I have a bone stock engine and have done some mods on other cars, turbos, so on, so what is the base ones to start for some more up a turbo or supercharger is not out of the realm but also not going on in next year. I have lowered it and on 20'S , new shocks struts, and plugs/wires. So let's make this a bad as machine go!

 

A good place to start would be a proper cold air intake like the one made by General Motors Performance Parts, and a larger bore performance exhaust either from GMPP/Borla or Magnaflow.

Then a Trifecta Tune to wake the engine up, after that you can supercharge it or retrofit a turbo.

Give the Search box at the top of the page a try, lots of 2.2's have been modified here over the years, and there is more horsepower available out of these engines than you might think.

But first thing's first, they've gotta breathe.

 

Where is this tune by or bought at

 

Here's a link to Trifecta's website...

Trifecta Performance

And you can send a PM to cj Krause, he's a Trifecta Vendor, and he knows the tricks to finding power in Ecotec engines.

 

welcome to the site :)

 

Mr. Scott, we need more power ! Now, Mr. Scott!
Breathing and tune will be a great start , but DiLithium crystals aren't at every fuel station!

 

Like 843de said, Start off with the cold air intake and exhaust. I went with the GMPP CAI and GMPP/Borla exhaust. After installing the tune from CJ, the exhaust sounded lower (in a good way) during idle because it tunes everything in. I now see myself looking at the speedometer on the highway and see I'm pushing 100, when it use to be around 85 pre tune.

As far as turbo or supercharger, I know I will eventually turbo charge my 2.2, but talking to the guys at ZZP they said you will reach a maximum of around 225 WHP due to the weak engine internals. If your HHR isn't an everyday driver, I'd say take the engine apart and upgrade the pistons, rods, valves, and cams, then turbocharge it to easily break the mid 200s WHP range (at least ZZP said it was possible).

Fair warning, after the CAI/exhaust upgrades and tune you're gonna love it, but you're definitely going to want to do even more (at least that's how I feel)



WELCOME, by the way!

 

It is every day driver and still want to keep it daily, but ideas are a moving through my head