TheAMCForum.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > The Garage > AMC 6 Cylinder Engine Repair and Modifications
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - OHV head to L-head?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Click for TheAMCForum Rules / Click for PDF version of Forum Rules
Your donations help keep this valuable resource free and growing. Thank you.

OHV head to L-head?

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
330inthemorning View Drop Down
AMC Nut
AMC Nut
Avatar

Joined: Mar/25/2019
Location: AZ
Status: Offline
Points: 276
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 330inthemorning Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: OHV head to L-head?
    Posted: Mar/25/2019 at 4:43pm
i have a stock 1964 195.6 OHV engine in my american.  hypothetically speaking, is it possible to fit an L-head onto my engine?  what all is involved besides changing out the head and manifolds?  

i'm probably going to eventually build my 199 and upgrade it, but i'm curious about this "pre-upgrade downgrade."  i've always been fascinated with side-valve engines.


Edited by 330inthemorning - Mar/25/2019 at 4:58pm
Back to Top
tomj View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Jan/27/2010
Location: earth
Status: Offline
Points: 7522
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/25/2019 at 8:16pm
i enjoy and encourage your twisted state of mind. alas, no. there's open air where the valve seats, ports, etc would be. the head bolt pattern is all wrong (the OHV bolt pattern is a hash job, "make it do"). probably other issues. the casting changed, more or less above the side access covers.

as consolation, you could install two distributors on the OHV. well one might hit the exhaust manifold.

though i havent done any exhaustiv research, i always thought that an older Nash OHV head would be nifty. but the good nash sixes are seven mains.

(now the Tornado engine, in another thread, has four mains; but i suspect the cylinders areen't siamesed. OK now i'm gonna go ask :-)

1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

Back to Top
farna View Drop Down
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Avatar
Moderator Lost Dealership Project

Joined: Jul/08/2007
Location: South Carolina
Status: Offline
Points: 19610
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/29/2019 at 6:01am
What Tom is alluding to, is that the block castings are different for the 196 OHV and L-head. When AMC converted the L-head to OHV they changed the block casting on the right side. Metal was removed where the valves were on the L-head -- the top right corner was changed. Everything from the camshaft down is the same, as is the front of the engine, so all parts interchange EXCEPT the valve related parts (lifters up). L-head lifters have adjusters on them and directly contact the valve, OHV lifters have a recess in the end to hold the pushrod, so lifters don't interchange.

Technically the camshafts WILL interchange, but they are ground a lot differently and neither engine would run right (maybe not at all!) with the wrong camshaft grind.The L-head cam would have way too much lift for the OHV engine, OHV not enough for the L-head.There has been some speculation on using a reground L-head cam to get more lift in the OHV engine, but the little 196 probably wouldn't benefit from more lift than you can get from a reground OHV cam.


Edited by farna - Mar/29/2019 at 6:04am
Frank Swygert
Back to Top
tomj View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Jan/27/2010
Location: earth
Status: Offline
Points: 7522
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/30/2019 at 11:41pm
umm, what frank said. much better than me.

i really want a flat head cam to look at. if anyone has one but isn't sure, i can measure lobe height on an OHV cam i have to compare.

1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.078 seconds.
All content of this site Copyright © 2018 TheAMCForum unless otherwise noted, all rights reserved.
PROBLEMS LOGGING IN or REGISTERING:
If you have problems logging in or registering, then please contact a Moderator or