Has anybody on here done an engine head swap? I know for Japanese engines (such as the 1JZ and 2JZ) you can swap the heads on these motors. Does it work the same for the Volvo engine family or not?

 

Yes, but you will have to pay attention to details. Not all heads are the same.

 

Do you have any information about the different RNC T5 (B5254T3, B5254T4, B52_4T_, - B5254T14) engine specs? I am mostly interested in the differences in the cylinder head interchange info, camshaft specs, manifolds, turbos, and flow information. Also, any differences in the bottom end that could be worth mentioning. I currently have a B5254T3 that needs a head gasket, at the very least, and since I am removing the head I will also be replacing everything I can while I have it apart. I will be using a timing belt and water pump kit from an R series to get better coolant flow and I would like to know about other parts that could be swapped to improve the performance, especially if I end up needing a head. I have tried to start a thread showing the differences but it is a slow moving thread. I think this info could be very useful to many other Volvo owners who want improvements when doing repairs. I did try starting a thread on this topic but not much information has been added yet.

 

The main differences, as far as I know, is whether the head is set up for variable valve timing or not. A turbo head is different than a non-turbo.

The only thing that I can tell you is to find out what casting number is used on your engine and go from there. The only reliable source of data is probably your dealer.