ok....I have thought about things all weekend, have decided to do an engine swap. I'm not looking for performance so really whatever engine (2.2 or 2.4) I can get that will fit in my car. I have a 1997 Chevy Cavalier 2.2 Auto. I am wondering, will a 1998 2.2 fit in there? If if will, will I have to change the computer, and trans, and motor mounts? I thought that from 1995-1999 the engines were basically the same, and that they were almost interchangable. Just curious what the whole engine swap will entail. I can get a 1998 2.2 for $500. Will this bolt right up, or is there some @!#$ I gotta do?
I don't mean to come off as a dick but swapping a 2.2 engine for a 2.2 engine really won't do anything for you unless your current engine has a lot of miles on it. Personally, I would put the 2.4L in, there is a noticable amount of power difference. I'm not saying the 2.2 engine doesn't have power potential though. Good luck making your decision.
Like I said in my first post, I'm not lookin for performance. I am just lookin to get my car running
the motors from 95-97 are the same. In 98 they changed.
You will just need to swap the motor and the ECU. Everything else should be relatively the same.
Good luck with the swap.
thanks, I already started it, and the engineis just about ready to come out. Just gotta remove the drive axles and then it should come out
ha ha, cool, before you put in the new motor, you should port the head. and don't the 98 2.2's have roller rockers? hella cool!! are you replacing the tranny too?? $500 seems like alot for a 2.2 engine, unless it has like 30k.
My Sunfire
I am considering changing the transmission to a 5-Speed while I have it all apart. From what I understand just about everything bolts up, you have to weld a new mount in, but other than that I can't see anything that would need to change. Can you guys give me any idea of what I would be getting into there, I searched but just found a guy getting his ass reamed for being an idiot. I found a 2.4L Twin Cam I4, with a 5-speed, with the computer and everything, will i have to use my computer or the engines computer? Can I use the wiring harness I have, or do I need to use the one that comes with the engine? Is this a good idea, or bad?
Sorry to funkz24 I didn't mean to be an ass, and it looks like I am going in the direction of a 2.4 anywayz.
If you go the route of the 2.4 you have a lil more work ahead of you.
You will have to get a tranmission from a 2.4, and use the wiring from a 2.4, also the axles themselves will need to be replaced.
Basically everything under the hood will have to be replaced.
If you go that route, have fun.
ok, now what if I just use the regular 2.2L engine but swap out the tranny for a 5speed, what work would that entail? And now to the drive axle's come out, I haven't really looked at them, just curious as to what is ahead of me to get them out
If you go manual tranny .. you need a manual tranny ECM, and the intermediate shaft from that tranny .. your other axles will work just fine. You will also need the shift cables, shifter, and most likely the gauge cluster for the tach and the speedo reading. I think the rear tranny mount needs to be relocated as well, the front should be fine.
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Hit 200 NA it broke once, Hit 213 it broke again,
Hitting 300 NA is further away than I thought.
yeah, I think I am jsut gonna go with a regular automatic transmission, just stick with what the car was made with.....just a new engine, thanks for all the input.
Sam Howe wrote:yeah, I think I am jsut gonna go with a regular automatic transmission, just stick with what the car was made with.....just a new engine, thanks for all the input.
Smart idea. If you are just wanting to fix the car, no reason to gut it out and make the work harder for you than it already is.
While you have the motor out though, you can do some nice work to it for some good gains.
Port and Polish, three angle valve job.
Get some roller rocker arms as well.
While you are at it, get a full exhaust and intake going.
Good luck.
dazink wrote:
Smart idea. If you are just wanting to fix the car, no reason to gut it out and make the work harder for you than it already is.
While you have the motor out though, you can do some nice work to it for some good gains.
Port and Polish, three angle valve job.
Get some roller rocker arms as well.
While you are at it, get a full exhaust and intake going.
Good luck.
Yeah I would, and trust me I kinda want to, but I am planning on getting rid of the car at the end of the summer. So I don't think I wanna throw money into the car unless it is basic maintenance kinda thing. Just to keep it running.
I got an engine for $630, 96,000 miles on it, and it comes with a 6 month warranty. I think I got a good deal, but I am not in the business of buying and selling engines, so I don't exactly know.
I am having a little problem getting the dirve axles out of the transmission, anyone have any tips or hints on how to do it. Keep in mind I don't have a lift, the car is just held up by jack stands.
There's only one person that I know of that has swapped the auto tranny to the 5speed and you have a @!#$ load of work to do that, swapping a 2.2 to a 2.2 isn't hard, going to a 98+ is better because you drop the EGR , which is the only real reason you need to reprogram the computer (well the main reason anyways); As for the non-lift engine swap... I've done it, with two jacks and it's a b*tch; I bolted the engine up first and then put a jack on the front by the oil pan and one on the tranny to get the tranny in there and then the axles just pop in... just use some good 'ol elbow grease (aka muscle); But yah... you also got raped on that engine price
