I pretty much have made up my mind that I'm goving up on the rustbucket '97 I bought, I found it has been hit hard on the right front, between the rust and other damage won't pass inspection. The engine has 105k on it, the trans is out already for a clutch replacement, just looking at it would'nt be much more to just pull the motor go thru it on a stand and swap it to my '95 thats already on the road, take every salvageable part off it and scrap it, I just bought a clutch kit so  that wouldnt go to waste, they are both 2.2 5spds the biggest difference I see is in the plenum box, but I assume everything else is the same, any thought or things to look for specifically? My 95 is pushing 280k is tired, Thanks for any input.

                                                  Charlie

It'll drop directly in, everything will bolt, all electrical will just plug in for the most part.

 

The two key differences are the 95 has the charcoal canister under the hood, whereas the 97 has by the gas tank. Just change the plumbing to match, or put the 95 intake manifold on the 97 engine, simple enough to do.

The other difference is the exhaust header on the 97 is a single port header, whereas it's a dual port header on the 95. This is easy, just take the header off the 97 and put it on the 95. It'll just bolt up.

Remember, the 97 engine is Interference...the 95 is not.

 

Good idea to put a new timing kit and Water pump on the 97 engine before it goes in the 95.

It's a good idea anyway, interferance or not, it's gonna interfere with your day when the timing belt breaks.....

Thanks already in the plans. So its not the same kit? I put one on the 95 a while back.

I think 97 has the newer style tensioner. You can use the older style tensioner, though. Just swap the whole bracket. It bolts to the block with 3 bolts.

same kit - only the tensioner *might* be different.  in my experience 1997's are always the new style, though i've heard folks say sometimes they are old style...and who knows, often people say 97 and it's really a 96 or 98...

 

so - if it's the same, swap away.

 

if it's different - you can use the old style tensioner if you swap the bracket it bolts too - it's only like 3 12mm bolts and very easy.  remove pulley and tensioner and bam - you 'll see the bracket sitting there. swap that bracket.

 

if it is a new style though you might want a new tensioner - the old tensioners are more reliable but at 2 decades and a quarter million miles i don't know that i'd want it on an interference engine?  the old style kits only come with the pulley - not the actual tensioning mechanism.

 

when you buy the new style kits the tensioner is brand new - the pulley and hydraulic tensioning unit.  they're like $120 on amazon for a gates kit

Would I swap the ecm too? It's definitely a '97

Nope, don't bother with the ECU.

Old style tensioner can be swapped over as well.  Just unbolt the casting from the block and move it all over.