Can anybody help me out with some engine swapping information?


I am not real familiar with Saturns, but unfortunatelyI am getting betteras a friend has one that I seem to constantly be fixing.[img]smileys/smiley5.gif[/img]


She has a 98 SL twin cam that is being a typical Saturn. Burning a litre of oil a every 4-5 days. Just recently it has smoked heavily on start-up, but goes away after driving a block or two.I'm guessing itto be a sticking ring as it lasts too long to be from leaking valve seals.


I purchased another motor (real cheap) in the hopes of rebuilding it, and then just doing a quick engine swap so that he car is not out of commission too long. When I disassembled the second motor I discovered that #1 con rod bearing had let go, and the piston rattled off of the head for a short while. Amazingly, the block is in great shape without any scoring from the chunks that felll off of the piston, and the head can be used againif it is lightly refinished. Unfortunately the crank is worn by 0.020" and needs turning, which would take it past the point of being able to buy oversized bearings (0.020" being the largest available). So, I need a crank and some pistons on the "cheap".


I have checked locally, and there are not any more twin cams in my area to be had at a reasonable price, but I can find some single cam motors. Does anybody know if the rotating assembly is the same, and can be interchanged? Can I use a single cam shortblock if I find one?

any engine from 1991 to 2001 can be put in your car and from what I understand the blocks are the same, but you have to use the twin cam heads, injection system and timing chain

No problem. All the parts on the donor block were great except for the crank and #1 piston assembly. All that I need to find then is a single cam motor that has upper end problems so that I can scavenge the crank and conrods.


If the rotating assembly is the same, then how come places like flatlander racing post two different pistons for the single and twin cam blocks? What is the difference?

I AM NOT SURE, THEY INTERCHANGE THOUGH

I don't know about Saturns but Dodge double cam motorsare a higher compression than single cam motors....