96 sl2 engine interchangable with what years?
 

What year sl2 am i able to put in my 1996 sl2? If i decide to get a new motor I don't want to have to change my comp or harness. Thank you

95-97 are direct bolt in replacements.If you use a 95 you will have an extra ects. I've replaced quite a few from those years because of the porous head problems (oil in the water-not to be confused with water in the oil). I have a 97 with 46K still in the wrecked car if you need one.

ok thank you. There is one for sale down the road from me for
$400, it is wrecked in the front. But it is a 2000, is the wiring different or something? Thank you

The induction system is completely different.The block will be the same however. Check saturnwiki.net to verify.

indeed, saturnwiki is your best friend here.

If i buy a used motor, How do i make sure the motor is good and that I don't buy one that already has the same problems as me?? Is it possible to to a compression check if the motor is out of the car??

The only way to know for sure is to start it up, watch for smoke, listen to the motor, and do a compression test if necessary. That's why I leave my engines in the wrecked cars so they can still be started and brought up to operating temperature for observation. If you buy it from a reputable junkyard, they will usually stand behind it. That doesn't mean that you won't have to install it twice (if the first one they sold you was bad), but you will only have to pay for it at once.

Ok, because a guy down the street is selling one but sounds expensive and fishy to me. He says the odometer says 225,000 but he thinks it is a new motor. He bought the car for the transmission. And he already pulled the motor. And he wants $350 for the motor.

check to see if the vin on the block matches the vin of the rest of the donor car...
if it does, run away unless he shows you rebuild paperwork -- which he can't....

If it was a half decent motor, why would he pull the trans from a working car?

Course, I'm a glass half empty kinda guy...I trust people that earn my trust.....

Usually the rebuilder puts a metal tag on the engine to verify that it has been rebuilt. Not hearing the engine run would leave me a little concerned, especially since you don't know the guy.I have to go with Derf's logic above..(I like the trust part). If it looks like a fish,smells like a fish....