Okay, I have a 1989 Z24 Convertible Cavy that is completely stock. I want to swap the motor before I get into any real work on the car. I was looking toward getting a 1994 Oldsmobile Achieva 4-banger motor for this car before I started work on it but that would have been pretty much just a body swap. Now I'm lookin at a 1990 Beretta GTZ 4-banger motor for it, and I'm not sure if that will go any better.

Basically with this motor swap, I want a few things:
1 - Better Milage (2.3L 4-banger is much better milage than my car)
2 - More power (The Z24 Cavy is rated at 125HP on MSN Autos)
3 - More Room (The V6 Cavy motor is huge, and leaves no room for work)
4 - More Options (I have yet to find an air intake for a 89 Z24, etc.)

Any help would do, and the easier the swap, the better (meaning no tranny swap is better than having to do one, pretty much a clean swap is what I'm after but to a 4 banger I need a new computer)

Thanks for any help

ware are you located
i might b intrasted in the v6

what a bout a 2.3 2.4 hybrid

I'm in southern Saskatchewan, Canada

I highly doubt its possible but if someone wants to do it I could do an even trade or sell my motor to buy the GTZ motor then I'd be goin. Thing is I have no idea how much it'd cost me to get the GTZ motor, or if anyone is willing to do an even trade

If you can find a GTZ with a good motor and trans thats all you need. All of the GTZ subframe and trans/axels will bolt right into the cavy body fine.
The GTZ subframe will need to be swapped in, it has a motor mount on it, the cavy one does not.

The trans will have to be swapped, the Quad 4 uses a different bell housing than the V6.
You'll also have to swap all the wiring and computer. And i don't think you'll ever get the cavalier gauge cluster to work right with the new computer/wiring. but it might be possible to have the guages recalibrated.
i assume you know about and have read about the 3400 engine swap going on these days. V6 motor is a little big bigger but i dont see that as a reason to not run it.. While you have the motor out replace the inner tie rod bushings .. thats the only thing you reall ever need to fool with on the firewall. The 3400 will retain your current transmission and subframe/wiring/computer/gauges/ etc.

GO here for info http://www.domesticcrew.com

how much HP are they pushin stock, and how much milage will I get? I cant seem to find it on there

the 3400 is rated at 185hp and i think almost 200ft/lb torque. the HO quad 4 is 180hp and 160 ft/lb. a 3400 would eat a HO quad 4 for lunch off the line and probly hold it off.

a big thing to look at is reliability as well. the HO quad 4 isnt the most reliable motor. they are known for head gasket problems, and arent the easyest motor to work on. bout the only big problem with the 3400 is lower intake gaskets, and there is an update for those.

on a side note, my buddy just finnished his HO quad 4 swap in his 90 cavy (with 87 front end). he drove it for about 3 hours, and it developed a rod knock and the oil was full of metal.

So basically all I do is swap a motor from a monte carlo or Lumina MPV van? The site is extremely confusing.

the 3400 swap sounds awesome but I also want to know if it's better or worse on milage because I can barely handle what my car guzzles as it is. And also, is it just some minor part swaps like the overhead cams or gaskets, or is it just take the whole motor from one car and stick it into another?

I'm lookin forward to this 3400 now though, sounds like alot of power but the GTZ motor is still packing 190hp and 23 mpg in the city, whereas my car is getting roughly.... 14mpg city.

gtz is packing 180hp. the very rare quad 4 W41 motor only in achiva SCX cars has 195hp.

if your car is getting 14mpg, something is wrong. you should be getting over 20 if you drive fairly normal (no lead foot). a 3400 will get about the same as a 2.8/3/1 but 14mpg is way the hell off base.

I figured that, MSN automotive (although unreliable apparently) rates it at about 17mpg.
I also noticed my rear right tire had no tread on the outside but in the middle there was plenty of grip so I'm guessing my tires are under-inflated, which is very likely part of the problem. My car is also about 1,400 miles overdue for an oil change.. I need money :-(

I cant wait until next year when the UBER-payroll hits

if you have a good running 2.8/3.1 the 3400 should get similar mpg, im getting about 21mpg city/highway(alot of traffic), best so far was 25mpg, also the 3400 was dynoed, not mine over on 60degreev6.com at 163hp and 179TQ to the wheels, with a 5 speed u should be able to pull a high 14 low 15 with a stock 3400. Also you can get a pretty low mile engine for not that much, i paid 950 shipped for my engine 2000 Alero 3400 with 1500 miles on it.

You still wont find an intake thats a direct swap for either engine for pretty cheap. I got a prelude CAI(43 bux) for mine and i made 2 CAI's out of it, 1 for my 3400 and one for a friends 2.8L

wait a minute, so you're thinking of doing an engine swap from a v6, to a 4 cylinder.... for fuel economy?? That's f-ing retarded. You want fuel economy i've got a 91 Ford Festiva that'll get 45-50 mpg, you can have it for $300.




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sharkey wrote:gtz is packing 180hp. the very rare quad 4 W41 motor only in achiva SCX cars has 195hp.

if your car is getting 14mpg, something is wrong. you should be getting over 20 if you drive fairly normal (no lead foot). a 3400 will get about the same as a 2.8/3/1 but 14mpg is way the hell off base.

204 W41 packages went into Olds Calais', And Ive know some went into early 90's Grand Ams too as I nearly bought one but was outbid at the last few seconds.


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Jersey, I said I'm considering swapping to a 4 cyl motor not only for fuel economy, but for more power, more room, and more options. I've also considered selling my cav for a friends standard 5-speed Beretta because his car's getting some godly milage (travelled about 700 miles on $12 of gas) whereas my car gets UBER crap milage (74 miles on $20 of gas) Gas prices are expensive too here (91.9 cents per litre, or about $3.60 per gallon)