Okay, I went through the faq and got some ideas now I'd like to have real-life input from you cats. I wanna' start doing engine work so my car doens't just look like it's mildly fast. The most I've done thus far is install an intake. I want to clean up the engine, get a color scheme going with loom and radiator hoses and so on. As performance goes, what are the most common thing to do to a completely stock 2200? I was thinking maybe new motor mounts and under engine pulleys. What else can I do within a low budget? I'm seventeen and making minimum wage, so keep that in mind. Just throw some ideas at me that I can look into to squeeze out better performance. Thanks.

Woooo bubbies.

get an ebay muffler to match your intake

those are cheap, and do an ok job til' you can get a good cat-back

you can get a bigger TB, engine mounts, pulleys, header, custom exhaust.
then you can go with suspension. but all this cost money.
i would decide on what you want to do. then start saving



Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!

I forgot to mention I had already gotten a nice big muffler. =)
Hmm, I can affords engine mounts, a header, and pulleys. Where can I go about getting a bigger throttle body?

Woooo bubbies.

Your biggest gains will be from a header and a full exhaust. An intake is pointless if you can't get the exhaust out. But on the flip side an exhaust doesn't ned an intake to make power. After the exhaust plan on a cam swap as thats where the next big power jump is.




Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.

Im definitely gonna get some cams and pulleys from ebay. How harsh is the installation on those sorta things?

Woooo bubbies.

as far as cam goes, you have to pull the engine in order to replace it since the cam is in the middle of your engine.
you can get your stock TB bored out, or get a TB off of a 2.3 and swap that. i think its the 2.3 dont really remember



Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!

I don't see your car listed in you register but in going off what I know about the 2200 engine you could try a set of roller rockers of a higher ratio as this will act just like a cam swap as you'd be increasing the lift at the valve and this way you won't have to pull your engine. ( Good catch 99redz24 I mixed up his engine with mine. lol oops ) Ahter that and the exhaust then I'd do the TB as it won't do much good if the engine can't handle the increased air flow.




Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.

save the money your gonna spend on the cams and exhaust and find a 2.4 and swap it in then do all the stuff everyone is saying, like the 2.3 ho manifold and 2.3 tb swap along with secret cams that will do the job

gmanz24 wrote:save the money your gonna spend on the cams and exhaust and find a 2.4 and swap it in then do all the stuff everyone is saying, like the 2.3 ho manifold and 2.3 tb swap along with secret cams that will do the job

i like his idea better



Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!

So, how much would a decent 2.4 z24 engine run me? Keep in mind that I'm broke. Things like a manifold or a bored out TB are in my reach, or so I assume. I'm tight with the cat I bought my cavy from, so he'd let me search through his junked cavs.

Woooo bubbies.

2.4 swap.



http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2265283

Wow lots of ideas thrown around. If your on a budget I'd have to say that speed really isn't an option for a budget. Speeds costs one way or another. One thing people often over look are the smallest minute things. Sure you have an intake and exhaust, etc.
What kind of oil are you using? How often do you change the filter and oil?
What have you done to open up the air ways of your car (IE Get rid of all that plastic @!#$ in the bumper (resonator etc)).

To be honest you should plan out what you wanna do with your engine first.
Do you wanna turbo charge or super charge in the future? How long are you really
going to drive you cavlaier? Is it worth it to dump thousands of dollars into a 2.4
engine, cam swap, exhaust, etc if your going to get rid of your car in 2 years, maybe 3 or 4??

Unless you know what you wanna do, one basic rule that is good to follow is this:
Work from the outside inward. Do your intake and exhaust(FULL exhaust).
Remember your not making power your freeing up power.
Find little things tha make your engine work less on keeping itself running along with accessories running and putting power to the wheels. Get yourself some pulleys, if you can disconnect your a/c.

Again with little things, what do your spark plugs look like?
Is your electrical system suffering from a power hungry stereo system?
Check your air filter and make sure it's not clogged.
Check your tranny fluid and make sure your not running on burnt or low fluid.

The best way to make and keep power in your car is regular maintenance so before you go out and spend thousands on performance parts, get your engine clean and up to snuff.

i bet you could find one around $500 easy where the header(150-200) cams(200??or more?) and full exhaust(300-500) for the 2200 would be way more and less effective than saving for the swap.......don't quote me on the prices just a quick guestiment

since you are poor. get a better job, then start modding



Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!

99redz24 wrote:since you are poor. get a better job, then start modding

hahaha there ya go

Damn this started as how to go fast for cheep and now we're into swapping engines!
LOL !! How did this happen !!

If your gonna do a swap why not go all out and drop in an ECOTEC and a 5 spd? With simple bolt ons you'll be in the 14's like me. Slap a GM supercharger on it and a stage 2 ECOTEC kit for the Cobalt SS and be running low 13's all day long. Throw in a little NOS and be in the 12's. Of corse by then you'll need new pistons and rods to handle the 350+ hp you'll be laying down but you'll be fast for sure ! Just say NO to any engine with an iron block and aluminum head as once you start getting into higher #'s you will run into isseus such as blown head gaskets. Sure it can be fixed by rather then a band-aid aproach to going fast just start with an engine thats all aluminum and doesn't have those problems. If your gonna do a swap theres almost no reason to not go with the ECOTEC engine. Its newer, lighter, and got factory and after market backing well beyond the Quad 4 engines. I mean "old school" ain't bad but why go that route when you get stick to new stuff?

But thats just my .02 since we're suddenly in dream land. lol !! You guys are a trip !! Engine swap when hes broke!





Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.

Whew, well the ideas are flying around.
Right now I work at a tanning bed place, pretty easy job and I make enough to do some modding. As of now, my car is completely stock(other than the minor mods I've done to the engine and so on) . I take care of it, though, as it's my first car and I'm in love with cavaliers. I make sure the oil is always changed on time, I keep the fluids in check and try to get the best of each in that sense. I intend on making it last for as long as it will run. I think if I pulled some strings and saved some cash, a 2.4 swap is possible. However, I know nothing about engine swapping. So much that I'd have to recruit lots of help. How hard would a swap be?

Woooo bubbies.

Okay, I took a look at the 2.4 swap faq and due the obvious major complication of it all, I'm going to try and avoid that. I think I'l go with roller rockers, a new full exhaust, a 2.3 or a bored throttle body, a new header, and whatever else you cats suggest I should do to my 2200. Let me know. I'll need your help all throughout.

Woooo bubbies.

I am running my 2200 with 85,000 miles smooth with:


Engine:

Vibrantintake
port matched air intake manifold to TB
removed intake resonator and "tuner tube"
56mm throttle body from 95 Sunfire GT
Pacesetter Blue Armor Coat Header
Magnaflow high flow cat
Dynomax Magnumpack 24" resonator
2.25" header back
MSD DIS-2 Plus Ignition
MSD Blaster Coils
MSD Superconductor 8.5 mm spark plug wires
upper and lower engine mounts
polyurathane transmission mounts
hyperground
Suspension/Wheels/Brakes:

17" gun-metal Konig "Absolutes" , 215/45/17 Cooper Zeon-ZPTs
Power Slot slotted rotors and Hawk Performance brake pads
1.4" drop on Eibach Pro-Kit
KYB-agx adjustable shocks
front strut tower bar
painted brake calipers

peace!

Sweet brother, sounds like you've got some time into your cavy. Give me a ballpark on how much cash you've put into all that? I'd like to take your route and just do a lot of bolt ons and such. Maybe some throttle body work like I mentioned and so on, but other than that, I like your spill on it.

Woooo bubbies.

time, money, blood, sweat, and tears lol 2 years in the making and loving the result! go for it.