a little help here

abe · 10-09-2002, 02:55 AM

alright guys, I have a few questions here, I have a 92 SL2(DOHC), and after talking to a friend of mine today about the motor, I'm really confused. Ok, check it, I'm planning on buying a 99 DOHC motor from Joey, and at first I was thinking that all you have to do is just replace your old motor for the new one. I was talking to my friend, when he tells me that I must be crazy if I think that's all I have to do. See, he tells me that newer motors have more parts and require smarter stuff. In other words, a new PCM, new wires, new dash, everything, that it's impossible to have my car's parts operating a newer engine. and if I'm not mistakin, 99 motors have 2 oxygen sensors, instead of one. These things and more(i forgot what else he told me, but it was a lot) makes it difficult to just switch engines. So, I'm thinkin, and I'm figuring that I'm gonna have to change a lot more than the engine. and if this is so, where should I start?

Is their a way I can take the interior of a car, say from a 99 SL2, take out everything from the inside, ie.-dash, seatbelts(i hate my auto seatbelts!), everything, and put it on my 92SL2?

OK, to put it in simple terms, what are all the parts I can take out of a newer car, and put it on my car? I need all the help i can get, thanks guys.

Estairiker · 10-09-2002, 03:00 AM

The seats!

I'm sure what came be switched i'll try to find out something for you.

URtalking2CRASH · 10-09-2002, 03:08 AM

Ok Joey, is DEFINENTLY the one to ask about this. I'm not really sure but I don't think you'd have to change all that stuff, somethings yes but i dont think all of it.

CelticShadow · 10-09-2002, 03:13 AM

you won't have to change your interior at all to compensate for the newer motor.

wolfman · 10-09-2002, 03:18 AM

Yes you CAN use a 99' engine DOHC to DOHC in a 92'. Just use the intake manifold, exhaust manifold and fuel rail from the 92' on the newer engine. That way you can use the PCM and fuel connections from the 92' to hook it up. The only major pain is that the 99's head will only be tapped for 1 temp. sensor (the PCM's) while the 92' uses 2 (1 for the gauge and one for the PCM) You won't need to add the additional rear O2 sensor either. The car will simply "think" the 92' engine is still in there. Guages, dash etc...can also remain "as is" BUT you will need the "gauge type" oil sending unit from the 92, for the oil pressure gauge to work. The easiest way to solve the temp gauge problem is to have the head off the 92' redone (valve job) and swap it onto the 99' block prior to install. It will bolt right up but you'll need a new gasket...and might want to consider doing the timing chain while everything is apart anyway.

abe · 10-09-2002, 07:04 PM

thanks for the tips wolfman, alright, well what if i don't care for the oil temp gauge? if i'm planning on putting a newer dash, say without the oil temp gauge, will i still have to worry about it? so will i just leave the 99 motor as is(with the black cover)
another thing, my friend told me something about OBD(something like that) that my car is OBD 1 and newer cars are OBD 2, and that if i'm planning on putting a 99 motor, that i have to change a few parts, is this true? or will my parts work just fine? and is their a difference if i use my car's existing parts or is it better to go with newer ones?

wolfman · 10-10-2002, 03:35 AM

The OBD1/OBD2 differences are why you want to use the intake manifold and fuel rail from the 92' on the 99' engine. It is an oil PRESSURE gauge in the 92' instrument cluster (and sending unit) and the COOLANT temp guage sensor hole that is missing on the 99' block/cylinder head. By using the sensor and fuel rail connections for the 92' on the 99' you don't need to make ANY changes to the PCM or wiring harness on the car to use the PCM (OBD1) with the new engine.

abe · 10-10-2002, 05:10 AM

whoah! wolfman, u seem to know what your talking about. i'm no engine expert, but your replies make a lot of sense.
ok, so the oil PRESSURE stays(i always thought it was temp. whoops!) :P

So now i use the existing manifolds, fuel rail to hook everything up. have my valve cover done to fit the 99 motor, since i need it to hook the oil and coolant that way my car still uses the same PCM(can this work the opposite way too, say instead of my valve cover, have the 99 valve cover done?reason i ask cause my valve cover is really dirty with oil stains and stuff from the previous owner). and then connect all the wiring harnesses. Did I get everything?

the only reason i wanted a new dash was cause i wanted to get some reverse glow gauges, but i never saw them for my SL2 since of the extra oil gauge. i've looked at every site known to man, and still couldn't find some gauges for my car, sighhh

but no problem, the dash stays.

oh, i almost forgot, thanks wolfman for all the help, i appreciate it!

wolfman · 10-10-2002, 06:15 AM

You don't need to do anything to keep the oil pressure gauge..just take the sender off the back of the 92's block and screw it into the 99's in place of it's oil "light" sender and plug in the wire. The coolant temp gauge sensor screws into the cylinder HEAD not the valve cover. The 99's head will only have a tapped hole for 1 sender (all that OBD2 cars in 99' require)...you'll need 2 to get the engine temp gauge in the 92' dash cluster to work. Swap the HEADS not the valve covers to get the other hole the easy way..or have the 99' head drilled and tapped for the 92's one wire temp. gauge sender. The valve cover's should pretty much swap one for the other BUT the 92's is aluminum and uses form a gasket to seal to the head..the 99's is composite (plastic) and requires a gasket.

Joeybagodonuts · 10-10-2002, 02:41 PM

wrong, keep the 99 head, first it was a roller rocker design, which was far smoother and quieter, PLUS, all serious performance motors use rollers as they ar emore effceint, you can do a couple of things, first you can simply tap another hole for the sensor, or you can use the existing hole to run the temp gauge and run the fan hot to come on with the key, which i prefer, in doing so the thermostat will still keep the car at proper run temps for the emmisons controls to do their job AND it will run at a perfect 1/4 guage all the time, using your old 92 head would be like defeating the purpose of getting a sweet later model motor. yes, wolfie is quite knowledagble in many aspects of these cars but we are the ONLY shop that does swaps with various eyars on a weekly basis so we know what works, what doesnt, what snags youll hit etc, but i would absoltuley keep the 99 head.
you can also use the 99 intake, which would have newer injectors, you simply get 4 new injector end plugs as they were diffrent in 99, they are only about 10 bucks each and two wires each to splice on, then you use YOUR thorttle body as the vacuum lines were diffrent, so you use yours, two bolts, simple.