Hi everyone

I'm debating on purchasing a '98 Pontiac Sunfire SE for a daily driver build. I'm here to learn about the car before I buy it and start adding stuff to it that won't get me what I want.

I'm looking to learn ways to increase the horsepower, torque, and definitely quicker acceleration so that I can get in, around, and out of traffic without someone trying to run me over. My "reasonable" benchmark would be within 150-200 HP. I also want to change the stock bumpers and sideskirts for something aftermarket. Exhaust/Intake, fuel, ecu flashing or standalone, piggyback fuel management, all the usual stuff. Boosted? Maybe a GM S/C or an aftermarket turbo setup. Braking and suspension upgrades too.

Will do my best to read first and as much as I can.

Thanks.

The '98 SE would not be the worst car to start off with.

If it has the OHV 2.2 it's the newer design of that motor making it a bit easier to work with. With the OHV 2.2 J-bodies your best bet for power is a basic turbo set-up, the compression is low enough to get away with a fair boast level. I've heard more then one person say the stock bottom end can handle up to 250 turbo-charged horsepower with the right tune and supporting mods.

If it has the 2.4 Quad-4 engine (not uncommon in non-GT models), the GM supercharger is the best bet for power, up to 200 HP is possible supercharged with that engine. The GM S/Ckit was designed for 00-02 cars but plenty of pre-00 cars have run the kit with the right additional supporting mods.

I'd not touch the car if it has the 3-speed automatic transmission, trust me after having two cavaliers with the 3-speed auto I know how much 70 mph = 3k engine rpms sucks.

Suspension mods for the car are more limited then some other makes/models but we do have options for coil-overs and spring/strut set-ups that are worth having.
Generally the used market for such parts are fairly priced, lightly used KYB AXG struts with lowering springs often go for less then $350. Coil-overs hit the 500-750 mark most times. For new add about 300 to those prices.

As for body kit parts if I was to go full 'TooFastTooFrustrated' I'd take a cavalier over a sunfire myself because more kits are out there for the cavalier. The sunfire dose still have options and personally I'd just get a 95-99 GT 'body-kit' and call it done.
on a side note, the Sunfire sedan, Cavalier coupe, and Cavalier Sedan have the same back-end so anything that fits the back of those cars is the same. The sunfire coupe has a different back end.
the entire (A pilliar forward) of a Cavalier or sunfire can be interchanged as well. 'Cavfires' (front end swapped j-bodies) are not uncommon either.


I miss my Cavalier, even if it made 100 hp on a cold day and had more suspension then it deserved.

Blue2000cavalier wrote:The '98 SE would not be the worst car to start off with.
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I'd not touch the car if it has the 3-speed automatic transmission, trust me after having two cavaliers with the 3-speed auto I know how much 70 mph = 3k engine rpms sucks.
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So no giddy-up possible even after forced induction, huh? Heard that S/C and adjustable cam sprockets help with that. Is that true?

must....
learn....
to....
drive....
stick!

the 4th is mostly an overdrive, just makes highway driving easier on the engine and pocket book.

The any sort of forced induction would help, if done right. As would an adjustable timing set. I'm not a tuning guru I'm 'google' I *know* more then I've done to my personal car.


I miss my Cavalier, even if it made 100 hp on a cold day and had more suspension then it deserved.

For good parts at pretty good price check out carid.com i just got new taillights and headlights for my car 150 both together