Which Head is Which?

**Blurr** · 10-19-2010, 01:46 PM

On a 2nd gen set of heads, how does one tell which head is which, the front or the rear.

I have an extra 2nd gen head and I'm not sure if it's the front or the rear. It was disassembled at some point so I can't tell which side it was used on but if the loosely placed cam caps are any indicator, it was a front head, but looking on the side where the cam caps are, I can see the two holes for the Cam sensor bolts, where it would be installed.

Are the 2nd gen heads reversible?

**Blurr** · 10-19-2010, 04:15 PM

Excellent!

I was worried that the front head didn't have the mounting location for the Cam Sensor.

**blindmist** · 10-19-2010, 04:19 PM

It can be pretty easily identified which is which by looking at the mounting place for the thermostat housing. The timing belt side of the heads are going to have the caps blocking the holes.

**Blurr** · 10-19-2010, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by blindmist

It can be pretty easily identified which is which by looking at the mounting place for the thermostat housing. The timing belt side of the heads are going to have the caps blocking the holes.

That's what I would normally check, the caps, but the head has been disassembled and the caps were kind of just sitting there, no way of knowing where they originally sat.

I've been told that the head can be reversed so if you turn a front head around it becomes a rear head basically. I seriously hope this is true.

**stealthee** · 10-19-2010, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by steve68

They're the same.

Steve

No. The rear head on a 93+ has the mounting location for the CAS. The front head does not. They are not the same.

**Blurr** · 10-19-2010, 07:40 PM

Ugh, frustrating conflicting information.

I have one head from a '94, it's totally stripped down so I can't tell what's what.

Stealthee, are you sure that the 94+ heads still have the CAS sensor mounting location? I'm being told by other people otherwise, that with 94+ heads, you can use them on either side because they're identical.

**stealthee** · 10-19-2010, 08:01 PM

No, one 91-92 you can you use them on either, but not on 93+.

**Mean Green** · 10-19-2010, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by stealthee

No, one 91-92 you can you use them on either, but not on 93+.

I got 2 sets of 93 heads here and they are identical.

**stealthee** · 10-19-2010, 09:42 PM

Hmmm. I must be remembering different then. I could have sworn there was a difference. I guess I could have went to my garage and looked and the 93 engine sitting on the floor to find out for sure. I'll take your word for it and note it for future reference.