Early and Late 2.4L cam interchangability?

[BadAssPerformance]

I've been 8v all my turbo-mopar life and trying to learn about the 16v stuff... like cams!

I have been told that the SRT-4 cams will not work in the early heads, how come?

What are the differences between the Early (like my '97 2.4L head) and the late (like an SRT-4 2.4L head) with respect to camshafts?

[turboshad]

Nothing from what I know. 2.0l cams are sometimes considered an upgrade for SRT4s which come from the same head as the 2.4 NA cams. The only head differences I know of are the exhaust ports, an oil passage at the HG side and bolt holes for the intake and VC.

DJ

[contraption22]

The cams are physically interchangable as DJ said. If you were running factory electronics, you would have to do some trickery to get different cams to work.

You can use 2.0 cams in a late 2.4 with no cam sensor issues.
To put 2.0 cams in an early 2.4, you have to do a little work with the cam sensor magnet.

[BadAssPerformance]

I knew about the cam sensor but thats not an issue with my setup. What about the timing pulley side?

[contraption22]

I knew about the cam sensor but thats not an issue with my setup. What about the timing pulley side?

Use whatever you're using now.

[SebringLX]

JT, get one of these cams: http://www.briancrower.com/makes/dodge/srt4.shtml
Or these from his daddy: http://www.crower.com/cat/domestic/chrysler/neon_camshafts.shtml

Whenever I have enough money to get this spare head I have laying around done, I will have one of those cams put in, probably the BC Stage 2's, as I think those would be a good match for what I have.

[BadAssPerformance]

Sounds cool... thanks guys :thumb:

How about rockers?

EDIT: :rockon: LOL...

[SebringLX]

Sounds cool... thanks guys :thumb:

How about rockers?

EDIT: :rockon: LOL...
Use these: http://www.howellautomotive.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=230

I think that is the part that is supposed to help get rid of the valve tick too, but I can't remember.

[BadAssPerformance]

Wow, thats pricy, how much better are they than stockers?

[turboshad]

Wow, thats pricy, how much better are they than stockers?

Some 2.7l rockers are also an upgrade as are the PT lifters.

[BadAssPerformance]

I've heard that, but why? have 2.4L rockers and lifters been known to break?

[contraption22]

I've heard that, but why? have 2.4L rockers and lifters been known to break?

Yes, in very high RPM and cornering situations, the pre 2000-earlier stuff has been known to fail. You may or may not ever have an issue. 2001-up stuff is better.

[contraption22]

From Neons.org:

A lot of interest has been generated by a recent article in one of the Mopar magazines regarding an upgrade to the Neon DOHC's valve train. The 2.0L DOHC engine suffers from oil aeration issues that adversely affect engine performance. The 2.0L OEM lifters trap this aerated oil and fail to pump up properly negatively affecting engine performance at high RPM usage. The 2.0L OEM rocker arms also tend to develop longitudinal cracks at speeds at or above 7400 RPM. This usually isn't an issue until a missed shift occurs or an aftermarket computer is installed.

The good news is that the current OEM 2.4L/2.7L DOHC valve train components offer a direct swap for Neon 2.0L DOHC motors. The latest 2.4L/2.7L DOHC valve train incorporates bleed holes in the lifters for the aerated oil and also incorporates a stronger rocker arm design. These parts are also superceded in service channels making these upgrades legal for stock class competition like SCCA showroom stock club racing or Solo II. The old 2.0L DOHC valve train is no longer available for purchase.

The list price on the parts amounts to over $400.00. Fenton offers wholesale pricing on these parts to make the upgrade economical. Sixteen rocker arms (04792295AB) and sixteen hydraulic lash adjusters (04777976AA) are required for the upgrade. The price breakdown is as follows:

[turboshad]

Here are the pics I was looking for when I posted. They are courtesy of Jack's Dodge on a thread at td.com.

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/10/l_ebd2debb8400498e83c5d865c30e9027.jpg

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/20/l_0d2ccd747bd645d9b84e2e3e3216b4fb.jpg


Somewhere there are some side shots as well but I can't seem to find them again. The PT and 2.7l rockers are a bit beefier. The PT's have the oil hole coming straight out and the 2.7l spray the oil back towards the cam.

[SebringLX]

PT seems to be the ones everybody goes for.

The head I have laying around is from a 2005 Stratus, should be the same parts. Not sure how many miles on it... I don't know if any head builders would require those parts to be there on the core or not... I haven't looked into it that much, since it seems having a head professional built is going to cost $1500-2000, it's not something I'll be doing any time soon.

Anyway, I figure all that stuff would be replaced when having a race head built... so if you want I can sell you those parts off this head cheap. I think I mostly just need the bare head to get ported, and everything else would be replaced anyway.

[inmyshadow]

Yeap, I'm running 2.0 cams in my 2.4 neon. I had to cut the nipples off the cam magnet and rotate it. The 2.0 stock cams really opened up my topend. My neon sounds like a honda now.

I'm also running the 2gen lifter/rockers in my neon. The shadow has the 2gen lifters working my 8Vs.

Really the only thing to know. Match the head to the block. So either choose a 1gen or 2gen 2.4 motor. Besides what has been said, there was a major electronics change around 2002. Chrysler relocated the crank sensor to the front of the motor.

Everything else from all years bolts on to each generation of the motor. That means you can take a 1st gen 2.4 and build a turbo motor using SRT4 parts.

Some neon owners are actually building 1gen motors using turbododge rods because they are easier to find and reuse compared to SRT4 rods.



later



To put 2.0 cams in an early 2.4, you have to do a little work with the cam sensor magnet.

[glhs0426]

For 2.4L camshafts: In 2001 the lobe profile was changed on the 2.4L camshafts to ease the loads encountered by the timing belt, however, the duration and lift did not change.

I know what your thinking, "How can the duration and lift stay the same if the lobe profile changed?" That's the same question I asked the engineer. He told me to think about two camshafts with the same profile but one is used in a solid application and the other is used for a hydraulic application. This just started his explaination.

What it boils down to is the earlier 2.4L camshaft is better in a performance application than a 2001 or later application.

Call Bullet Cams in Memphis. They have reground a few cams to performance profiles with good results. I'm cheap.

John

[Jack's Dodge]

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/50/l_32737bbebb6740a396044b4b38978052.jpg

Not the best pic but the humps on the rear of the lash adjuster keep it in place at high rpms. The 1G style had been known to break off.

Better late than never.