I have a 03 cavalier with a 2.2 ecotec. I blew the motor once and I’m REALLY not tryin to do that again. It was free the first time but next time (hopefully it won’t happen again) it will cost about $6000. I found a turbo kit cheap but I am not ready to put it on yet. It’s a stage 1 hahn racecraft turbo. All that’s done to the motor is a RKSport CAI. I have a few other mods like suspension & brakes. My question is what all should be done to the motor and in what order before I turbo it? Also being that it’s an automatic tranny (I know, I know) will a BOV be heard at all and is it even neccessary with a stage 1 turbo? Another question with the stage 1 there is no intercooler do I need one? If so are they universal and where can I buy one?
i thought GM released a whole stage guide for these engines? have you ever seen that?
yeah but it doesnt tell you what to do in what order thats really what I’m looking for.
they did, they go about the ways of a supercharger tho
GM has a Ecotec performance build book that basically holds your hand and shows you step by step and part number by part number how to build a 600+hp ecotec… :mullet:
I have that book it tells you step by step how to install a turbo but not what needs to be done to the motor first. Also it tells you how to build it up to 1400hp. Not that I even wanna come close to that…lol!
u blow it,it wont cost u 6k,maybe 1,000 withe labor!
thats not the point but it will cost around 6000 because the one under warranty was 5700 with labor
pittspeed is not the place to ask these questions. Look into the GM forums for better information on your car specific question. You stated your primary concers, and one of which was “will you hear the blow off”…say it with me now “domestic rice”. As for you rCAI it will not be used when you get the turbo installed. Good luck. I just talked to Dennis at Hybrid Dynamics and he said the tune alone will be 400-500…ouch. Almost as much as I paid for the AEM EMS.
first of all that’s a contradiction…domestic rice burner??? ask your self this…what makes a rice burner a rice burner? Is it because they are from japan and japanese people live mostly on rice? maybe? but i didnt post on pittspeed to have people like you reply to it! I posted on here cause a friend of mine had told me that the people on pittspeed can be pretty helpful as far as mods for your car. Second of all I don’t have to post on a “application specific” GM web site. The question im asking can be used for just about any stock motor wanting to go to turbo? Now if all you’re gonna do is talk shit then post somewhere else!!!
ahhhh…this is joe? this is jack…didn’t realize that was you. When did you blow your motor? Domestic rice is a term used for domestic cdars in the trendy part of the tuner world. My post was a bit aggressive, but did not mean for it to come out that way. Anyways…watch your automatic tranny, probably the weak link of your car. I have heard nothing but good things about the ecotec motors so far(although i don’t follow them much). I always feel that a supercharger is a much easier install, and maybe a bit mroe relialbe. I have seen Dave posting quite a bit lately…who bought his teg? and why SOCC? What happened w/ MYL?
I get a little offensive when people say shit about “domestic rice” because it really doesnt make sense if you think about it. About the ecotec it is a good motor but it’s not exactly bulletproof (close but not completley). SOCC is the new club name I figured kick everyone out who was bringing us down and after 90% of the club left anyway i figured why not start over with all the LOYAL members and rename it. Plus now that I think about it MYL just sounded retarded anyway. Dave actually got me started on here. He moved in my house with me and he’s always on here asking questions about shit. Being that I’m about to buy this Turbo kit I’m going to need to know what all I should do to my car and in what order to do it so I posted on here to see if anyone knew. He told me they were really helpful with his questions so…hey why not!
It all really depends on the auctal motor itself. I know the ECOTEC engine can withstand some great power, but you have to see what exactly you CAN do to the engine. I’m sure they make some goodies for your engine
As for what should be done…
Maybe…
New Pistons
Connector Rods
re-sleeved(if needed)
yes a blow off valve will be heard on an automatic turbo, i’ve seen/heard them before.
If you can maybe look to see if you can find an E.S.K for your automatic. there was a guy rolling w/ a turbo’d tC that was an auto and he put in that E.S.K on his tC and he said it felt like a stick and the blow off valve was more noticeable because it is a solid shift and much more of a thump. No glide from gear to gear
I will try to help you out as much as possible, if I can’t I will as my instructors at school
i guess i have advice i can give you, its the same advice i give to anybody looking to turbo there ka24de(stock 240sx motor). if i was you i wouldnt undertake this project without some prior knowledge of turbo “basics”. try and pick up a book called Maximum Boost by Corky Bell, it will seriously be the best 40 dollars you will ever spend.
LOL … What pittspeed is HE on?
As far as your car man … Like everyone else has said … You need to find out what has been done/can be done. As far as the kit being cheap … just remember, you get what you pay for.
And the bov on the automatic … yes it will be heard … but ONLY when you let off the throttle … it will not be heard between shifts
I am sure this has been done before, and with proper research you can find all your answers. Unfortunately I do not think anyone has really modded the ecotec engine that is on this board. I would love to get a chance to play with one, but its just out of my personal interest realm. I put a turbo on my old 2.0 Jetta, so it was somewhat similar with going from NA to a FI application. a few hurdles you want to look into is how to lower the compression of the engine, and how to provide the appropriate fuel to the engine.
I am somewhat curious about this ecotec engine, so maybe I will do some reading up on them tomorrow.
That is going to get your best bet. If you need parts or a second block to build up from scratch and do it right while still being able to drive your car, get a hold of Brian at JJ’s Automotive (PewterSS) or Brad form my club has an ECOTEC laying around he will sell since he sold his car and bought an EVO.
Like others said for what to do to the engine, you need to check out a car specific board (thats where I did most of my reseach when I had my cav). Then if you need technical how-to or general help actually performing such a thing like pulling the head, replacing the pistons, you can either check J-body again or ask help here…
There is a guy by the name of Ed Buti that works at CIII and used to be in our club. He has a Burnt orange / silver fade with a Hahn stage 2 kit for the Eco. He likes it and he installed it himself with help from a few friends.
If you can get a hold (I don’t have his contact info anymore) he maybe able to provide you with local help.
**EDIT- Brad’s name on here with ECO block is ECOvenom
bring it & we’ll build it!
as stated…
:bigok:
**EDIT - MYL 
(sorry I had to)
Ok I’m done now
Some other sites you might want to check into.
www.jbodyperformance.com
www.carcustoms.net
www.ecotecpower.com
Best advice ever.
As far as the Hahn Racecraft kit—it is quality stuff. There is a guy on j-body.org that has their stage 2 kit and he is running 12s on stock internals, stock clutch, and drag radials. if you’re going to buy a turbo kit for your ECOTEC, Hahn is probably the best kit to get. I would spend the extra cash though and get the stage 2 coz it comes with EVERYTHING to safely turbo, including the intercooler.
as far as your question about a BOV, i think you need one when you turbo a car. it is there to release excess pressure that builds up when u let off the gas and close your throttle body. it helps keep everything from blowing up. And it will be heard every time you let off the gas.
And the Hahn racecraft kit is designed to work on a stock motor. the Stock internals on the ECO were tested and found to be good up to around 280-290 hp, which was where the rods failed.
And intercoolers can be universal----sort of. you are gonna need to find one that will fit under your bumper.
Other than that, if you need anythign else answered as it pertains to the ECOTEC or the Cavalier in general----check out j-body.org as Sight N Sound said or hit me up on AIM (red04eco) or e-mail me (better to e-mail–i get it everyday)