I have a 97 Pontiac sunfire with the 2.2L 3 speed auto tranny. I just hit 100kmi and was planning on doing a rebuild. What I'm planning on doing is to buy a junk yard motor with lower miles and completely tear it down and re-do everything. since it is a 2.2l with the auto I'm not really going for speed. My question is, is there any cheaper but effective mods that can be done. Such as fuel, spark, or something along those lines. Not P&P or Boring.. I know Howell automotive has a high performance coil pack. know if it is any good? Any input is great.

And for all of you people that say to put something else in there, i just don't want to. its not worth the time and effort to gain an extra 20 hp.

Well also I want to point out is that just because you have a 2.2 OHV motor now, doesn't meant you HAVE to replace it with the same motor, you CAN upgrade it with a better motor like a 2.4L or a 2.2 ECOTEC. You can easily find them and buy a donor car and do the swap over to your current vehicle.

Also, just because you have an automatic transmission, doesn't mean that you can go for "speed". If you invest the time and research, you can rebuild your transmission to be just as good or better than a manual transmission.

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My question is, is there any cheaper but effective mods that can be done.

I'm just a bit confussed, do you want to do these modifications to your current motor or to your "soon to be" new motor?



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1) Don't assume you can't go for speed with an auto 2.2L. With patience and a little cash (or friends in the right places) you could have quite a weekend warrior.

2) Why are you rebuilding an entire engine that only has 100k on it? I've read of people getting 300k with good maintenance on these.

3) If you just want it to be reliable, you can replace all upper end gaskets in a weekend, and then all lower end gaskets and bearings (obviously the cam bearings wouldn't need to be changed) along with the timing chain, tensioner, and water pump in another weekend. You don't need another motor if you're not planning on having machining work done (bore & hone, p&p, balancing, chamfering, lightening, etc.).

If you want replacement parts that may increase durability and reliability, I'd look toward a MLS headgasket and some ARP headstuds to keep the leaks away, some MSD coils, low resistance wires, and some cleaned fuel injectors to keep it running top-notch.

Also, I have some Melling replacement hydraulic roller lifters that I don't plan on using, if you really want to 'rebuild'. A true rebuild would also require new piston rings, but then the engine should come out for a honing, and you'd suddenly want a spare engine.

So, how deep are you looking to go in this?


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NJHK (Sexual Chocolate) wrote:you CAN upgrade it with a better motor like a 2.4L or a 2.2 ECOTEC.

Yea i know I've done a lot of research and i was fiddling with the idea of doing something with the motor. i just want something that is completely new and fresh in the motor bay. It is the fact that taking a 95-97 2.2 and throwing it in there would only take the course of a day. Doing a ECO or a 2.0 SC I need a ECU, Wire harness, Motor, Tranny, and time to do it. Don't get me wrong i would love to do it. I priced out a ECO at the junkyard with 12kmi for only $1500 (Full swap). it is also the fact that i personally don't know what I'm getting my self into by doing it. I've never done a swap with a different motor. It was always the same in as out.

I know you can get a 2.2 to be quick. It is just the fact that you need to pay out the a** to get any real gain. If that was the case i would rather just do the swap for a ECO, mod that, and get twice the power for the same money spent in mods.

NJHK (Sexual Chocolate) wrote:do you want to do these modifications to your current motor or to your "soon to be" new motor?

I was talking about the current motor, but now that you guys effectively put the ECO back in my mind, I'm probably talking about either way. I'm just saying by not really getting into the internals. You know P&P, Cams,

OHV notec wrote:Why are you rebuilding an entire engine that only has 100k on it?

I think mostly because she just started giving me a little hesitation on low RPM. I checked everything and tried everything with no luck. It has all new spark and almost all new fuel. its also the fact that I'm tyred of the way it looks in there. I want to get some pretty paint in there..