Left Field Engine Swap Question

Doofus McFancypants · #1 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 04:42 PM

Thought exersize going on in my head. I doubt anyone has - or will ever do this - but i wanted to ask the question. the Search dod not turn up anything so i thought i would ask...

Has anyone ever swapped a 2.4 L engine for a SMALLER engine? like a 1.8 L turbo setup?

My rational is as follows.
I am more focused on Fuel Economy. and the 155 HP of the 2.4 L engine i never use - nowhere near it. But Torque is great on the 2.4 L engine.

Yes having a 1.8 would be a lot less power - but with the right sized turbo I can probably get to the simular TORQUE value as my current engine. Idea is same TORQUE out of smaller displacement would yield greater MPG for my commute.

I doubt i will ever do this - if i want a 1.8L engine - just get a car that HAS the 1.8L engine and be done with it.

Has anyone ever heard of this being done? is it even possable?

(( please keep the "slamming" to a minimum please - I know this is off the wall question))

eclypse · #2 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 05:41 PM

uh oh an ecomodder... everybody hide your cat'less exhausts..

for the sake of theory, no im sure it hasnt been done. there'd be as much fabrication involved for that as there would be swapping a vq35, and the people capable of doing this have no interest in doing it for the sake of mileage.

it'd make more sense to get a Sentra that comes native with a 1.8 motor, and work on the efficiency of that one. or even a 1.6L Honda. that old addage that "anything is possible with enough money" comes to mind, and barring that you'd have to be a really good fabricator/tig welder for this to even be humored.

to the best of my knowledge, there are no other motors with mounts native to ours, be it smaller or larger motor.

edit: OR, get you a bug or karman ghia. with 60hp they're surprisingly quick and with 120 they're downright fast. and im sure with a 1.6L converted to fuel injection and a turbo (which HAS been done hundreds of times) you'd get great mileage + power

blackalti · #3 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 03:45 AM

yall didnt see me or my catless exhaust

jayjaya29 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 04:46 AM

Prob would be easiest to swap in a smaller sentra motor.

Doofus McFancypants · #5 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 12:33 PM

I do not align myself with the overly preachy Hypermilers.
If you are interested in HP and Style - i am all for it.
It takes a TON of skill and knowledge to do what you guys do to these cars. My direction may be a little different, but i have nothing but respect for the accomplishments by you guys and gals.

I did not think a swap was realistic - but wanted to know if it was possable. Sounds like unless it is something truely custom, going to be way more effort then benifit.

Thanks for the input guys.

Steve

allblackedout111 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 10:44 PM

Yea it would be an insane and unreasonable amount of work to swap in a smaller motor. Best to just buy a smaller lighter car.

Is it wrong to have no emissions equipment?

Iceman00 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 01:22 AM

Tune the car to breathe better, and run a bit leaner, that should save you some gas.

eclypse · #8 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 04:47 AM

yea.. its rich from the factory. lean it out, run a larger radiator, run water wetter in it, get the lowest temp thermostat possible, run an oil cooler, and possibly even a fuel cooler, and see how lean you can get the bastard w/o detonation or exhaust gas temps hot enough to weld steel. oh, and a vacuum pump that helps with detonation, as does running methanol if you really want to get into. even then i just dont see it getting over 35 mpg.

d0ughb0ii · #9 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 11:49 AM

Yea, I dont see a point in swapping in a smaller motor.

Doofus McFancypants · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 12:02 PM

To be honest - I am not all that interested in the "enviromental impact" i am causing - Nor am i really all that interested in the "National Security" of getting off of Oil. I am just looking to figure out how to best do what i gotta do and spend less money.

You would be suprised what these cars can do. My BEST tank of gas in this car was 36 MPG. was a road trip on non-interstate highways - had great Rolling Hills i could Coast in N down ( and pick up some speed) to help me get up the other side. I also had 2 other people in the car ( 350 lbs additional maybe?)

I have ( and love) this car so i do not want to buy a new one ( and spend all that $$) mine has only 90K on the motor and the body is in good shape. I will probably keep doing what i am doing - run it for another 3 - 4 years ( or until it dies) then i can get something smaller. ( maybe we will all have Electric Cars by then - who knows)

Steve

eclypse · #11 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 02:05 PM

i got 33 once, in florida, while it was nice and cool and humid (natural water injection!). but in terms of consistency, if you do the above (at a cost of what.. $1200'ish?) you'd probably not raise the peak efficiency, just help "smooth out the powerband" per say of your mileage.

you're correct in that turbo's can gain near 100% volumetric efficiency, as can reshaping the combustion chamber of the head - but these are all done in race application, not high mpg application. a 1.8L turbo will still rape fuel while its in boost. most turbo cars, driven sanely, will see higher mpg on a bigger turbo simply due to the fact they arent hitting boost. so to say you want to turbo a 1.8 to match a 2.4 may actually be doing the opposite of what you're after.

the only way i see you increasing what you have now, within the realm of sanity, would be to do what i suggested above (fight heat and detonation at all costs) and lean it out as far as you can.