My buddy's wife has just acquired a 1984 that had a warped head. The mechanic had removed the original head and tossed it out and was going to put on a different head. He found that the bolt pattern was a little different and the replacement head would not fit. The car then sat in the homeowners garage for 3 years until he and his wife bought it. I had mentioned pennocks and how people on here really know their stuff so I told him I would ask around.
Does anyone know if there were different 2.5 engines in 84? If so, how would we go about locating the head for his engine? The car only has 60,000 on it and it is in excellent condition except for the warped head problem. I think if we can find and purchase the correct fitting head that the car could be started and driven. It was running when the original the head was pulled.
I was told that there were two engines, the R and the U letter on the VIN the U was the earlier 84 engine?
Thank you for any advice.

------------------
pat moody

[This message has been edited by handymanpat (edited 02-23-2020).]

The problem with '84s is that there was a recall and many engines were replaced. It is highly likely that your engine is the '85 version and not original to the car. There were many heads made for the Iron Duke, so some photos and trial and error will probably be necessary.

[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 02-23-2020).]

That makes perfect sense! I had an 84 and I got the engine replaced under the recall, I had 96,000 on it and the dealership said that if I had hit 100,000 it would have been out of warranty!
My friend said that he had thought that maybe his engine had been changed out but with so little miles on the car that seemed odd.
Would you have any suggestion as to where to acquire a head for that engine? We could take photos of the bolt pattern and see what we could find. Are you thinking that this might be a head that we would need to locate off a 2.5 from an entirely different car other than a fiero?
I’ve been trying to read up on it, I want to help them out but i am not sure what to do that would help.
Thanks Pat

------------------
pat moody

Most likely GM put in a Fiero engine.....but it is GM after all. If the ICM on the engine looks like this, it is an '84.

Thanks. I will let him know.

There may be a serial number/date of manufacture on the block......Most car companies do this...Not sure where to look on a duke....

That’s what he figured but he has looked and looked.
I will ask him to research where to find that number and to get it written down, then we can try and go off that.
That is a great idea!
Thanks for letting me know.

------------------
pat moody

https://web.archive.org/web...om/CylinderHead.html

Haha! Yes, this will help!
I will get this information to him!
I like how at the top it states that many variations were made to to make sure about selecting the correct head.
Thanks!