Hi, I am new to this forum and am in need of some help. I am in the process of doing a motor swap in a 2000 SL2 I got pretty much for free. Motor had a pretty bad knock which I think a new set of bearings would do the trick and was leaking around the head area. I bought a used 1997 SL2 motor on E-Bay and I immediately noticed the difference throttle bodies. I figured no big deal, I can just swap out the throttle bodies and call it a day. After doing some research and taking a better look at the motors, I don't think I can swap the throttle bodies unless I also swap the head. I'm also finding that the 2nd gen ECU's are not compatible with 3rd gen.

Can anyone confirm this? If I do in fact need to swap the heads I'm thinking of just rebuilding the orig. motor cause it'll be mostly torn down at that point and I'll prob. just sell the '97 motor.

Please Help!!

 

Reading is fundamental
https://www.saturnforum.com/forum/general-tech-help-13/swap-questions-4523/

 

If it were mine, I'd just rebuild the 2000 engine and sell the other one. I'd say the odds are pretty good that if you just put a new set of rod bearings and a new head gasket and timing chain and gears, you'd be good to go. Oh, and a water pump too while you're at it and possibly a new oil pump. Unless you've got a couple hundred thousand miles on it, your rings and main bearing are most likely okay.

 

SW2 CAM, I read that before. I'm just double checking if that is accurate. I'm the type of person that doesn't trust everything posted online.

Problem is solved anyway. Sold the '97 motor for almost twice what I paid and just picked up a 3rd Gen. motor for $500 with a trans.

 

Damn, you did good! Let us know how the replacement goes.

 

Well if it was known to be wrong info it would not be on this site, and we would not pass it on. Than we did not know your read it because you failed to add that to your post. So had you said that i would have approached the subject in a different manner. In other words you left us as clueless as you.

 

It's good your engine problems are solved, now the work begins. I hope your replacement engine turns out to be a jewel. Before installing the engine replace the thermostat as well as the water pump. Flush the hell out of the engine, heater core, and the radiator. If you can remove the oil pan and clean. Once in and operating run something like Seafoam Engine Cleaner, or Marvel Mystery Oil following instructions on the can. Do it twice if you have the cash. Add fresh oil and filter. I'd use Mobil-1 10w30 with a Purolator, Wix, or A/C Delco filter.

 

There is only 110K miles on the replacement motor and sounded pretty good before it was pulled.

 

Heck, that engine is just getting broken in good!