Hey all. With my timing chain broke, I'm debating pulling the engine all the way out (as opposed to just supporting it) and getting some machine work done on it while it's out. Thus, I have a few questions for all y'all.
How much can the cylinders be bored out to/by, if any?
What cr can I raise it to and still use premium octane?
Where is the best place to mount a 50/50 sprayer? Do I need a throttle body spacer? Can it go in the arm of the cold-air intake?
Do I need to look into getting the oil passages opened up some?
What other mods can I do to raise the fuel efficiency and get a small boost in power? My goal for the car is for it to get the best possible fuel efficiency, while still having a decent pep in its step on the rare occasion when my driving is part of that efficient fuel consumption. As soon as I get the uploading to work, I'll have pictures of exterior and under the hood of my Sunfire as it sits now. Interior will come once I get at least the radio upgraded (swapping in a single din android radio) and the stock speakers working again.

Ok you need to decide what you want exactly. You can get good MPG's with a factory motor and basic bolts ons and a good tune.

Higher compression will also require a tune. It sounds like MPG's are the first thing you are worried about so I would not build a motor. Just simple bolts ons and maintenance.



FU Tuning

Ok. I want to get it running again and maximize its mpg with the least loss of power (hence the solutions like 50/50 injection, which give both a bit of a boost). What bolt-ons should I be looking for? What do I need to look for when looking for a tuner or getting a tuning system of my own (I'm hoping to build a ffr 818 in a year or two, so having or knowing how to use one of those will come in handy)? If rebuilding the engine would make a significant difference, I have no problem doing so. It'd be a great learning experience. I know it doesn't require a full tear-down/rebuild, but I do need to redo the head soon as well. My dad found some gunk built up, and said it's that the head needs redone or the head gasket replaced.

N/A it is pretty easy to make more power over stock and still have mpg's. I got the best ever MPG's while n/a with intake, header and full exhaust, larger TB, motor mounts and a tune.

You could do a full rebuild doing a 2.3 oil pump swap, with around 10:0 compression pistons some light head work and larger cams and good tune I would assume it would do ok.



FU Tuning

OK. I'll look into the motor mounts and tune, but I'm pretty sure the person I bought it from already installed the header, full exhaust, and throttle body. I know it already has a cold-air intake (AEM ram-air), but I need to finish isolating it from the rest of the engine compartment.

Jeffrey Womack wrote:OK. I'll look into the motor mounts and tune, but I'm pretty sure the person I bought it from already installed the header, full exhaust, and throttle body. I know it already has a cold-air intake (AEM ram-air), but I need to finish isolating it from the rest of the engine compartment.

I dont't think AEM made a cold air for the LD9. They made a WAI (warm air intake). I prefer WAI over CAI for throttle response, but then run a duct from the fender well to bring the cold air to the filter.



FU Tuning

Okay. What kinds of things should I be looking for from a tuner? If I were to buy an HP Tuners package, what's important and how big of a learning curve is that going to be? Is finding a tuner or purchasing a system going to be a better use of money? Which would be less expensive?

Addicted to meth wrote:N/A it is pretty easy to make more power over stock and still have mpg's. I got the best ever MPG's while n/a...

^out of curiosity, are you counting meth injection as not n/a?

John wasn't running meth when NA, to the best of my knowledge.

Full bolt ons, and a well maintained engine is what it sounds like, what you want...



PRND321 Till I DIE
Old Motor: 160whp & 152ft/lbs, 1/4 Mile 15.4 @88.2
M45 + LD9 + 4T40-E, GO GO GO

Ok. In about 6 months, I'm hoping to buy a FFR 818 kit. If I were to transplant the LD9 and Getrag to that frame, how can I pull 200 crank hp out of the n/a engine (guessing that the 150 stock rating is crank hp), and what price might I be looking at just on the engine? I've talked to some at the FFR forums, and have an idea of what it'll take to make the engine fit. For N/A power (reliable for, say, 50k miles of good care between rebuilds): meth, a 2.3l oil pump, and..? The 818 averages between 1800 and 2000 lbs, so 200 chp is between 9 and 10 lbs/hp, making the $15-30k able to give a 2017 Camaro 1SS a run for it's $37k pre-loan 11-12 lbs/hp.
For now, the Sunfire is my DD and the goal is mpg. As the 818, I'd still like some MPG, but 20 hwy would be a reasonable number if I can be pulling ~200 hp.

I wouldn't do meth on a N/A motor.

Speedracer built a low compression turbo motor that made 171whp with a street tune. That is well over 200hp at the crank.

If you did a motor with 2.3 oil pump swap, some decent head work, good n/a cams, and other basic bolt ons with a good tune you should be right where you want to be.

Find a good tuner.



FU Tuning

I think I found a decent tuner in my area. Waiting to hear back in terms of a quote. Until the 818 kit is ordered and thus is a reality, I'll just stick with an MPG build from the LD9. Something that'll reliably get me to work and back, to Colorado for my summer trip, and still have some pep in its step.