ecotec engine vs a z24 engine

[bibicarlos]

i am really concidering buying a new 03 ecotec engine, but i can't seem to find one. also which would be better a brand new ecotec engine or a used z24 engine. if i get the ecotec engine i was planning on putting in a turbo or a supercharger. which would be a better or cheaper way to go.

[Nitroustang]

A USED 2.4l TWIN CAM WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO. IT HAS 150 HP AND CAN BE MODDED VERY EASILY. IT WILL ALSO BE ALOT CHEAPER.

[bibicarlos]

where can i get a reasonably priced z24 engine with low miles.

[Nitroustang]

Dont know, try searching around or get in the phone book. You might wanna even try E-Bay. If youre in the DFW area I know of a few places were you can find a used, low mileage Twin Cam for real cheap.

[Autoflow]

check any junk yards in your area. most charge by weight and the z24 engine isnt that heavy. and just on a side note the nhra cavalier has a ecotec engine and it does a 8 sec 1/4 mile easy

[bibicarlos]

does the DFW area mean in dallas?

[Nitroustang]

yes

[mdb25]

If you can find one, the ecotec is probably a better choice. It is a much more refined engine and despite having 10 less horse than the 2.4, it is just as fast. The ecotec is an all aluminum chain-driven system and weighs only 300 lbs. I don't think that those 10 ponies from the 2.4 will be missed. I speak from personal experience because my last car was a 99 z24. Anyway, if you plan on doing mods it wont matter. Scrap yards are your best bet. There isn't too much on the net in terms of whole engines. Don't go to a u-pull-it scrap yard because those engines are usually stripped of all the goodies. I just bought a 3.1 for my 88Z24 that only had 40000 miles on it and that came out of a 1990. Front drive GM motors are a dime a dozen ( a great thing about owning an american car). The good thing is that regardless of what you choose, 2.2 ecotec, or 2.4, this engine is easy to find in a junk yard. This engine is shared in the Z24, grand am, alero, pontiac sunfire gt and probably a few others. It should be a piece of cake to find. Granted the 2.4 will be easier because it has been used for the past 6 years. Check out this link on the ecotec though. Maybe it will help you out:

www.dragracingonline.com/features/ecotech_1.html

[krebs128]

i agree w/ mdb25 ^, the ecotec is a much better and faster engine. mods for the 2.4 and ecotec are the same--turbo, supercharger, nos, and many other bolt on parts; overall, the ecotec is the way to go.

[SpyhunterlV]

stock motor vs. stock motor... I'm going to say the 2.4L is the faster engine... I'm just reading numbers though... ecotec is rated lower than the 2.4L


in the end though there's already a shitload of aftermarket support fo the ecotec and there's all that knowledge from dragracing it...

also there's all those destroked 2.0 ecotecs in europe running around... Eurospec anybody? hehehehee...

Ecotec would be the way to go in the end.. but right now that motor is a tad on the pricey side... wait until people crash a few of them..

until than pricewise you'll spend some $$ on both motors...

for the next year I'm putting my money on the 2.4L for buildability and ready parts..than I'll definately change my opinion to 2.2 eco... shortly thereafter...


however.. the 2.3 W41 would kick both motors asses... and it's ALMOST a swap into most any cavalier... just like a honda... wiring harness, motor, PCM, gauge cluster..

[mdb25]

Yes, the 2.4 does have a little more hp and its a little torqier, but it weighs almost twice as much. Where do you see the gain? I wouldn't trust the numbers you read, they differ from magazine to magazine. Take it from me, I owned a 99Z with a 2.4 5speed and I now own a 02 LS sport with a 2.2 ecotec 5speed. The 99 is not faster. It roared a little bit more off the start and had a slightly torquier feel while the ecotec is very swift and much more silent. I'm not trying to turn this into a debate, but I know what I'm talking about because I have owned both engines. The 2.4 is definetely a sweet motor, but in comparison to the ecotec, it is more raucous and much heavier. The weight loss in the ecotec makes up for the 10 lost horse.

[sonicboomer03]

I agree that the ecotec would be better, if you have the funds. While I am a college student....I do not! I want to put the 2.4L in my 95 cavi. Right now I have the 2.2L w/ an automatic. I want a standard. Im trying to find some price quotes for a 2.4L, but theyre hard to find. I want a used engine though, cuz they produce a little more power than a newly molded engine. (they've been used a lot, so the block is relaxed and wont flex or move at all.) Does anybody know any price ranges, and/or any links or sites that I can find one? Junkyards are somewhat good, but they CAN also be bad because you dont know where they've been. Nothing is for-sure....people DO lie!!! Thank you for ANY and ALL help!


oh....my new cavalier site will be finished within the next few months!!! look for it: http//:www.hypercavi.com:bigthumb

[sonicboomer03]

oops! sorry about that last post.....my site doesnt have the :bigthumb extention at the end!

[sonicboomer03]

What is the 2.3L W41 engine from?? I've heard about it a couple of times. Is it a cavalier engine? Why is it so much better than the 2.4 and the ecotec?

[krebs128]

the 2.3L engine is a bit of a rarity. only found in '95 cavaliers, the 2.3 dohc putts out 150 hp (same as 2.4L) but 5 lb/ft less torque than the 2.4 engine. since it is an uncommon engine, there is very few aftermarket parts avaliable for it. stick w/ the 2.4L, same performance, bigger aftermarket.