2.3L ('83-'97) cylinder head compatibility

[GRNRANGR]

having some compression issues with my '97 2.3 xl took cylinder head off to get resurfaced, machine shop says its no bueno, cant resurface.
find a junk yard '96 2.3 xlt. great condition. get it home and cleaned up and install it.

no start. engine will crank but not fire up.
removed sparkplugs from one side and they were wet and smelled like gas.

i was stupid enough to not check the vin (but can still get it) and did all that work and was not leaving that junk yard empty handed.
old head is still; at machine shop. not sure if it is the same part number.

auto zone had the replacement head numbered 2fm1 and this new head is not.
be gentle
(p.s. i originally took it to the mechanic at the corner of my street, moe, i will not be doing any business there again. as the lucky ones that have had the opportunity to work on the 2.3L "lima" engine know all to well that it isn't an easy task to disassemble and reassemble. long story short. i got my truck back missing gaskets and bolts and turned every way but right.... just a fyi)

 

[scotts90ranger]

I'm pretty sure mid '95 to '01 should be compatible, the last changes to the heads that I have heard of are the removal of the coolant port into the intake manifold and the smaller valve guides for the smaller valve stems about that time.

Did you get the aux pulley timed right? With the cam sensor they really care about that, I've seen that they don't want to start at all if that's even a tooth off...

 

[GRNRANGR]

aux pully/ is that on the timimng belt or ..?

 

[GRNRANGR]

I'm pretty sure mid '95 to '01 should be compatible, the last changes to the heads that I have heard of are the removal of the coolant port into the intake manifold and the smaller valve guides for the smaller valve stems about that time.

Did you get the aux pulley timed right? With the cam sensor they really care about that, I've seen that they don't want to start at all if that's even a tooth off...

if you are talking about the timing belt, funny thing is ive done it multiple time over the last 5 months and even with a tooth off it always started.
but maybe i am a tooth off because when i let the tensioner go back tight both the oil pump and cam sprocket moved but at the same time so in my mind that means the crankshaft must of moved also, which means in my mind that it is still "in time"

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, the aux pulley is the one that's like the cam pulley but lower, it's what the oil pump is ran off of and what the cam sensor is mounted on