Hello Saturn aficionados!
 

New to the forum but not new to Saturns, I have owned a 97 SL1, a 96 SL2 and currently own an '01 SC2 and an '07 Outlook.

I'm getting ready to overhaul the DOHC in my Daily Driver SC2 and I'm looking through this forum for possible upgrades and a lot of Q and A during the rebuild.

I am somewhat experienced, I partialy rebuilt my SOHC engine when I had my SL1, but hoping to find more upgrade options with the DOHC.

So far I've removed everything on top of the engine, and plan to disconnect everything below later tonight. trying to teach my stepson a thing or to during the process so it's slowing things down a bit. Be that as it may, I should have the engine hanging by Saturday.

My actual field of expertise is in Sikorsky, Bell, and Agusta rotorcraft with turbine engines, but I've done several car and truck engines in past, including small block chevy and fords, not to mention a few metric bikes.

Welcome to the forum, man. If you can handle the choppers, then you should have no trouble with the Saturn engine at all.

Welcome.

Remember to quote him on that during the process....I will :)

If you can weld and are in general good w fabrication, a turbo might just be in your future.....

Not sure I want to spend the money needed for a turbo install on this old girl. She's my daily driver and I just need her to get me to work and back while using as little gas as possible.

Welcome!
A turbo install would not hurt gas to much. That is why they use them on a lot of the new "eco boost" things.
But if you aren't interested in that, I know they have throttle body upgrades, exhaust upgrades, and I am sure an intake would be good for sound.

The thing about boosting an engine is that it's painfully addictive, and it only makes the engine more economical if because of the boost, taller gear ratios can be used. A stock DOHC engine can live with 4psi just fine, and if you get the piggyback ECU installed correctly it'll run okay, but if you use that extra power much, you use more fuel... As long as the engine is rebuilt with quality parts and you use the proper oil, it should live a long and healthy life... The two main modifications I recommend doing will help both power and economy simultaneously...

1. Increase the compression- this is easy; order new valves for a 1992 Saturn, DOHC... They are same size and all, but are flat faced and give you slightly better compression, which increases volumetric efficiency across the RPM range

2. Port your head- the easier the engine can breathe, the less energy it expends moving air into and out of the combustion chambers

Welcome to the Forum! We need more trained monkeys around here, keep the untrained ones in line!

Took the exhaust manifold off tonight, looks like lots of room to open it up in relation to the gasket, I,d be afraid to open it up that much on the exhaust side for fear of losing too much back pressure. I'll have to do some research before I start grinding.

would appreciate your take on the three backpressure possibilities .....none, the right amount, and too much. Too much misinfo on the net
.

thanks

I don't know enough to have a take on it yet.