20v / 16v compatibility

[thorns]

Have been offered a 20v engine in what we will call unknown condition (was running when purchased 7-8 years ago) for the price of a few beers.

Engine would be a winter project pulling it apart and looking over, and potentially rebuilt if I felt inspired for another project. Currently my AW11 has the early 3 rib block, so the 7rib with the revised crank design is of interest if I wanted to build a tweaked 4age, by all accounts its stronger, and also have better options / support for conrods and pistons etc Question is, on a rebuild, could you take the 20v block and crank, install 16v pistons, and then bolt up my current 16v head to the block? Idea would be in the meantime I could play around with some cams in my current running car if I wanted, and any money spent of parts could be reused if I did go with the rebuilt newer block and crank.

[*84vvt]

Silver top or black top?
Don't bother pulling it a part if you plan on rebuilding it
Just drip it off at your engine reconditioners and have them do the work
go for rings and bearings , first if to far gone new pistons
the 16 V head will bolt on to the silver top bottom end.
it will run very well.

[thorns]

Silvertop.

Would you swap everything like oil pump, water pump from the current running and good condition 4age in it at the moment?
Also, would this mean I wouldn't need to mess around with re wiring the car and installing a 20v ECU?

[*84vvt]

You should be able to run the later (20V) oil pump "'Its better "
if running the 16 v head run the 16 v ECU,
I haven't done this swap but Michael Alforte has , he may be able to help out a bit more.

[mik995px]

A bit of a late reply, but yes I do have a 16v head on a reconditioned 20V silvertop bottom end. Pretty much bolt on really. I thing the AC brackets might be different. I removed my AC system so it was not a problem for me. I'm using pistons for a 20V so it's pretty much an interference engine at this point pretty sure.

[85AW20v]

Standard 20v ST is non-interference. BT is interference.