Which would you guys recommend for a daily driver. I could go the typical turbo route, but I don't want to loose any reliablility. Would I be saver just building the motor as depicted in the build book?

I don't care about the cost, as I have 2 jobs and have roughly $800 play money every month. I have a garage at my apartment now to store parts in and a buddy of mine blew his motor on his cavy that's boosted and rebuilt the motor out of 3 different bad motors. One of those motors was a motor out of an 07' cobalt that has a good block, and a good head. I can have both for free.

What would you guys recommend. Bumping the compression and running all motor to hit as high as I can with adjustable cam gears and tuning or go low compression and run boost?

This is the first car I have actually built, but my buddy is an ASE mechanic and can rip a car apart and put it all back together again like a kid does with legos. I'm not worried about his talent to do this job.

My thoughts were...
Adjustable Cam Gears
Stage 2 Cams
H-Beam Connecting Rods
11:1 Compression Wiesco Pistons
New Cometic Gasket
Head Studs

I guess, bates has new valve springs... but not sure if any others are better. (Suppose to bump up to 7,500rpm)

Not sure if I would change the intake manifold, probably bump to a 2.4L at most.

What else would you guys recommend besides tuning?

Also I have an automatic (hate if you must)
Tranny cooler
Shift Plus
Poly Bushings
New Stall converter if available.

I just noticed on the build book it gives the list of all the parts they used, how much to bore the black and port the head... The best numbers they came up with was around 340hp. I'm assuming that's crank horsepower, but not sure.

That's a little more than I wish to have, I'm hoping around the 275 range...

Would a built motor have a better chance of longevity over a boosted one?

 

What I would do is buy a spare motor and build that up in order to decrease downtime on your car. If you want that much horsepower, I definately would go with forced induction. Build the motor (rods, pistons, head studs, cosmetic head gasket, ported head, cams, supercharger/turbo, cooling mods)

Personally, I think it would be really sweet to have a 2.2 with the TVS.


Edit: I just saw you can get a block and head for free. Very nice.

 

^^I agree.... lol.. but that is some serious cash lol

 

I agree with using a spare motor to build up. When you complete you can just slide it the good ol' balt and fly away. using the stock computer I assume. (dont know how that part works)

if you want like 275 hp, you could use 10:1 or 9.5:1 compression ratio and use the M62 and other parts from a SS S/C. You would be able to get that stuff cheap and it's in my opinion a good enough S/C, at least for 275HP. I know you said you dont care about money, but why spend more money than you need to?? save it bro for retirement OR future mods/projects!!

you can make 275 without a lot of dough. But I would say like 10:1 compression, machined head (Patriot Performance Stage 2 head w/valvetrain), comp cams, they have one for blower applications. and a lot of other supporting modifications like forged rods and such. This way, the engine itself will be reliable, and you wont be asking much of the blower so it would also be reliable and last the life of the car as you would not need a very small pulley.

hope this helps!

 

Isn't the stock compression on the 2.2L 10:1?

I think i will go the supercharger route like stated to save on cash and the reliability sake. Build the motor and tranny up as best as possible.

Between Brandon and myself I am sure we could piece together another motor just by the parts laying around, lol.

Brandon is my mechanic.

 

Yeah, stock 2.2 compression is 10:1

 

So bumping down to 9:1 would be beneficial for the blower

 

yea it is 10:1, wiesco makes 10.1:1 pistons. I was talking about this general application, very close numbers. doesnt matter anyway

what affects the S/C is pulley size, smaller pulleys will rev it higher causing more heat and wear and tear. If you use the 10.1:1 pistons, you wont have to use much boost. thats all, 8.9:1 would work well too, but you will have to use a smaller pulley to create more boost, and along with that comes good cooling mods as well.

I say CAM it, machined head (good exhaust) and that M62 will finish the job

 

Turbo all the way. Much more efficient and more potential power overall. You have easier control over boost and can make 275whp so easily and efficiently you wouldnt have to worry about cooling mods. You could still run 10:1 CR pistons on a smaller turbo and be fine. The turbo im currently running will yeild about 280-290whp on 17psi @ 7000rpms. Thats right at the edge of its efficiency because its a small turbo but still much more reliable and efficient then the M62 at those power levels. When i was having boost issues with it(vacuum line clamp was cut) it made 20psi by 2500-2800rpms. Very nice street turbo.

 

im in the same boat as you brother..

i have a dd that im looking for about 250 whp out of..

im going with 12:1 wiseco pistons... i already emailed them.. $400. i was going to go with .020 over bore, but i might go with just standard bore. eagle rods, full ferrea dual valve springs, tit. valves, retainers, locks, neutral balance shafts, 32# injectors, ported head, head studs full boltons, thinking about 2.4 intake manifold?

but anyway, i would stay away from F/I. if 250 is your goal, you can get there with all motor.

plus IMO i think turbo'd applications are not very reliable.

redline at 7800. stage 2 triflow cams, adj. cam gears, canned tune from trifecta (only option i have b/c 07 engine)

GOOD LUCK!

 

It's possible with an all motor, but is gunna be a lot more work, and with F/I once your use to 250hp and want more, it's all about the push up a button on your boost controller.