95 cylinder head fit my 94?

[sluginxlt]

my 94 ranger has a burnt valve and im debating getting new valves and seats done but is saw a clean lower mileage 1995 ranger at a local junkyard that i could pull the head for like 35 bucks. ive read there is some differnces in heads over the years and ebay list rebuilt heads that fit 89-94 and then 95-0?. so is there a difference that will make the 95 head not work on my 94?

 

[tomw]

Read herethe first listing in this forum)
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9

Scroll on down to: Heads-
and read. The heads will bolt up, but the question is ignition system and cam signals. The older system will not need the signal from the cam sensor on the head(95) if it has a sensor mounted in the block in place of the distributor, from what I understand, though I would surely take a look. If you can operate your 1994 ignition without any head sensor input, it should bolt in place. I think.
tom

 

[adsm08]

95 didn't have a cam sensor on the head.

The combustion chambers are different. In 95 the combustion chamber in the head was made smaller and the dish in the piston larger. If you run a 95 head on a 94 short block with a 94 computer you will over-heat and crack heads.

 

[tomw]

I thought the pistons were all 'flat heads'. Reading, did not see any indication of a dish or dome. If the combustion chamber is smaller, and the pistons have the same stroke/bore, then the effective compression ratio would increase. The Lima is not noted for producing a lot of heat, so what would cause over-heating and cracked heads?
tom

add... After posting, I remembered a Pontiac Tempest 'slant-4', one-half of a 389 Pontiac V8, that I bought and fixed while in school. The factory engine had low mileage, but was sludged and ate a rod bearing, so I bought a 'donor' from a scrap yard at iron by the pound price. Threw it in the trunk, and limped home.
Made a Frankenstein engine from the two, and ended up with head from one, block/pistons from the other. Smaller chambers, same piston size/stroke, etc. That thing did not want to crank over, and my battery was not the best, but it sure liked moving to Boulder, CO, where the mile-high air was a bit thinner. Never had overheating problems as long as I owned it. YMwV. will.
tom

 

[adsm08]

Sorry, I was thinking 4 liter, not 4-cyl.

 

[enjr44]

Sorry, I was thinking 4 liter, not 4-cyl.

Sounds like my Napa guy, asked for a part for a 4.0. Got part for a 4 cyl.