I had a topic on this a while ago, but it went buh-bye.

I am a dirt track racer that has a 93 Cav with a 2200. It is a 5 speed. We have done the gutting to it and the roll cage, this is my second year for the car, so all that was done even before last year's season. Its a high banked, clay surface, 3/8 mile track.

What we have done for performance...
WAI - too much dirt/mud for a CAI.
3 inch exhaust. Was way better than last year when it was 2 1/2.

Yeah, that's about it.
I was thinking about an engine swap, thinking the Quad, but it depends on the difficulty. I got my dad as a mechanic (35 years of it) so the "know how" of doing work is there. I just don't want to have to swap out everything but the trunk (read: easier and less parts involved would be better). Cost is a factor, but street legality is thrown out, obviously.

Everything goes except for forced induction/NOS.

header .... port and polish ........ 1.6 roller rockers ...... cam ...... raise compression ........ (small block rockers work. as well as the ls1 valve springs)

What do you think I will get as a result of them? What do you think that down time would be? I am a weekly racer, so downtime sucks.

I would say - and I don't remember offhand what kind of regulations (if any) there are for you in your class for racing and all - pick up a spare block from a junkyard or similar (or a spare head, or both) and do some work on it, then just swap it for what's in the car. The 2200 is a VERY common motor and you should be able to find another one to build up for cheap.

If your dad has that much mechanical experience, I would imagine he has some experience with the small block V8, keep in mind that your motor is essentially 1/2 of a small block, if he hasn't already picked up on that. Same tricks and such, and many parts are even interchangeable. From looking into N/A possibilities with that motor (the 2200) in the past (for my ex's car), it seems with higher compression (10.5:1 or so), plus a cam regrind, roller rockers, port and polish, plus the intake, full exhaust, the whole 9 yards, you should be able to squeeze ~150 whp out of the engine without too much trouble, depending on how it's tuned. Considering that street legality/streetability aren't a concern, I'd look into the cam especially, with upgraded valve springs and all with an aggressive cam, you probably could get a decent amount more out of the motor (I've read in the past that 200 whp out of the 2200 should be possible - it's sometimes said that a good tuner should be able to get 100 hp at the crank per liter of displacement - and considering yours is a race motor, it doesn't matter that you might have to rev high all the time to get the power). Again I don't know how tuning is done for you...if you're using a stock computer or what. That will have some affect on how aggressive of cam you could use and on your redline.

If I can get a win (so far my best finish is a 3rd), I will make sure to thank you guys. I will take this info and see what we can do with it!

For others that are out there, tips are cool.

Oh, almost forgot. There is something I saw in the FAQs (I have been all over them looking at info) about since I have a 1G, that it can be chipped. Could someone explain?


http://aeternavi.my03.com/images/ericracing1sig.jpg

Last night sucked.

I was running in 4th, and going for 3rd when I felt the RR tire go down. Screw it, I still had speed and I am fighting for a good finish. After about 5 laps, I noticed the ass was all over the place. Another 5 laps and I looped in on the front stretch. I got the can pulled in the infield. I ripped the entire rear end. The whole thing was shifted about 5 inches to the right and bent the frame in the process.

So, while that will be a project to finish, and I am still in the top 10 in points, I bought another race-ready Cavi. I got a 88 with the 2.2L and a stick.

The thing is, I know it is the same size engine, but it is definitely different. Since this is only a back-up car at this point, what can I do with it for a little bit of power?

Here is where I found it...
http://syracuse.craigslist.org/car/359382237.html

Oh yeah, and the color is not going to stay, it will get my 25 on it and I am painting the majority of it blue.

That one is probably a 2.0L with the TBI. I would swap it out for a '94-'97 2.2L with the hydraulic roller cam. You should be able to hook-up the TBI intake and other accessories to make it compatible with the PCM. Zero deck the block, use a copper head gasket of 0.035"-0.045" thick (that should net you approx 10:1 CR, w/ stock pistons), the +1mm valves from CarCustoms.net, P&P the head and get the cam reground by your favorite cam company. The center lines of the cam can only be moved +/- 1*, but this would be a big help. Advance the intake lobe 1* and retard the exhaust 1* (this will give you an Int. CL of 108* and a LSA of 112*). If you stay with the stock chip in the PCM, then the intake duration @ 0.050" should be between 206*-210*, with an exhaust duration about 6*-12* more, with a little more lift if possible. If you get a custom burned chip, you can run any cam duration you want, just get the chip burned to match you power range. Just remember that moving the C/Ls can limit the lobe lift generated by the cam and/or the duration, but you shouldn't have too hard of a time finding the cam regrind to fit your needs. You will need better valve springs, to handle the added lift and rpms you'll be turning. The GM LS6 springs (or any of the aftermarket Beehive springs for the LS1/2/6 series motors) will work, you'll need to machine the spring pockets (seats) down 0.090" to fit the proper installed height of the springs (1.80" as opposed to 1.71" for stock 2.2L OHVs). Get the motor balanced, so it's not working against itself.

The header and/or exhaust you had should work on this new car and motor, so you can just transfer that over. I believe there are some bigger 1bbl TBIs from other motors that will work, but I don't remember which ones. You should have the Isuzu tranny, if so look into the Impulse's differential, they are supposed to be stronger and come in 3.90:1 and 4.10:1, which would add to the flexibility in gearing choices. There's always been an argument about welding the spider gears, I feel it's more track dependant than anything else and must have the appropriate amount of stagger for it to work. Even a PhantomGrip or Team Green LSD insert would be a big help.

All this is going by the fact you said that street legality is thrown out. As for cost, if you can afford to race and/or buy that car, then the costs incurred with these mods shouldn't be too far out of reach. Machine work will cost the better part of these mods (which it should anyways, for quality work).

Awesome man, you rock! Now I just gotta get to work so I can print this out. (printers out of ink) Thanks!

Quote:

Everything goes except for forced induction/NOS.

Even swapping to a 6 cylinder?

Ask on V6Z24.com about it, you could swap up to a 3400 V6 and use a 3.1 ECU and maybe even get a chip in there too, and that'll put you up there a ways in power. The engine is rated at 180hp/205 tq, but it's common to see guys put down 190+ to the wheels.

You should prolly just scrap the cav, and buy a honda with the b18c so you can start with 200 hp and go up from there. They have outlawed vtec honda's at some of the tracks in my area because they simply dominate the hornet class.

Aeternavi, If your running where I think, this would be your rules:

Quote:

17. ENGINE: 3 or 4 cylinder in-line engines only. All engine components must be OEM unaltered for year, make and model of car used. Must use OEM crank, rods, valve sizes, stroke, etc. No aftermarket racing heads. No high performance or sports car engines of any kind. No turbo charged, super charged, rotary engines, or engines utilizing variable cam-timing.

And obviously the techs don't know/care about most 4 cylinder cars, with the the description you gave as for what can be done. Of course this won't be a big secret, if anyone else from there is reading this. Of course they are going to try the same tricks! Why else would they be reading this!

Seems to me like most dirt-trick techs won't even bat an eyelash unless it looks to them like it came from NASA or an Indy-car. ( Hmm, I wonder if there's such a class as Lightning Rod Truck? That'd be cool. Been wantin' to try that for years. Or start it. )

Go beyond the "bolt-on".

SHOoff: We have to stick to 4 cylinder.

bmxludwig: They are thinking the same at this track, although nobody runs those cars anyways. VTEC is going to be banned, besides, the dominant cars are Neons right now... also, I am sticking with American cars.

MadJack: Nope, not us. I race at www.fultonspeedway.com

Nickelin Dimer: Essentially, you're right. They do allow engine mods, as long as it is still the same engine that come with the cars. I am going to the Q4/TC engine because I can easily tell them that it is a Cavalier Z24 and I would be safe.