I've got a 02' cavi with the 2200 and yes I know the engine isn't as efficient as the ecotec 2.2 (why I MIGHT swap out in the future), I do plan on upping the intake/exhaust/pullies/port&pollish. I do want to know that if I get full exhaust, how much of the exhaust can I keep after I swap out into an ecotec if I do? Like, can I keep the cat and back or the downpipe and back? I'm not sure of the physical differences in the pipes in the ecotec to the 2200. I just want to know if I would have to get all new exhaust pipes after I swap, assuming I swap. And before you say "Swap, it's worth it." the only reason I don't know if I'm gonna swap is because spending all that money on a new engine/tranny doesn't seem worth it to me. I don't intend on racing or draging, it's really just for my own little project. So basically I'm just making do with what I got, and adding to it.

you can keep the catback. header back to the cat will be different.


Desert Tuners

“When you come across a big kettle of crazy, it’s best not to stir it.”

you may want to consider the LD9 (2.4 DOHC) when you swap too... (as it also came in 2002 model year vehicles)

however in either case... virtually everything attached to the engine will not swap between motors...

you can keep catback... thats about it... you may be able to keep the intake if you mod it... but only if you mod it... Both the Eco and the Ld9 the Intake Manifold is in the front of the motor... on the 2200 its in the back...

If i were you i'd decide whether you want to swap before putting any work in to the 2200...

personally i say stick with the 2200. It has potential as does any other motor. rather than that 1k (min) that youd spend just doing the swap, if you put that $$ into the 2200 it will surprise you. It has plenty of track potential if you put in the necessary time and effort, but like you said your not planning on dragging it, so you can deffinatly make it a fun lil car to drive around. Stock they are very restricted. Once you open the head up with a port job, that additional air flow will help alot. I also personally recommend HPTuners because before mine was turboed, just tuning it dropped me a second in the 1/4 mile. Its also a simple lil motor to work on and replacements arent nearly as much as the DOHCs either.

If you keep the 2200... Research and install a full turbo kit... as the 2200 N/A is very limited on potential (the fastest one N/A according to the racing forum's top 25 WHP is lower 100s... )

Make sure you get tuned immediately after boosting... (HPTuners)

Pfft.. shop around, you can swap for cheap when the time comes. I had an 03 Cav sedan lined up for $500... sure, it was an auto... but the drivetrain alone would blow most 2200's out of the water Plus, all the interior, newer parts all around, etc... I could have sold whatever I didn't use and made back my money easy.

Just a thought.

...j

Yea, kind of figured that the catback was the only thing I could keep if I swap. So, thinking on it, I don't think it's worth my time, money, and downtime to bother with a swap. I guess the best bet for me is to get the port/pollish job done since that's what everyone says helps the motor more than anything. Honestly the only drawback with keeping the motor is that since it's a pushrod, I can't get it to rev as high and swap cams to make it produce past 7k rpm like the ecos can. But I guess since I rarely ever go over 90, I don't think high end power really matters a whole lot, I'll probably shoot for power in the 4-7k range. And I'm not even sure about the boost ideas either. I know I'll probably end up getting a turbo for it in a few years, but as I hear, I would only be able to boost it between 4 and 8 psi max, unless I get some serious reenforcement behind anything that moves. So yea, the next job will be the catback and a port/pollish to top it off.

get a 5 speed swap too if your keeping the motor



Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Monday, October 01, 2007 5:05 PM

I don't know if what you heard about boost levels is right. I know theres a lot of 2200 boostes cavs running a lot higher then that.

Im running 9psi on my daily. It has a fully modified head, but its on a stock block still. You should be able to run around 10 psi safely if your tuned right. obviously varying slightly on how the engine has been taken care of..

Yea, I assume that if I gut the thing and get the eagle forged parts, I should be able to run a lot of boost on it, but the thing is, I really don't plan on turboing the thing anytime soon. And I will only install new rods etc when I boost, so, as of now, I'll just do what research I need in the port and pollish, pullies, and mounts.

few decent people and have your parts lined up right and the swap could be done in a weekend. i swapped out my 2200 for the eco and with less then a $1000 i had a new motor with only 16k miles, aem exhaust and pacesetter header (where most of that grand was spent) and when it was done i now had a low mileage motor with 35 more hp then the 2200.


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i recommend doing some research on here and read about the 2200. madjack/ohv notec/slowolej are just a few people that are great recourses and know alot about the OHV engines. there are a few threads on here that go quite in depth on different aspects of the motor. see if it is a motor that you want to pursue, and if you feel that its not for you after doing some reading than an l61 or ld9 swap is always a possibility. but i would say a more educated decision would be the better way to go...

alot of the people that say that the OHV design is a waste of time/money and its old technology, etc... dont let it fool you, they are misinformed and thats purely personal opinion. any engine has potential if you do the proper researching so that is why i say to take some time to figure out what exactly is for you..

I mean 16 valves really help with economy for the most part. if you were to weigh performance with the mere fact that one has 2x as many valves/cam, then the OHV is doing damn well pushing almost as much power with 1/2 as many valves and only 1 cam. the only major downfall with the ohv motor is stock its restricted as hell, the head flow sucks. to say the least. if it was such a badly designed motor than id have to ask why gm would hold the design as one of their pride motors for years, and still have it in production. as well as most V8s are still OHV. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it...

sooo... if you decide to stick with the 2200, i deffinatly say porting out the head should be one of your first priorities as far as engine work. And varying on what your spending limit is, while you have the head at a machine shop you could do a 3 or 5 angle valve job on it. i don't exactly know what doing that would cost as my beloved friend gave me my head already modified - it just needed some TLC. id open it up on the intake side as well as the exhaust side; intake/bigger tb/ported intake mani/new exhaust mani/a bigger downpipe if u can have one custom made, etc.... you want to make sure the motor can flow and help with its efficiency's. if you do plan on boosting it just try to stick with mods you can keep N/A as well as with boost. unless you have plenty of $$ to throw around