has three more holes drilled in it than the 2.x engine found in front wheel drive cars. I have a 1988 Dakota that had a 2.2 carbed engine. I never could get it to run right on the road and it developed a gas smell and then a knock. I found a 1989 Shadow with a 2.2 TBI engine and got it for cheap. After pulling the engines and having them side by side, I noticed some serious differences. On the left side of the block (as when mounted in the truck) there are a total of three holes drilled and tapped for the motor mount. One of these holes goes all the way through the block wall. If you do not put the bolt that was in the back in it, with thread locker , you will lose oil. Also, keep in mind that in 1989 MoPar went to a "common block" in that the 2.2 and 2.5 shared the same block. Many guys will build a 2.2 stroker with a common block 2.5 using a mix of 2.2 and 2.5 goodies. Also, on the right side (as mounted in the truck) there is a hole that is drilled and tapped for the truck application. I do not think it goes all the way through the block, but double check. I concur on getting the computer that matches your replacement engine. One other thing-- the oil pan, pick up tube, and dip stick from the truck engine is different than that of the car engine. Make sure you have the proper oil pan, pick up tube and dip stick installed when you put the truck engine in the car. The 88 and older oil pan is not interchangeable with the 89 and newer oil pan. Best of luck to you and let me know if you want a complete 1988 2.2 engine that needs to be rebuilt. $200 plus shipping from Columbus, GA.

Blessings,
Sasky
BareFoot Soul - A Christian Rock Band

[estilljoe]

my car was already a common block 2.2 as it is a 90 model so i am going to use all brackets and pan off of it. the engine that i pulled out of the car has 2 holes that are drilled and tapped on the bottom by the pan rail that the dakota engine uses to mount what would be the right side engine mount and they werent plugged,but ill take your advise and put bolts in all of them with thread seal on the new engine to make sure. i am pretty sure the engine i bought is not original to the dakota as it says made in mexico on the head and head gasket edge so i am curious if it is a replacement engine.

[Sasky]

I'd take a small screwdriver and see if it bottoms out or not in the "extra" holes. If it does not bottom out, those are the ones to plug.

Blessings,
Sasky
BareFoot Soul - A Christian Rock Band

[glhs636]

I'm not up on my N/A ecm's but the turbo '85 dist. is different then the '86 and up, so is the hall effect sensors, just a heads up
may want to switch electronics like that