'89 Daytona ES Questions...

[wannabespeed]

Edited the post a bit after finding some crap out on my own.

I just purchased a 1989 Daytona ES with the 2.5 L4 TBI SOHC 8V engine. While surfing the net just recently I found out that the 2.5 TBI engine isn't worth much compared to the 2.2 Turbos...So I was wondering if an engine swap would be reasonably easy to do? If not...What kind of performance can I expect to get out of this?

[slantsixness]

no, no, no!
2.2 piece of sh$T. 2.5 good. you can turbo a 2.5....
read more before you trash your motor. it may already have the turboII oiler on the back....

but the swap is easy if you want a 2.2.

put a VNT turbo on the 2.5...
instant rocket.

Slantsixness

[DaYtOnAt2]

Definitely do more research because an engine swap is not so easy...complete wiring harness down to the computer and most of the sensors and solenoids are required from the donor car. It would be a better idea to get a t3/t4 hybrid and a turbo manifold from a 2.2/2.5 start there but even going that route is not exactly a weekend job either...BTW Have you priced VNT turbos lately? If you can find one...

[slantsixness]

If you have a 2.5L engine, the wiring harness is the same. All the sh!t is there. You have to change the SMEC, and install the injection harness (plugs in) and Viola! it works.
Now, who said it was a weekend project?

VNT is worth the money. even the turbo II cars weren't that quick.

My original reply was for Wannabe to keep the 2.5L, and bolt on the injection rail, turbo and computer (SMEC) and associated components (including the oiling lines!) Add an intercooler,(just because they do so much good!) and get-the-f-down the road in a hurry. Now that IS a weekend job, without a motor swap.

I'm assuming his 2.5L is in shape, and up for the challenge.

Slantsixness

[DaYtOnAt2]

True True wasn't disagreeing with you, just been through lots of mods. I wasn't aware the injection harness would just "plug in" then again never tried it either. I say hey if it works...right on six.

[BleedDodge]

You can turbo a 2.2. Something like a Shelby Charger has them. I think a 2.5 is just a 2.2 with a little more bore. I'm sure the stroke is the same.

A 2.2 is a 135 and a 2.5 is a 153, not much difference, but that 2.5 is supposed to be a little nicer to headgaskets, for some reason. I don't know too much about these things. I do have a 2.2 in my Turismo, but the only real motor work I did on mine was the headgasket. That engine is so good that if the headgasket went again (drunk and racing, not paying attention to the temperature gauge while I pop a heater hose), I'd change the gasket again and keep running it. Lucky I never warped the head.

These things are potent little engines. Turbocharge it. If you want to change engines like you mentioned, the engine changing part would be a piece of cake, but I dunno about mounting all the turbo equipment and everything, that would be a little more challenging and would take a little more time, but if you have time and money and the desire to do it, you'll do it.