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Topic: I have a new respect for J body's. (Read 1740 times) previous topic - next topic

I have a new respect for J body's.

I just drove a 205k mile Cavalier from Ohio to Mississippi.  Original motor/tranny that runs great but this car has had some issues..  I am pretty sure this car is on its fifth set of front wheel bearings.  I changed the struts on it Wednesday, they were toast. 

The car drove down without one issue.  This is a Z24 Cavalier, if it wasn't I wouldn't even have tried the trip.  2.2 engines are junk, for every one headgasket change on a Ford 3.8 a 2.2 Cavalier probably changes its 4 times.  A truly junk engine.  Now the 2.4 Quad Four in the Z24, what a nice motor!  If I needed to pass or merge on a 4 lane highway doing 85-90 MPH this car had the power.  Somewhere in Kentucky a regular cavalier decided to play.  I promptly showed him why a Z24 is much better, at a 70 roll I think I put 5-6 car lengths between us by 90mph.  Considerably faster. 

The interior is falling apart, the A/C doesn't work and every outside panel is dented but I see this car lasting my sister for a few more years. 

Oh and I'm ****ing tired, couldn't sleep the night before the trip so I was driving on fumes (myself not the car). On the last leg of the trip, the last hour of travel I must have hit the rumble strips on the outside edges of the road 20 times.  Thank God for those lifesavers. 

One last thing, living in Ohio (whitebread state as Eric likes to call it) I can't help but laugh when I hear a Mississippian talk.  Its SOOO  stereotypical hillbilly y'all! :hick: 

Jeremy, if this hadn't been a last minute trip I would have called you up.. I'll be leaving Sunday and driving through your area around 11am if you're not busy.
One 88

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #1 –
my brother is getting a 88 cavi z24 convtible with 38k on the ticker, and its MINT 2 little dnets on the whole car, 1500 bucks from his g/f's dad he bought it new and wants it out of his garage, i  took it for a spin and man they do have some serious power for a little 6 banger front wheel drive, and its a 5 speed.
RIP 1988 and 1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
I welcomed the dark side and currently am driving a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT plus, with a 5.9, Code named project "Night Runner"
Shes black on black, fully loaded, with headers, 180 tstat, e fan, straight exhaust into a cherry bomb vortex ler, full tune up, ported intake and T/B, MSD coil, and round aircleaner.
Mods to come: Fully rebuilt and heavily modded 46RE, and a richmond rachet locker.
my $300 beater ;)
R.I.P Kayleigh Raposa 12/18/90 - 2/24/07

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #2 –
Wait, a 6? I thought they were the Quad 4 like Claude said?

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #3 –
Quote from: CougarSE;159212
2.2 engines are junk, for every one headgasket change on a Ford 3.8 a 2.2 Cavalier probably changes its 4 times.  A truly junk engine.
awe comeon. it may eat headgaskets but you can swap one on the side of the road in an hour start to finish. and the bottom ends last forever.
the quad4 makes decent power, but dont overheat one. they crack heads like a 2.9 :flip:

oh, and i hate cavilers and grand ams. my wife drives an 01 grand am. jus changed the lower intake gaskets on it.......who runs push rods THRU the LIM gasket???
gumby - beauty may fade, but stupid is forever!

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #4 –
general motors
2001 Buick Regal LS (DD):hick:

Got that fox rash again!

-Resident smartass! :ies:

- Don't listen to the naysayers. For every person who actually helps with your project there will be 10 who will discourage you all the while thinking that they are helping. 99% of all people have good intentions. That doesn't make them right.- XR7 Dave - SCCOA.Com

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #5 –
Quote from: 84 Fila;159233
Wait, a 6? I thought they were the Quad 4 like Claude said?

The early Z24 had 6's and the late ones had 2.4's.

BTW 2.3's are Quad 4's, the 2.4's were called Twin Cams. ;)

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #6 –
Bah its still a peppy little engine... I said I had a new respect for it,, didn't say I liked it ;)
One 88

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #7 –
I likes the 3.4 quad cam in the Old lumina I had. That had some pep. 200/240 in a mid size isn't that bad. Not for a 93 I don't think. But that was the first car I actually got to drive so maybe it just felt fast

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #8 –
Quote from: CougarSE;159284
Bah its still a peppy little engine... I said I had a new respect for it,, didn't say I liked it ;)

Just wait til you have to change the water pump (and on a Quad 4/Twin Cam/whatever it's called this week, you WILL have to change the water pump. It's driven by the timing chain, for an indicator of how fun it is...

Quote from: fila
I likes the 3.4 quad cam in the Old lumina I had. That had some pep. 200/240 in a mid size isn't that bad. Not for a 93 I don't think. But that was the first car I actually got to drive so maybe it just felt fast

That "Twin Dual Cam" V6 was probably THE junkiest GM engine ever made (ok, with the possible exception of the Vega engine). Those things were POISON. They were a band aid answer to the SHO.  The bottom end of the engine was actually a normal cam-in-block 3.4, complete with a dummy cam in the block. A timing chain drove the dummy cam, which in turn drove a belt pulley for the timing belt, which in turn drove the cams. They were poison to work on, poison to maintain (changing the spark plugs could very well turn into a $1500 job, as the plugs tended to take the threads out of the plug holes when removed), poison to buy parts for, and poison to own. We used to cringe whenever we saw one coming into the shop.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #9 –
Quote from: CougarSE;159212
2.2 engines are junk



tell that to the 245k mile one in my 92 :D
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1974 maverick lsx powered turbo car SOLD
1973 maverick Tijuana Taxi Tribute
1957 chevy LSX Turbo project (race car)
Owner of Joe Dirt Fabrication

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Thunder Chicken;159320


That "Twin Dual Cam" V6 was probably THE junkiest GM engine ever made (ok, with the possible exception of the Vega engine). Those things were POISON. They were a band aid answer to the SHO.  The bottom end of the engine was actually a normal cam-in-block 3.4, complete with a dummy cam in the block. A timing chain drove the dummy cam, which in turn drove a belt pulley for the timing belt, which in turn drove the cams. They were poison to work on, poison to maintain (changing the spark plugs could very well turn into a $1500 job, as the plugs tended to take the threads out of the plug holes when removed), poison to buy parts for, and poison to own. We used to cringe whenever we saw one coming into the shop.


We didn't own it long. We had it 2 months and dad wreaked it coming home from work.The brakes went out and he ended up dumping it into a small local crick on his way home. Car was junked and we made out $300 back.The brakes just went bad one day. I belive dad said it blew a line, I never looked. I did enjoy driving it when it worked though

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #11 –
meh this is a little off topic, but i know a bunch of you guys know about drifting.  and i'd say we can all agree that drifting is up to us, the RWD guys.  i mean in the rain or gravel roads, even you 3.8 guys without posi knows how to get the car sideways and keep it from slamming into things.  but on the night of the 4th here in atlanta, some kid was "attempting to drift" on the second floor of a parking deck.. well he prolly flew twards the concrete barrier and yanked the ebrake b/c the car was  near unidentifiable from the picture on the news.  (thank god for DVR's) i went back and stared at the car for a while, it had some cheap white rims, but the car looked like a monster truck had run over it.  all i could identify was the quarter window... i was thinkin "meh, second genereation eclipse?  celica of some sort?  cobalt?  cavi?  (notice the quarter glass could have ONLY been fwd?) and then after being confused i slowly went forward and it showed the stock front bumper.  100% stock cavilier.

charged with DUI, reckless endangerment, 2500 dollar fine, and he has to pay for damages to the parking deck (he literally just flew through the wall and fell 2 stories), not even counting a completely totaled car.  anyone wanna send him a paddle while he's deep in that creek called shiznit?

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #12 –
I was never impressed with the newer caviliers...

In high school my freind had a bone stock 2.0 89 with a 5 speed. At the time we worked with someone who had a newer (couple of years ago mine you) 2000 to 2001 with the 2.4. We toasted him through 60. His car was an automatic, and we beat him in a car with like 80 hp. Imagine beating one of them in a n/a turbo coupe and you about have the right idea.

His car also spent more time in the shop then it did being driven...
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Autocat;159410
meh this is a little off topic, but i know a bunch of you guys know about drifting.  and i'd say we can all agree that drifting is up to us, the RWD guys.  i mean in the rain or gravel roads, even you 3.8 guys without posi knows how to get the car sideways and keep it from slamming into things.  but on the night of the 4th here in atlanta, some kid was "attempting to drift" on the second floor of a parking deck.. well he prolly flew twards the concrete barrier and yanked the ebrake b/c the car was  near unidentifiable from the picture on the news.  (thank god for DVR's) i went back and stared at the car for a while, it had some cheap white rims, but the car looked like a monster truck had run over it.  all i could identify was the quarter window... i was thinkin "meh, second genereation eclipse?  celica of some sort?  cobalt?  cavi?  (notice the quarter glass could have ONLY been fwd?) and then after being confused i slowly went forward and it showed the stock front bumper.  100% stock cavilier.

charged with DUI, reckless endangerment, 2500 dollar fine, and he has to pay for damages to the parking deck (he literally just flew through the wall and fell 2 stories), not even counting a completely totaled car.  anyone wanna send him a paddle while he's deep in that creek called shiznit?


Yeah I heard about that, I think he deserved it. Wasn't the car red? Oh and I heard it was 6 stories not 2, but I guess if you were personally there.. Oh and I have a 5.0 without posi and getting it sideways in the rain/snow or even gravel is no problem.

I never really had to deal with Cavi's, but once my friends Infinity J30 was in the shop getting fixed so they gave him a Sunfire to drive. Man that thing had no balls and one of the worst looking interiors ever!

'88 Mercury Cougar LS, 302, Project Car - "The Coug"
'83 Ford Thunderbird Heritage, 302, Summer Ride, - "The Bambi Killer"
'86 Chevrolet S10, Daily Driver -  "The Black Beater"

I have a new respect for J body's.

Reply #14 –
JD buyrider gave me a 2.2 sunfire when i had to take the 99 in for a trans mount. I hated the thing no OD doggish as , my fathers focus is more perky than that 2.2.