I need to do a valve job on my 1979 ford 1300 xflow. I found a complete 1600 head not too far from me. Are 1300 and 1600 heads interchangable. Will all the manifolds work? If not are the valves and guides the same so I can rebuild my old one? Tks Russ

I think that the block is the same but the stroke is different and the piston crowns have a different "cup" in the tops.
1600 might have bigger valves that might require different clearences on the piston crowns of the 1300.
It is such a long time since I worked on one of these
I am sure someone will be along soon with the answer.

[Edited on 13/8/2008 by nitram38]

Basically the 1300 and 1600 head are physically the same. The Standard 1600 head has the same valve sizes as the 1300 only the GT head has larger valves. To make a high compression 1600 the method used was to use 1300 pistons so which ever head it is you should be ok. You just need to check that the valve cut outs in the pistons are large enough for the valves in the head you are going to fit.

[Edited on 13/8/08 by BillHoll]

^^^^ WOT they say.

externally the 1600 block is about 40 mm taller and internally has longer con rods as well as the piston differences mentioned.

I put a tweaked 1600 head on my 1300 and it performed admirably - just over 80bhp according to the local rollers...

Chap said "bit down on power for a 1600". When I said it was a 1300 he said "oh...not half bad then"

Further, there are early AND late versions of each head. one variety has a 'Flat' head face with the valves seats are flush on the head face and then there are pocketed heads where the valves are recessed in a slight chamber.
Make sure you swap like for like.
If you want to make it 'go' faster I believe that it is possible to drop the 1100 pistons in the 1300. this take the compression ratio up to somewhere around 11:1

I know of one person who built a real screamer of a 1300 engine by using an 1100 crank, oversize pistons (to get 1300cc) and a twin cam head with piper RDA fuel injection. This was alll lightened & balanced reving to 1300rpm. Huge power for a 1300.