I have given it thought to begin doing head work on my 2000 Cavi Sedan. It is a 2200, with a the dreadful 3spd.
I want something to keep me busy during the winter, and learn more about this motor. I am thinking about going to the junkyard and picking up a 2200 head. I need guidance as what are some good/reliable performance wise mods I can do to it. I was already thinking a port and polish, would I need anything to go along with this? And what can I expect from the PNP? I am still a newbie to motor building, never have dug into one. As I am still 17, and never had the chance to work with a motor really, other than typcial maintance etc. What would I need to take from the junkyard motor? Thanks for any help on this build.

port and polish
bigger valves
1.6 roller rockers
better valve springs (yet to find some that will fit)
make sure when you get the head ported and polished, they test the flow on it.

Those are just from the top of my head, when ever i get home from class i can look up more and ill post again.

ok, seems that is too much for me. haha.
I figure i will just go with a PNP. What gains are expected from just that. And i'd need to replace the head gasket and studs too, right?

Id recommend changing the gasket since you're there. Id also recommend checking out the lifters. All the 2200s ive owned/worked on had noisy lifters (i replaced mine and shes quiet as a mouse) and its easy enough to do.

The head studs are suppsed to be replaced every time you remove the head, since theyre torque to spec bolts. However, I have used the bolts over 2 times on my car and havent yet replaced them, Im planning on it, but havent done it yet.




"A car just isn't a car without a little blood, sweat, and beers." -- Shadowfire

i have a a 2200 head from a 2000 cavalier if your interested. ill let it go cheap. its from a well maintained motor, no gunk or sludge, took it apart last spring when the motor blew from the bottom end.

I have a port and polished head for the 2200 with a valve job in the classifieds


2001 Chevy Cavalier (Sandrift Metallic) 8 OHV of raw fury!

gm power and redhotchevy2000, what are your asking prices?
gmpower-where is your classified, couldn't find it. And would you ship?

found your post gmpower
what can you get it shipped to me for? zip is 48768.
Newb question-is this pretty much a direct bolt on, as in, no other parts i am going to have to scrounge around other than Head gasket and studs? just slap it on?

Matt Linke wrote:Id recommend changing the gasket since you're there. Id also recommend checking out the lifters. All the 2200s ive owned/worked on had noisy lifters (i replaced mine and shes quiet as a mouse) and its easy enough to do.

I hear that... My '94 is (Was) the same way. I think I'll opt for the LT-1/LN2 lifter mod if I replace them. I'd recomend the same for anyone looking to repalce the lifters in their LN2.


Go beyond the "bolt-on".

gmpower you have a message

and as for the lt-1 lifter mod.. is it just a swapping of the lifters from a lt-1?

No. It's disassembling the LN2 lifters & replacing the internal springs (There's two of them!) with the ones found in the LT-1 lifters. A lil' hard to do, but if you have the right tools, the lifters are fully bled of oil, and you have enough patience you can do it yourself. There'a a thread on it here, somewhere.


Go beyond the "bolt-on".

if you could get me the link i would appreciate that. I've never done internal engine work, so this would be one of my first builds. Would this be able to be done in a whole day, being this is my DD and i can't have it off the road for more than a day or two.

SLOCAV wrote:if you could get me the link i would appreciate that. I've never done internal engine work, so this would be one of my first builds. Would this be able to be done in a whole day, being this is my DD and i can't have it off the road for more than a day or two.

Search for "hybrid lifters". If you buy spare lifters to work on and swap in, and already have the head off for a head swap, then it should be quick and painless.




11 speaker JL Audio stereo setup for sale:
http://www.j-body.org/classifieds/audio/52021/

I am still awaiting gmpower to reply, so I will go by that, and parents don't want me to do it.
is there any risk to this? what could happen. It is just an improvement, to the restrictive 2200 head, right?

Not really. In fact, the only "hiccup" might be that you'd need the ports done on the intake-manifold to match it. And you'll need a header for the exhaust side for the same reason.

As for your parents, don't sweat them. They probably have out-dated ideas as to what's involved with modding. Tell them doing such work to cars isn't like it use to be (Over-rich operation, shortening of engine lifespan, lack of drivability) and it real is just a unbolt-&-replace deal, just like changing sparkplugs. And while you're at it, reassure them you're not gonna go all "Fast'n'Furious" with it, since that's probably also what they're thinking.


Go beyond the "bolt-on".

alright.
If i go about this, could i wait to get the full exhaust, like say.....5 months? would it harm anything to run it on stock.
I am still awaiting gmpower, or else i am going to start looking for a stock head, and work on it this winter.
Is there any kind of gain from the PNP though? Throttle Response, Accel, Gas Mileage?

SLOCAV wrote:alright.
If i go about this, could i wait to get the full exhaust, like say.....5 months? would it harm anything to run it on stock.
I am still awaiting gmpower, or else i am going to start looking for a stock head, and work on it this winter.
Is there any kind of gain from the PNP though? Throttle Response, Accel, Gas Mileage?

With most machine work its staring fres soyea there will be some power gain but not too much, with head work if you port get new valve springs, oversized valves and 3 to 5 angle valve grind thats about the extent of what you can do to the head its self. Oh and if theres nothing wron with your stock head on a 2200 you might as well just get it shaved and the all the PnP and valve work... it'll up your compression a bit and get you a lil more power than not shaving a new head. If you get all the head work done your not too far away from getting the rest done.. throw a coldair intake on and pickup a pacesetter header and you can run stock exhaust but for god sake pick up a cheap turbo muffler, a thrush or cherrybomb will do fine. I don' know much about the power gains as I dont have a dyno lol but thats what I did to mine and it gets with the program. Also when you get into this game head first with some experience you'll want a tranny swap go for the getrag 5-speed manual swap... lots better than the slug-o-matic 3-speed....

A transmission swap is a big deal and procedure that I think he is nowhere near handling. Yes you can run the stock exhaust that won't hurt your car at all since it was designed for the vehicle. You will gain some power but it really isn't going to be a great deal. Those kind of mods are great but are mods that compliment things like increasing stroke, displacement, boost and cams. However I think they are great and in my plans rather soon.


The proper way of using the word seen. It is not I seen it that would be I saw it. He has seen the car is the right way to use the word. English class is Cool. By the way thats my sig

sorry i missed this topic for a while. i want 20 bucks for the stripped head. you can have the rockers and everything to "put it together" for 5 dollars more.
25$ plus shipping if your interested.

Wow... interesting. The rockers are a waste of money. $200 bucks with 1.6 rockers and pushrods and I gained only 5hp on a dyno. A cylinder head port and polish if done right will net a gain of near 10hp on our cylinder head because it sucks. The only real gain I ever got was with with turbo.

Before turbo with the rockers, pushrods, tb swap, full exhaust and cold air intake the car was making 107hp to the wheels and 144ft.lbs of torque. Stock puts out around 115hp at the crank, but only 90-100hp at the wheels with an auto. $500 on exhaust, $200 rockers and stuff. (700) That is 100 bucks per horsepower.

After the turbo running on E85 at 10psi of boost, it makes 197.7hp and 264ft.lbs of torque to the wheels. $1500 or so for turbo setup plus hptuners. (2000) That is 22 bucks per horsepower.


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No one ever said that building an "unfavored" engine would be cheap, and since the LN2 is commonly viewed as nothing more than a econo-car engine, it's no surprise. This is like trying to build a Keisler or a flathead-4: You're on your own more or less, because breathing is the big thing. And unless it breathes like a V-8 out the door, there's no interest. It is good how you managed to get a streetable 197+whp outta it on E85. Please share your details, as there are many on a S-truck forum I belong to with the factory Flex-fuel version of the LN2 (L43) that would love to know how you did, it so they can do it too!


Go beyond the "bolt-on".