Hey my trans just fell apart in my 1997 chevy rs cavalier. I have a few buddys who are gonna help me put in another one , but i figured since it died maybe id want to put the ecotec engine in it. I need to know though can i put another trans in for this make and it work for a ecotec 2.2 from a 2003-2005 cavalier? Or would i need to pull a trans and the ecotec engine out of a car and put both in my 1997 chevy rs cavalier. Also is this possible? If so...how hard and how much work am i looking at doing. Any info would help alot thanks =)
You have to completely rewire the whole car because ecotec powered Js have BCMs and 95-99s dont. The simplest way to put an ecotec i a pre-2000 J is to buy a complete ecotec donor car and swap everything over.
You also cannot use a non ecotec tranny on an ecotec engine, they have different bellhousings.
Tinkles wrote:You have to completely rewire the whole car because ecotec powered Js have BCMs and 95-99s dont. The simplest way to put an ecotec i a pre-2000 J is to buy a complete ecotec donor car and swap everything over.
You also cannot use a non ecotec tranny on an ecotec engine, they have different bellhousings.
this. the only similarity between your car and that of an eco powered one, is the body. EVERY single other thing is different and would need to be swapped.
JBO Stickers! Get yours today!
Robby Robertson wrote:Hey my trans just fell apart in my 1997 chevy rs cavalier. I have a few buddys who are gonna help me put in another one , but i figured since it died maybe id want to put the ecotec engine in it. I need to know though can i put another trans in for this make and it work for a ecotec 2.2 from a 2003-2005 cavalier? Or would i need to pull a trans and the ecotec engine out of a car and put both in my 1997 chevy rs cavalier. Also is this possible? If so...how hard and how much work am i looking at doing. Any info would help alot thanks =)
PM Lenko he has done this swap twice and helped me out when my friend and i swapped one into his 96 cavalier, it runs great, but you need the whole wiring harnass the trans the engine, if you can get the whole K member from the front of an eco cavalier, this was a big help for us, get the bcm, abs module, gas tank, abs module, ect, everything electrical must be swapped
Erik Packard
It's true, I've been there and done that.
I had a 98 Z24 with a dead trans and a dying engine... it was WAY cheaper and easier to find a low mileage Ecotec w/ 5 speed than a replacement 2.4L and working transmission. $800 in fact, for the whole donor car. I sold most of the rest of the car to make up the cost.
You swap pretty much everything. Fuel tank, ABS module, computers, etc.. I did the fuel lines and brake lines too.. makes things easier. If you don't have the donor car there, it's a lot more work - just make sure you have everything from the car you're going to need... if it's gone later on, finding matching pieces is a pain.
