If you do the key on and off 3 times thing, you should be able to bring codes up on your odometer. When mine started to go, it would give me a dead pedal everyonce in awhile and log the 216 code. I finally just replaced the VP before it completely died on me.

 

The block and head are virtually the same aside from an extra water passage in the head (check out a CR mls gasket compared to a 24v one) and the rocker cover is cast over on a CR motor instead of having a cover to reduce noise and increase some strength. The piston bowls are more open on a CR compared to a 24v. ( Factory does run more boost in a CR than a 24v) The oil jets are bolt on insread of being pressed in. So you must use CR pistons in CR block unless you trim your 24v pistons. The rods on a CR are also a fracture cap instead of being machined (strength) The injectors are the same, If you look at a CR injector it's a 24 valve one with a solenoid on top. I Have a 2005 CR long block in my 2001 24v. just swapped parts over like the fuel system and front cover. The a/t cooler on a CR is also on the left side so it leaves room for twins. A 48re and a 47re are the same transmission aside from some internals so you just use the transmission lines from a third gen a on a second gen and everything looks factory.