I quite often get asked about cylinder heads. Here's how to identify a "1500" cylinder head.
In the above photo, there are two shiny areas; I cleaned them off specially with an abrasive paper. On that little pads should be an identification letter, as follows:-
L = low compression,
H = high compression,
GT = a GT head.
Other things to look out for in this view are the rings which locate the GT exhaust manifold. (Only one is shown in the lower head, which is a GT head). The rings are located in ports 2 and 7, numbering from the thermostat housing end. If the metal rings are missing you can still check for a recess in the ports where the rings should go.
Note also that there are two holes leading into the thermostat housing on the GT head. The lower hole is for the water temperature sensor, the upper hole is used to connect a water hose to the water-heated inlet manifold. UPDATED:- SEE BELOW **
These holes can be seen more clearly in the next photo, below.
The only other thing to look out for are the numbers. Underneath the thermostat housing you will find a 113E number for a 1200cc L or H head, while on a 1500 head you will find a 116E number.
The part numbers are as follows, but are virtually useless, see the Updates, below:-
113E 6085 A high compression head for 1198cc engine, from 9/62 until 64/2. This head was replaced by 113E 6085 C.
113E 6085 B low compression head for 1198cc engine from 9/62 until 64/2.
113E 6085 C high compression head for 1198cc engine from 2/64 onwards.
113E 6085 D low compression head for 1198cc engine from 2/64 onwards.
116E 6085 A high compression head for 1498cc engine from 9/62 until 64/4. This head was replaced by 116E 6085 D.
116E 6085 B low compression head for 1498cc engine from 9/62 until 64/4. This head was replaced by 116E 6085 E.
116E 6085 D high compression head for 1498cc engine from 4/64 onwards.
116E 6085 E low compression head for 1498cc engine from 4/64 onwards.
116E 6085 F head for GT 1498cc engine from 3/63 onwards.
Update-1:- Thanks to the efforts of Craig Thomas, and Roger Raisey of the MK1 Cortina Owners Club we can add the following data:-
The above photo shows an early GT head. It is stamped GT on the pad on top of the head, but only has one hole under the thermostat housing. This is the early head used from 3/63 to 9/63. It has a brass "Y" piece adapter for the fat temperature sender and water take-off for the heated manifold. It has number 116E 6050 F. The later two-hole head has the number 116E 6050 J.
Update-2:- All the above part numbers become useless, because the heads actually have a CASTING number (6050) on them as in the above paragraph. So the later, two-hole GT head has 116E 6050 J on it.
(I didn't know any of this until I started researching the subject. Thanks to Roger Raisey for the complete explanation!)
Of course, if you know something else I could add to this information, let me know.
Page last modified on:- 03 October, 2006