well, ive owned two of these things (89 and 90 dodge caravan) with the turbo motor. and by far one of my favorite cars. just something about walking civics and mustangs in a caravan makes me smile. but anyways. i was looking at some old pictures the other day and it finally struck me. the intake and exhaust manifold are on the same side of the head. now im not very flow bench experienced but wouldnt this be an awful design for air flow? i have never seen another motor with this awful design. if someone could shed some light on any pros and cons to the head design. or what could of possibly been going on in thier heads when building this.

 

That is how most older cam-in-block, inline engines were designed.

 

Yep I think the Stratus I did the water pump on was like that too

 

My 50 buick I8 is like that, ya must not have worked on many engines.

Worst one I think is the chevy I6 with the intake cast as part of the head. No upgrading and they always crack. Or the toy 22re where as soon as the timing gets the smallest slack it wears a hole into a water jacket. Maybe the cast iron 60 degree GM that breath like a drowning kid with asthma.

 

Had that i6 intake issue with my dads Chevy pickup,who thinks these stupid designs up, automotive engineers I know, but really......just my 2cents...

 

this is a true statement lol i usually only stick to the engines i know how to work on like mitsubishis and hondas (except my blazer) i just found it odd about the design. and how someone would think it would be a good idea to stick both manifolds right next to eachother... lol i honestly dont know what a cam-in block is. well i probably do. just couldnt point out which ic which without taking the rocker cover off.

 

Try putting yourself in their shoes with casting technology that was available back in the day. On a modern engine, there sure should be better ways to package things, but even so, a cam-in-block design limits choices for packaging. With modern overhead cam engines, packaging becomes much easier which opens up flow and is primarily why these engines are much more efficient now than they were back then.

 

I hate hondas, had 2 exact same models with supposed to be the same exact engines one was a 81 the other (parts car) was a 80 and the heads, intake, exhaust was completely different. Guess what parts I needed.....

 

lol hondas change oh so slightly over the years. like say an f22a1 head off an early 90s accord and a f22a2 head off the same year but different model accord. wont be the same. but what i like about honda is most head to blocks are completely interchangeable with no problems. creating a Frankenstein motor. like a f22a1 head on a f22b1 block. or a h22a1 head on a f22b1 block. the possibilities are endless. so your head probably would of interchanged. just needed the right gasket ha.

 

Oh i made it work just had to swap the entire top end.

I still have the 81, been looking at dropping the b16a out of my grandmas accord station wagon in it when she retires that car. She been wanting my noma so i might trade it to her for the car.