How to identify engine? - Newbies Forum

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How to identify engine?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 2:33 PM
Here's the deal, my "mechanic" (Troy) picked up a manual 1998 z24 with 125,000 miles for $850. The body is in perfect shape other than a dented driver side door that's an easy fix. He also needs to pick up a passenger side window because the car was broke into while it sat on the side of the road for a night.

Now for the back story on that...Julia's neighbor (Brandon) has a friend who test drove it because he was going to buy it. While testing it the clutch went on it, but instead of buying it this guy was just going to stiff the girl with the bill and make it her problem. Since she had no way to get it back to her house, and this douche wouldn't do anything the car sat on a fairly busy road for a night. During that night someone busted the passenger side window and hopped through the now open window, instead of opening the damn door.

Once inside they took only the CD player and nothing else. So now we have the test driver (man he's looking more like an :censored: every minute) that’s now responsible for a blown clutch, broken window, and a missing CD player. Now obviously this wouldn't be right so Brandon bought it from her for $600, which was what she wanted for it when it was in good shape. He had bought this car with the intent of fixing it up and modifying it like we do with ours. About a month later he was having balance issues and went into the doc’s office. I'm not sure what the outcome was, but he can't drive and is on disability for now.

It is now a month later and they are getting a little tighter on money, so he decided to sell the car. (Note: Was told he’ll get another when he’s better.) Knowing that I am into modifying these types of cars he approached me first about buying it. I was told the specs and that he just wanted his money back out of it ($600 for car and $250 for a new OEM clutch). I told him that there was no way I could swing it but I had a friend that would probably jump on it.

That same night Troy and I went to look at the car. Brandon didn't try to hide anything and told us all the problems the car had that he was aware of...

1) Needs a new clutch, which he already bought
2) Needs a passenger side window
3) Needs some dents removed on the driver side door
4) Probably needs a tune up

After glancing over the car we were just talking and he said he had a Retta GTZ a while ago and was able to beat a Stang, which just made Troy even jitterier. After hearing that, he was sold on the car and didn't have a problem doing the clutch since he just did a whole transmission on his '98 2200, which is now his daily driver. The next day he came back with the money and towed it to his house to begin the work.

Alright, now that you know how this came to be, back to why I'm posting. We were having a disagreement on the engine that was in the car. I was positive it was the 2.3 Quad 4 (Quad 4 on the valve cover), while he insisted that it was the 2.4 Twin Cam because it’s a z24. Today he finally found the proof he needed to believe me; a little sticker on the passenger side strut tower that said 2.3.

Now that we've figured out that it’s a 2.3, how do we know if it’s the HO or LO or whatever else it could be? Also, are 2.4 and 2.3 parts interchangeable? Thanks for the info and I think its time to join the Quad 4 forums.




Re: How to identify engine?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 3:01 PM
Well, i will tell you this, the car came with a 2.4 Twin Cam.


As for what is has now, tell me where the oil cap is. Is it centered on the front of the engine, or on the back left corner? That location is an easy way to tell if it is a quad 4 or a twin cam.



Go Go OG Traction!!
Re: How to identify engine?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 3:21 PM
so far as i've come to understand, the 2.3 only came in the 95 j's. and i would highly doubt that a shop would go to the trouble of switching the strut tower sticker, so i dont know what to think.



JBO Stickers! Get yours today!
Re: How to identify engine?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 5:36 PM
If it is a 1998 than it should have a 2.4 Twin cam. People switch the IDI ocvers all the time.



FU Tuning



Re: How to identify engine?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 7:04 PM
Gm messes up alot on those stickers. my cavy was obviously was a 2.2 but the catalyst sticker said 2.4.....



Re: How to identify engine?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 7:17 PM
What's the 8th digit in the VIN? That'll tell you what engine the factory put in the car. D=2.3L Quad (95 only), T=2.4L Twin Cam

Now.. take some pics of it, and we'll tell ya whether it's a 2.4L, or something else that's been swapped in. There's a couple of telltales... but we need to see it





Re: How to identify engine?
Thursday, January 25, 2007 2:10 PM
Alright, I'm not sure where we got that it was a '98 from. I think it came up while talking to the former owner about it. We checked the title to double check the year and sure enough, its a '95. Now that makes perfect sence that the engine is in there.

Do the 2.4 and 2.3 parts interchange? Also how do I tell if its a HO or LO?



Re: How to identify engine?
Thursday, January 25, 2007 3:49 PM
The 95 never came with an Ho. 2.4 parts can be put on a 2.3 but it has been said so many times I don't want to start the list.

2.3 Auto = bad

2.3 5spd = good

Ho had 210-215psi of compression. Lo had 175psi. That's the best way to know. The other way is to mesure the cams.



Gilles
2.3 Ho

Re: How to identify engine?
Tuesday, February 13, 2007 12:56 PM
i have a 2000 z-24 with a 2.4l twin cam and the 2.4 l twin cam is stamped right on the vavle cover and the ecotec has it on the vavle cover see if it there..


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