ok im pretty sure just by looking at my filter that my engine is done..... at very least would need a rebuild if im that far into the motor.....in case your not sure i have another thread on here where i was asking about a knock.... well i pulled the motor out last week....when i looked at filter you can tell something inside just isnt right i have looked and a reman motor is 3200 from autozone..... a motor with 80k miles is around $800 and a rebuild kit is 799 on ebay and thats not including a crank because im guessing mines gonna be hurt. i will know more when i start a tare down. so im at a cross roads here..not sure where to turn and thats where you guys come into play..... not totaly set on what to do.....i see that zzp has a few short blocks for sale... but not sure if there going to workEcotec Series Engines | 3800 Series Engines | Performance Engine Parts im going to guess it wont work......sorry guys im new to the whole ecotec things.... mostly work on older cars and even then my experience with motor internals is very minimal..... but im very mechanically inclined and work on cars almost every day...so im willing to learn....so is there a good place to look on how to tare the motor down? i mean i can just start doing it but didnt know if there was a specific way to tare it down.....i will post up some pics once i dig into it

 

I don't know if you have any junkyards like pic-a-part or pull-a-part, but you can get a used engine there for about 225. Depending on what is wrong with yours, which you won't necessarily know until you tear it down, you can always salvage it.

 

yeah i checked them and none had cobalts......or g5s.....guess i could check for a 05-06 malibu for the motor..... but i also want to know my options for building it stock and building it stronger...... cause i could throw a little money at it if i have to..... this is just my daily driver so im up in the air on this....... also is there a certain order to take things off..... i didnt realize until after i put motor on engine stand that the bottom two mounts that i bolted to the engine was thru the oil pan...... lol........

 

Anyone else? Help plz

 

2.2 cobalts are so abundant; i'm sure you could grab a 2.2 somewhere for 500 bucks or so man.

the teardown process would be similar to that depicted in the gm build book for the lsj

haynes repair manuals are based completely off a complete teardown and rebuild.

 

Yeah, 2.2's are pretty easy to find. You're an 05 right? If thats the case, I think you can even get one out of a Cavalier. Malibu's had them. So did HHR's. You're just gonna have to get an 05-06 to make sure all of your sensors switch over without problem.

Since you've already got the motor out of the car, you'd probably have an easier time just grabbing a new motor and throwing it in there to get it back on the road if you're under a time crunch. Then you've got a second motor to rebuild without being rushed. These motors arent really difficult to rebuild. It just all depends on how quickly you need the car back up and running.

 

Don't buy anything from vatozone. I know city motor here in Dallas has them for 1100 premium long block with labor what ever the crap that means.

 

no time crunch really but rather have it going sooner than later......... just worried i would get a junk yard motor and have the same problem what ever that may be........ is the older ecotec motors a easy swap? i have an 06..... i know 05-06 works but what about like 02-06? i never thought about the hhr...... do need to look them and the malibu up

 

Same motor. Don't the saturn ion non redline have a 2.2 also?

 

Redline has an LSJ, but the base Ion has a 2.2

 

Thats what I thought. Those started in 03

 

so 03-06?

 

i got my replacement motor off ebay for 51$. had 40k on it. had no valvetrain but I just used what I already had.

 

 

Alero 02-04,grand am 02-04, Saturn L series 01-04, Vue 02-07, Saturn Aura 08-09

more models to look for

If your looking to get it back on the road and going...I would first look into what you can swap cuz if you wanted to you could run a 2.4 or the 2.0 as well, This way you have more and know all your options .

.Besides that easiest and fastest swap is pull the motor keep the stock harness and comps and plug and play a new engine get it flashed to your vin .

 

i have thought about swapping different engines...but not sure how hard that is with the computer and wiring.... so thanks for the other cars i can look at...will keep my eyes open

 

I have some stock 2.2 rods and pistons if you decide to go that route. or you can get wiseco pistons and eagle rods online for 750 shipped. the build book should be available somewhere online the only thing you really have to watch for is the correct order to take out the head bolts and then the order they go back in. timing is probably the hardest part and it's not even that difficult.

 

If you grab the engine and wiring ..Just drop motor and wiring and flash comp....Should be good to go

 

i would like to rebuild it but never have built a motor now i have not took the motor apart but what if theres some cylinder damage? can the stock sleeves be bored over?..... im thinking im just going to drop in a stock motor....faster.... but it would be fun to build...i just rather have some here with me while doing it....... i learn better by watching then reading lol but if i did decide to build are the rods and pistons you have new?

 

when you flash the computer are you talking about the stock one that came with the donor motor? also the wiring harness would that have to be tooken out from dash to?

 

You would have to take it apart to see if there is any damage to the cylinder walls. When I did mine I just used flex hone and honed it out. But when I took my stock pistons out there was no damage, I just built it so I could push more boost. No my rods and pistons have about 50000 miles on them. they still look brand new tho

 

Yes flash the one from the donor car, This way it will know what engine and theft system is on the car etc.

No not from the dash just from under the hood, Unless you want power windows or some option your car doesn't have then no you don't need that harness.

 

does dealer do a reflash? how much?

 

Yep they can. Only reason i see them saying no is if they see the VIN on the dash doesn't match the VIN on the block and they think the car or motor is stolen.. Never experienced it but you never know ..Just bring a receipt of purchase just to be on the safe side..

Just give them a call and you should get a rough estimate.

 

Why don't you take the motor apart and see what's really wrong with it?