need some motor help

[Perry3147]

I have a 97 sonoma with a 2.2. It is making a tapping noise. dosen't sound like the rockers. It sounds like the timing chain. The parts are cheap to replace it. But the labor is more than a used or rebuilt motor by the time its all said and done. dose any one know what it would take to convert a 95 2.2 to work in a 97? a friend has a 95 that he put around a poll last week.

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Practically nothing, except you will need to use the '96s camshaft, cam trigger & knock sensor. The '96 block has to bosses drilled and tapped for these sensors but they will be a pain to emulate on the '95 block, even for a shop. Although... if you don't mind doing a little more work yourself, you could swap everything but the cam from the '95 to the '96, but somehow I doubt you're up for that. Just find yourself a '96-'97 assembly to swap-in that doesn't have low oil pressure problems and you'll be fine, just change the timing chain first (Trust me on that one, it will save you a boatload of headaches latter-on). Oh, and while the oil pan is down (maybe), have them specifically install an oil-pump for a '90-'93 Cavalier OHV 2.2L (Trust me on this one too. You'll thank me!) just for extra insurance.

[Perry3147]

I knew there wasn't much diffrence between the 2 years. I jsut wasn't sure. What is the deal with the oil pump. i have a running 2.2 in my truck i was thinking about just rebuilding it ( timming chain, water pump, maybe a proformance part or 2). but i really cant have the truck down for more than a day or 2.

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Nothing much, just gives you a higher peak pressure with increased volume (80psi vs. 74psi cold, definately more than 56psi warm @ 3000rpm). This will be an improvement towards longetivity of engine life. As for that chain... CHANGE IT! CHANGE IT! CHANGE IT! When that thing lets-go, you'll be setting yourself up for one really big headache. When I got my dime it had already been through the same thing and got repaired too late by the previous owner... by a very dumb wrench that failed to get the pieces left from the old one (after it let go) out of the pan. the oiling system on the LN2 priority is this: Lifters/cam bearings/mains & rods. When the pump's pickup got hold of those frags, they got fed to everything with the most noticeable audibly noticeable (when I got the truck) being the rod knock that resulted. I changed the pump w/pickup, crank & bearings only to still hear it tick. A little reading told me what I'm telling you. Eventually the lifters all colapsed and the cam bearings were destroyed, prompting me to have a rebuilt long-block installed by a shop rather far from where I live (The tow bill nearly killed me). Since then I've talked to others and the consensus seems to be that the chain on a tu-tu should be replaced around 80,000 miles. That seems to be a good safety margin to me. The chain, both pumps and whatever externally bolted-on "hot" parts shoudn't take more than two days (three days tops) to install even with the engine in the truck. And Perry, a chain and a waterpump does not constitute a rebuild. Oh yeah, and don't use a Fram filter for the oil as they have a tendency to cause a 5-10psi pressure drop over actual. Use a Wix (Again, trust me on this one!) Good luck!

[Perry3147]

Thanks for the help good info. I have had 4.3's for years and just picked up the 2.2 to save some gas and to haul my bikes. Don't worry I'm a motorcycle tech so i know a chain and water pump aren't a rebuild. I figured with work and school if i rebuilt the stock motor would take about a week to rebuild compleat. crap batt on the laptop is almost dead ill finish this post later.

[Perry3147]

ok batts charged so here we go. ok so yea i think about a week. if i rebuild mine most likely it would get new oil pump(i guess from a cav. for the extra psi.) rods, pistons, new head, and since i dont have anything now a CAI and header back (just till schools done before the turbo kit). I have been looking into diffrent proformance parts. I know I know its a 2.2l. Im not looking to tow a house or run 8's. The reason i want the turbo is more power around town (live in pittsburgh lots of big hills) and the increased MPG on the highway. the 25mpg i get now is cool but the 30mpg that my boy is getting would be better. The main reason for the turbo is in the Burgh there are so many hills and with a bike or quad in the back it just don't got enough power. ok so now i have another qustion.

1) cheap and easy power adders?

2) is a v8 swap a better idea?

[Everfalling]

TURBO THAT ****!!!!! I've been wanting to do that for so long it's not even funny....my mostly stock 2.2 runs about a high 18 and even though it's more cost effective to put in a sbc it'll be more fun to just boost your 4cyl....I'm going to boost mine if I can find a backup motor cuz I've got almost 160k on this one.....

[boxcarracer963]

in my opinion the 2.2 is hands-down gutless(no offence to anyone)... that might be cuz i am used to a 4.3 but when i raced my friends 4banger s10 i was litterally toying with him and still walked all over him, but if you want to keep ur 4 banger theres this website turbo-s10.com that make turbo kits especially for 2.2 s10's and i think they will give you as much(if not more)horsepower as a 4.3

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Perry, I'm gonna pass-on a lil' knowledge I gained from A guy named MadJack on the J-bod forum: For increased torque with efficiency, use a 2-3/4" dia. short-ram WAI, Crane non-self-aligning 1.6 narrow-bodied rockers, a header & 2-1/4" dia. exhaust. This will give your torque curve a shot in the arm that the tu-tu needs in our application. The warm-air should help with fuel vaporization to help economy, but personally I've gone through this kinda build before with my Iron Duke pwr'd '85 so I should know something when I say this: Cold-air, Warm-air? No, Ram-Air! Yes Ram-Air like was found on the Hurst/Olds Cutlasses in the late '60s. My '85's system wasn't very sophisticated in design or construction, but hell if it didn't work! I simply ran fabric-covered corogated tubing the same size as air-filter housing snorkle inlet diameter from a equal size hole in the lower bumper valance/air dam (mounted with two stubs cut & bent back as part of the hole I cut), through a hole made by cutting-away some material from the leading portion of the inner fender liner, and clamped it to the snorkle with a large hose clamp. End result? 25mpg cruising 75-80mph from Illinois to Kentucky with a TBI N/A Iron Duke w/ a 4-spd auto trans! Of course, I should mention from the cat-back I had the local muffler shop install a 1/4" larger pipe with a Flowmaster 40 (Hey, it was the mid-'90s and I gat it from a friend's friend for $50!). But you can see what such mods can gain you Perry since you are a 'cycle wrench.

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Just remembered something more:
GM P/N: 12557779 will fit the stud without a hitch. Can't tell if they're self-aligning or not but they will fit the factory stud. I guess you'll hafta check the GMPP catalog for adjuster nuts to fit them as the stock nuts won't. Mind you, this is just a lead from a thread I've been watching on this topic I got the other day so this is all I know about this. Plus this: If the rockers are self aligning you'll need to unbolt the studs to remove the pushrod guideplates. If not, you'll need to enlongate the guideplate holes so the pushrods won't bind against them in their travel when using the 1.6 rockers. To do so you'll hafta remve them to keep the filings out of the engine. Either way you'll be pulling the rocker studs, and when you do install the rockers their adjusters are to be torqued to 19-22ft-lbs. According to my sources your engine's springs should be able to handle the lift this mod will result in as the '94-'97 2.2L's head assembly can handle up to .479" of lift, but for longetivity's sake I wouldn't try try to push it any futher than I've recomended. Oh, see if you can find someone who'll make a header for your app to these specs:

Prmaries: 1-1/2" Dia. x 22" length.
Collector: 2-1/2" Dia. x 6" length. Ball-socket type.
Mounting flange: 3/8" thick.

Reason for these specs is that most makers of fabbed headers for our app only follow the specs they found worked on the LN2 in the J-body app. These don't match the torque peak of engine as they are to short (18" vs. 22") and the peak they do seek won't work with the weight & gearing typically found in our trucks (3.73, although mine has the factory 4.10 "towing package" gearing). I once found someone who thought to make headers to these specs without any outside prompting but he decided not to do to lack of consumer interest (Nobody seemed to want them except me!). So, the way I figure is if you can get someone like Lemyn's Headers to fab one for you (They'll make a header for any app!) you'll be ahead of the game. I wish you luck with this build, Perry. May you be able to use all the mods I suggested to you & they all work well & together for you. Oh yeah, ask that header maker if they can make it with 14 gauge tubing!

[Nickelin'Dimer]

As much HP, Box? Try 200hp as a starting point!

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Just got back from the J-body board... Perry, the pump you want is a Melling M98. Also, check here for a sticky about installing a '96 Taurus 2-spd fan and look into underdrive pulleys as that alone will free-up alot of HP on this engine. Also look into going with a larger pulley on the power steering pump so as to get more power from the engine and slow down the pump as to increase steering firmness (I will be looking into that one personally once I find the money & time to scrounge the yards). And remember this too: 195-200* coolant operating temperature is best for maximum fuel economy on any F.I. engine.