Which 2.4L to put in my CSX??

[1FastCSX289]

I am in the process of tearing out the 8V, selling all my parts and going 2.4L with my GT30R, ebay header (probably), external wastegate, etc. I am looking at a 97 Stratus with a good motor (133k on it) and I can pick it up the whole car for 400 bucks. I would rebuild the engine, put SRT pistons and rods in it and turn up the boost. OR.....I could buy a PT Cruiser Turbo 2.4 (engine only) for about a grand, same ebay header with my GT30R and wastegate, but not rebuild it.....just run it as is. I think the motor has less than 20k miles on it.

Obviously, the PT motor would be easier because I wouldnt have to piece it together. But, which option would be cheaper? Are there any advantages to either option? I read somewhere that the head is better flowing on the PT motors....is that true? Could I run the PT cruiser intake manifold as-is? Which way should I go if budget is a big consideration?

[jckrieger]

I'm pretty sure the PT motor will have the piston oil squirters. That alone is worth $200 in my opinion knowing your history of blowing sht up!

If you go the other route, last I heard the SRT pistons and rods were cheap from the dealer. You'd want a different intake manifold from what the PT has, so it's a crapshoot either way.

[SoCalCSX]

Get the PT motor, buy an SRT4 intake manifold, swap and be done. I doubt your hood will close with the PT intake in it. Although you could (depending on what year the PT motor is) use the lower half of the manifold and fab your own plenum out of the top half. You would need an 03-05.5 for the aluminum. 2005.5+ came with a composite manifold.

[bakes]

Go with the PT and source out a str intake or cut the pt one and put in a 4l plenum chamber tube with a jeep 4.0l tb .

[1FastCSX289]

Thanks guys. I think the PT motor is an 04, so it should have the aluminum intake, so fabbing one up should be fairly easy. So it seems like most think the PT motor is the way to go. Any other ideas?

[turbovanman²]

All I can offer is both engines use cast pistons, so thats something to consider. As for head flow, the newer one is slightly better stock but ported, they are pretty well equal.

[bakes]

and find some dohc 2.0l cams for it

[turbovanman²]

and find some dohc 2.0l cams for it

I have some,

[bakes]

ME too but im keeping mine

[1FastCSX289]

Ok, thanks guys. The cast pistons are definately a consideration......ill be taking a step backwards there. But, the SRT stage kits are meant for stock pistons and they put out some crazy power, so I figure as long as my tune is very safe, I "shouldnt" have a problem. I guess if I do, there will always be room to go forged later on.

I could probably pick up those cams cheap at the junkyard, huh?

[SebringLX]

Yes the head on an '04 PT has some improvements over the head on that '97 Stratus. 04+ 2.4L heads are supposedly all about the same no matter what vehicle they came out of. Lots of people push 400-500 HP to the wheels through the stock 2.4L internals, and they hold up just fine. Tune it well, and it will live long. 600+ has been pushed through them, but that guys motor only lasted a few months at those levels.

There's an SRT-4 with a GT30R on stock bottom end pushing 30psi on 93 octane + meth injection, put down 411whp and 408ft-lbs of torque on a Mustang dyno. Runs 7.49's in the 1/8th.

[contraption22]

SRT pistons seem to live just about as well as the Mahles that came in TII and 2.5's. It's not the power that kills em, it's knock. The SRT pistons also have a domed crown, which is not ideal for high performance use.

[1FastCSX289]

There's an SRT-4 with a GT30R on stock bottom end pushing 30psi on 93 octane + meth injection, put down 411whp and 408ft-lbs of torque on a Mustang dyno. Runs 7.49's in the 1/8th.

Thats about what im after. 400 WHP would put a big smile on my face.

[1FastCSX289]

SRT pistons seem to live just about as well as the Mahles that came in TII and 2.5's. It's not the power that kills em, it's knock. The SRT pistons also have a domed crown, which is not ideal for high performance use.

Ill work on a real conservative tune. This motor will need to last a while.

[SoCalCSX]

SRT pistons seem to live just about as well as the Mahles that came in TII and 2.5's. It's not the power that kills em, it's knock. The SRT pistons also have a domed crown, which is not ideal for high performance use.

True, but they are still 8.1/1 CR. I thought I read somewhere it was done for better off boost driveability.

The 04 motor is good, comes with stage 1 injectors stock. Won't quite get you to 400whp but will get it running and making some decent power. Stage 2 injectors will get you there and go for under $200 on srtforums. You will need to add some kind of return system though as srt's/pt's were returnless. I've heard good things about the fwdp one from some pt guys and it's relatively cheap compared to others. You will need to get the gas filler splice from agp(i think) so you have somewhere to dump the fuel back. Also you need a fuel rail. The 03's have a fitting on the end you can use for the return system, 04+'s do not.

[cordes]

Are you dead set on a 2.4? If I were to do a full DOHC motor conversion, I would use a 2.0. As food for thought, 5digits stated that the reason for the oil squirters on the 2.4 pistons in the SRT4 was the higher piston speeds at the upper RPMS. He said it's a huge difference between the two. IIRC he said that the piston speed on a 2.5 at 8600RPM is the same as a 2.0 at 5400RPM.

I have no idea what that would do to you as far as getting a tune which is almost dead on to start working with, or how much more difficult getting all the parts to work with the 2.0 stuff would be though, just throwing out some thoughts.

[1FastCSX289]

I thought about the 2.0. The problem comes in the budget. I think it would be much more pricey as I would have to buy forged rods and pistons as the stockers wont cut it.

As for the fuel system........does the 2.4 use the same style injectors as the 2.2/2.5's? I was hoping to re-use my 72 pph injectors. What have people done with the return on these swaps?

[cordes]

I can certainly see going 2.4 on the cost side if you will need all new internals vs. just dropping in a freshened SRT long block.

[SoCalCSX]

I thought about the 2.0. The problem comes in the budget. I think it would be much more pricey as I would have to buy forged rods and pistons as the stockers wont cut it.

As for the fuel system........does the 2.4 use the same style injectors as the 2.2/2.5's? I was hoping to re-use my 72 pph injectors. What have people done with the return on these swaps?

I know the injectors are physically different, I believe they are the EV something or other type. As far as impedence not sure someone else might have to chime in on that. I would check the swap forum, I think I've read about using TD style injectors and modded TD style rails on theirs.

[1FastCSX289]

Hmmmmm......has anyone used the SRT rail with 2.2/2.5 injectors?