Performance engine. '01 cavalier
Drakka
04-05-2009, 12:26 AM
I have a 2001 cavalier 2door.
i want to swap engines and put something better and preferably faster in it.
any ideas? and would a transmission swap help? its an automatic
i want to swap engines and put something better and preferably faster in it.
any ideas? and would a transmission swap help? its an automatic
J-Ri
04-05-2009, 04:02 AM
Welcome to AF!
What engine's in it? How much fabrication experience/ability do you have? Do you want a large engine or just more HP? I put a supercharger on my '04 that gets it to ~240 HP (numbers online vary a lot for the kit, gonna dyno it one of these days). Sure I'd like more, but in my situation, forced induction was the only real option due to down-time for an engine swap.
My personal preference is manual, some people "prefer" automatics... but most of the ones I've met can't drive a manual, so not as much of a preference as they say... and the rest of them have arthritis. Manuals are much simpler and they almost never go bad unless they're abused or driven by someone who doesn't know the brake from the clutch. You will have to replace the clutch (eventually), but I had a '96 Beretta that made it to 150k miles with no problems when I sold it (a lot of highway). It had the 2.2 OHV in it tho, kindda hard to burn up a clutch on those unless you're trying. Manuals are more efficient, so more of that expensive HP makes it to the road. And hey, they're just more fun to drive.
If you have the 2.2 OHV in that, I would probably suggest you sell the car and buy one with an ecotec (or at least the 2.4 quad-4) and m/t... no sense in swapping engine and trans for something that can be bought easily and cheaply... Dealers around here have m/t cars sitting on the lot for a long time, mine sat for nearly a year before I bought it, and a few others I was watching never sold while I was still looking. The result is they go cheap, you may even be able to do an even trade-up if you find a good one!
What engine's in it? How much fabrication experience/ability do you have? Do you want a large engine or just more HP? I put a supercharger on my '04 that gets it to ~240 HP (numbers online vary a lot for the kit, gonna dyno it one of these days). Sure I'd like more, but in my situation, forced induction was the only real option due to down-time for an engine swap.
My personal preference is manual, some people "prefer" automatics... but most of the ones I've met can't drive a manual, so not as much of a preference as they say... and the rest of them have arthritis. Manuals are much simpler and they almost never go bad unless they're abused or driven by someone who doesn't know the brake from the clutch. You will have to replace the clutch (eventually), but I had a '96 Beretta that made it to 150k miles with no problems when I sold it (a lot of highway). It had the 2.2 OHV in it tho, kindda hard to burn up a clutch on those unless you're trying. Manuals are more efficient, so more of that expensive HP makes it to the road. And hey, they're just more fun to drive.
If you have the 2.2 OHV in that, I would probably suggest you sell the car and buy one with an ecotec (or at least the 2.4 quad-4) and m/t... no sense in swapping engine and trans for something that can be bought easily and cheaply... Dealers around here have m/t cars sitting on the lot for a long time, mine sat for nearly a year before I bought it, and a few others I was watching never sold while I was still looking. The result is they go cheap, you may even be able to do an even trade-up if you find a good one!
Classicrocjunkie
04-05-2009, 09:13 PM
Ecoswap...
Motor, metal fuel lines, black secondary fuel lines, trans, PCM, Radiator & hoses, Engine wiring harness, Passlock relearn..
Done!
115Crank HP -->2.2OHV
145crank HP -->2.2Ecotec + huge aftermarket base.
Motor, metal fuel lines, black secondary fuel lines, trans, PCM, Radiator & hoses, Engine wiring harness, Passlock relearn..
Done!
115Crank HP -->2.2OHV
145crank HP -->2.2Ecotec + huge aftermarket base.
Drakka
04-06-2009, 07:34 PM
I have the 2.4L engine.
I'm mainly looking for more horsepower, not necessarily a bigger engine.
my experience is not that great. just tinkering here and there.
I'm mainly looking for more horsepower, not necessarily a bigger engine.
my experience is not that great. just tinkering here and there.
Classicrocjunkie
04-06-2009, 08:17 PM
You can snag one of the cheap GM blowers for the 2.4L... They are under 2K.
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