pre s/c or nitrous

Alright, you guys are probably going to laugh at me for asking this but oh well im a newb. Anyways, i was thinking about getting a supercharger or nitrous. My question is what should i do to my engine (2.2L ecotech DOHC) before i get this kind of hardware. Because from what i am hearing its pretty bad to put those kind of things on a stock engine, and i can see the logic in that but what would i need to do to prep for those kind of upgrades?

I never will understand why some people want to get right down to it and skip all the fore play. The way I see it just jumping right to either N20, super charged or turbo takes all the fun out of things really. Im going to dump everything I can on building my engine N/A with everything I can think of and even the things that frankly make no sense. By the time Im done with all that maybe Ill go to being boosted or shots. Who knows, you may be able to come up with enough N/A equipment to make up the difference between boost or shot but you never know til you try. Even then once all the fun of that is all done at least if youve done things the smart way all your internals should be built up enough that you shouldnt even have to ask this question you can just do it.

Speed without the adventure of trial and error as well as the little hardships that come from trying to get good speed out of an N/A engine frankly to me is just a waste.

Thats just my 2 cents anyways.

Speed without the adventure of trial and error as well as the little hardships that come from trying to get good speed out of an N/A engine frankly to me is just a waste.

Thats just my 2 cents anyways.

Not everyone can afford "all the little hardships". Though to counter my own statement, if you can't afford to, don't.

so what are you trying to say? its better to spend 2 grand on minor bolts ons, IE Intake, Exhaust, Header, Mounts, Pulleys, TB, and such and get like 20 more HP If that. Or spend 2 grand on a supercharger, get about 50 MOre HP, then start adding all your little extras if you feel like it.

FOr the most part, NA tuning on cavaliers is a waste of money. Unless your doing internals, why bother? Its better just to jump right into forced induction than play around with all that ebay crap.

so what are you trying to say? its better to spend 2 grand on minor bolts ons, IE Intake, Exhaust, Header, Mounts, Pulleys, TB, and such and get like 20 more HP If that. Or spend 2 grand on a supercharger, get about 50 MOre HP, then start adding all your little extras if you feel like it.

FOr the most part, NA tuning on cavaliers is a waste of money. Unless your doing internals, why bother? Its better just to jump right into forced induction than play around with all that ebay crap.

I never will believe that going n/a is a waste of time. Ok the only time I see on your cardomain is a 14.7 with the s/c on it. My buddy dan with the same z24 and he is n/a with not alot of mods has his time listed at around 15.2. So either n/a can work if done right, his slip listing is a lie, or you need to learn how to drive that sucker better. And no Im not saying you dont know how to drive your car Im just saying that doesnt sound right running at 7psi with a z24 and only hitting 14.7.

And for the record. You didnt get any attitude so why try and give one?

uhh that was 14.7 with 4.5 PSI and just the supercharger added. Before when i was NA my best was a 16.1. And its not very hard to drive an automatic. Further more, half a second is alot of time to make up. Also you dont know this, but the faster you go in the 1/4 mile, the more HP it takes to improve just as much as before. Lets say you need 5 HP to go from a 16.0 to a 15.8. Well if you want to drop your time from a 15.0 to a 14.8, its gonna require more like 10 HP. If you want to go from like a 14.0 to a 13.8 is gonna require around 15 more HP. The faster you are, the harder it is to go even faster.

Also why bolt ons are mostly a waste for a NA 4 cylinder car is because 4 cylinder cars are already very good at breathing. Intake, exhaust, headers, all done on a stock car dont do much at all. Now if you port and polish the head thats a different story, but thats not a bolt on. BUt even that has its limits. You can do alotmore to a car with 2500 invested in forced induction that you can do with 2500 invested into a NA tune.

Well considering this is not only my daily driver but my familys only car that means I cant affored to take the chance on running it boosted so to me, no, going n/a and doing all the little bs isnt pointless. Also I wasnt talking about just bolt ons. I plan on doing everything you can n/a from port and polish, head work, bigger throttle body and things off other ecotec engines that are not on the cavi eco that will help as well such as a certain intake mani that will remain nameless. :lol:

wow...why would you even race your family's car?? and nitrous oxide is more dangerous than a supercharger or turbo....

I guess it just depends on what you want to do to the car. Meaning what end result you want.

so what are you trying to say? its better to spend 2 grand on minor bolts ons, IE Intake, Exhaust, Header, Mounts, Pulleys, TB, and such and get like 20 more HP If that. Or spend 2 grand on a supercharger, get about 50 MOre HP, then start adding all your little extras if you feel like it.

FOr the most part, NA tuning on cavaliers is a waste of money. Unless your doing internals, why bother? Its better just to jump right into forced induction than play around with all that ebay crap.

Can you get a charger for 2grand for an ecotec? Because that's what the poster has, and I've looked and can't find one near that cheap.

when the GM charger comes out for the ecotec, which should be very soon. It will cost between 2300-2600. The price isnt finial but somewhere in that range.

Can you get a charger for 2grand for an ecotec? Because that's what the poster has, and I've looked and can't find one near that cheap.

You can if you know some people. Or if you know some people that know some people that walk the dog of a person that knows this one guy that can get the number of a guy and all the while it turns out its the guy next door. :lol2:

EDIT: Jason, did they put out final numbers that it will produce? Ive seen everything from 170 to damn 230 but I have yet to see concrete numbers.

nope, but honestly i think 175 is about right. The M62 supercharger is designed for med-large displacement V6 engines. The supercharger is way oversized for that engine, so it prolly drains a ton of HP from the engine.

sorry i am a new person at this... what all do you mean when you say "internals"

nope, but honestly i think 175 is about right. The M62 supercharger is designed for med-large displacement V6 engines. The supercharger is way oversized for that engine, so it prolly drains a ton of HP from the engine.

175 at the front wheels or at the crank? If it's at the crank, I definately am not going to justify 3,000+ after install for 35 horses.

wow...why would you even race your family's car??

Totally missed this.....my answer...why wouldnt I? :lol2:

because, your gonna be out of a car if you blow that eco. and what happens if you wreck it while racing, i'd feel bad if i did that to a family car while racing on the street.

Good thing I dont street race then eh? Also I have the money to put things back into order if I ever blow the engine or wreck the car. I would just really like to see what I can do with this pig going all motor and no boosted apps.

Nothing can top the feeling of taking apart a boosted car with a n/a vehicle. Its also worht it for the look on their face when you tell them your car is all motor. Wish I had a camera at the track when they guy driving a POS boosted acura got his ass handed to him by me and then when he asked how much psi Im using and told him none. Now that was pricless. :lol:

Edit: That reminds, I need to get this bitch on a dyno. I never did get a baseline. :disappoin

so what are you trying to say? its better to spend 2 grand on minor bolts ons, IE Intake, Exhaust, Header, Mounts, Pulleys, TB, and such and get like 20 more HP If that. Or spend 2 grand on a supercharger, get about 50 MOre HP, then start adding all your little extras if you feel like it.I'd say that spending 2 grand on a supercharger for a Cavalier makes about as much sense as spending 2 grand on minor bolt ons. In the end you still have a 2.2L (or 2.4L) that has (relatively) crappy performance, just with $2000 bolted on in some form or another.

I'd say that spending 2 grand on a supercharger for a Cavalier makes about as much sense as spending 2 grand on minor bolt ons. In the end you still have a 2.2L (or 2.4L) that has (relatively) crappy performance, just with $2000 bolted on in some form or another.

Seriously man...You've stated this same opinion in just about every thread you have replied in. Has it not become clear to you that the people that want to boost their Cavy don't care what you think? Its their car and their money..why waste your time saying the same thing over and over. If you don't like it...don't do it...but stop saying it every damn day!

I'd say that spending 2 grand on a supercharger for a Cavalier makes about as much sense as spending 2 grand on minor bolt ons. In the end you still have a 2.2L (or 2.4L) that has (relatively) crappy performance, just with $2000 bolted on in some form or another.


who cares if its a 2.2L or 2.4L...what cuz its a cavy ?...like a civic or any other jap car is better ?...they are all cars man..everyones got their preference..and if its cuz of the actualy engine size...maybe you should hang around the camaro/corvette/mustang/etc forums

no-one wants to hear you say the same shit in every thread about your general dislike for this car...if you dont like it that much get the fuck out of the cavy section..cuz your obviously in the wrong place

on the topic of the thread..my idea would be if you want to keep it n/a save that 2 grand on seperate internals, just buy a crate engine...myself im buying a drop in performance LD9 for my car..bitch comes with 190 horse to the wheel...and after that if i want to boost it...guess what...shes ready to go.

but when it comes to spending money..there is no wrong way of building up a car...its just dependant on what you want out of your car...if you want a badass N/A car (PsychoJJ) or a boosted power house (-jayson-)
have fun...but either way you look at it..they are your cars..theres no need to argue with someone else about what you wanna do to your car..its not like they are physically going to be able to prevent you from doing what you want to your car...so why fight over it..neither is wrong with their decision..just do what you want

on the topic of the thread..my idea would be if you want to keep it n/a save that 2 grand on seperate internals, just buy a crate engine...myself im buying a drop in performance LD9 for my car..bitch comes with 190 horse to the wheel...and after that if i want to boost it...guess what...shes ready to go.

but when it comes to spending money..there is no wrong way of building up a car...its just dependant on what you want out of your car...if you want a badass N/A car (PsychoJJ) or a boosted power house (-jayson-)
have fun...but either way you look at it..they are your cars..theres no need to argue with someone else about what you wanna do to your car..its not like they are physically going to be able to prevent you from doing what you want to your car...so why fight over it..neither is wrong with their decision..just do what you want

Amen brother! :lol2:

sorry i am a new person at this... what all do you mean when you say "internals"
Internals meaning Pistons, Rods and shit like that.

nope, but honestly i think 175 is about right. The M62 supercharger is designed for med-large displacement V6 engines. The supercharger is way oversized for that engine, so it prolly drains a ton of HP from the engine.


Jaysen, any idea when this GM s/c is going to hit....I've been holding off buying the RSM one but I'd like to get this done this winter so I'm ready to roll buy spring. Lots of mods to do this winter, trying to see if I should hold out longer.....

no idea really, it could come out tomarrow, it could come out next spring. I think GM is waiting to sell enough Cobalts SS S/C's before they release it. It would look pretty bad if you buy a 23,000 dollar car and then some joke with a 8,000 dollar car and a 3,000 dollar supercharger smoke you.

And i also want to change my power estimates, i think it will make somewhere around 200 crank HP.

well hey let me know if you hear anything. I'll check back with ya before I make the big buy. Got lots of body mods plus exhaust to run this winter

My advice. Avoid the RSM Vortech charger. i know someone that is sponsored by RSM and has the V2 kit and it sucks makes 8psi at redline. it's poor to say the best and had been poor on 3400s aswell. Living not too fer from RSM i';ve been there and so has pretty much everybody I know and they WONT back anything up with number and their PCM tuning is a joke! All this talk of builing N/A motors and then boosting them, not a good idea. The best way to prduce power in N/A is increase compression. the Ecotec starts off at 10:1 which isn't too bad the LD-9 is 9.5:1. the LD-9 can take a lot of boost punishment. i know 3 people that have turbo's ld9-s on stock internals running 94 octane and running between 10-14 psi and not problems. These cars are hitting mid to hi 13's, well apart from the sunfire with the blown clutch. I know a guy that has a 2.4 with the Gm s/c and at 8psi ran a 14.2 with the 5 speed. now back to compression. if you up the compression ratio then boosting the car will be a bad idea. But dropping it in anticitpation of boost will loose you power and you'll hate yourself untill boost arrives. To be honest the Gm performance s/c kits are ht easiest way into boost. they come with everything you need and work fine. i know several people that have them/ had them (one being the guy sponsored by RSM) and none of them have had problems seing as how GM did their homework and sold a complete kit. the turbo guys have had nothing but trouble getting them running right! fuelling being the worst thing. but the ApexI Super AFC-II is their weapon of choice and after some fiddling they work ok. Hopefully HP tuners will get the cav program out which they are currently developing after a fairly recent survey into what people want. link so people actuallt believe me http://www.hptuners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?board=vcmsuite_general;action=display;num= 1123068933

boost is good. I'd like boost but the only thing you have to remeber is, once you get boost you'll want more boost and it is a very involved process, it's not just glue it on and go. there are a LOT of things to consider, ensure you do and do correctly etc. Especially on turbo set-ups! desptie what people say N2O does offter the best hp per $ ratio but refilling will need to happen and with boost you'll need a more expensive 'wet-kit'.

Also although s/c'd cars works well with high-lift cams etc. Turbo's don't always. Also there are different turbo layouts. if you want boost, REALLY do you research! Oh and your car wont last as long, not only because tuning shortens the motors life but you'll most likely drive it harder!