Hey everyone im new here at jbo. I have a 97 2.2l cavalier and its all factory but i can decide to either just rebuild the 2.2 stronger and hotter or swap. if i swap what would be a good swap 2.4 or ecotec or what? Just curious i dont want to wait till the motor goes out then decide lol Can anyone help?
2.4 will be easier in a '97. Your current engine has some potential though, depending on your goals. What do you want to get out of your car?
fortune cookie say: better a delay than a disaster
^^^ This... either build your 2200 and boost it... or swap the 2.4 ...
the eco swap is gonna be a pain in the ass for your year and is very comparable to the 2.4. (the eco comes 10 less horsepower out of the box than the 2.4)
As far as what i wanna get out of my car is im leaning more toward acceleration than top speed but if i can get the best of both worlds that would be good too. I do want to put a turbo on it after the motor is rebuilt.
str8clownin wrote:As far as what i wanna get out of my car is im leaning more toward acceleration than top speed but if i can get the best of both worlds that would be good too. I do want to put a turbo on it after the motor is rebuilt.
What type of racing do you want to build for? Which transmission do you have? What is your budget? What tools are available to you? What is your skill level?
fortune cookie say: better a delay than a disaster
as far as budget goes i dont have a huge budget so if i gotta wait for money to save to build it right i will do that. Tools arent a problem i got friends and thier shops to work with if needed. I dont plan on racing but if i did it would just be 1/4 mile maybe 1/8 but i doubt it. Tranny is a 3 speed i believe its over at my other garage right now i havent drove it for a min lol. And skill level is pretty good i just wanna talk to the people that have done this many time so i can have an idea. Ive always swapped motors that was the same havent done one that is diff in both cars does that make sense. on a level of 1-10 id say im about a 7.5 or 8
i'd swap a 5 speed in, unless you have a preference for the automatic
Alright straight line racing with a 3-spd.
Boost will definitely be required, as your cam selection is limited by the trans gearing.
What kind of a 1/4-mile time are you shooting for? On what tires? Vehicle weight?
fortune cookie say: better a delay than a disaster
Not sure what the weight will be yet since its still a daily driver lol as far as time as quick as possible and still be street legal.
V6 swap on top of that 3spd. The massive torque increase should get it moving.
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
str8clownin wrote:Not sure what the weight will be yet since its still a daily driver lol as far as time as quick as possible and still be street legal.
Well, if you just want to go fast in a straight line, and you're not going to be loading it down with a large stereo of something, I'd just boost the 2.2L. 250whp should fine enough to get you moving, and you won't have to crack the engine open. Get HPTuners and do a top-feed conversion. HPTuners will be useful even if you swap, and a top-feed is cheap. After these two, you can start gathering turbo system components.
fortune cookie say: better a delay than a disaster
