# Can you swap a Cruze 1.8L engine for 1.6?



## neile300c (Jul 8, 2014)

My guess would be, yes you can do the swap. But no, it would not be a direct swap, you would probably make a lot of changes


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## shockz (May 23, 2015)

Is the 1.6L a turbo? If so, you're going to need to do a lot more for swapping an NA to a turbo, including getting an intercooler. 

You're probably also going to have to get a computer reprogram.

As a general checklist of items, you may have to get different motor mounts, transmission, replace alternator, wiring harness, fuel system, a/c compressor, etc... I'm not well versed in Cruze engine configurations, but usually going to a completely different engine requires a lot of work as opposed to a direct swap of the same kind.


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## EricSmit (Dec 21, 2016)

The hardest part would be finding a shop to do the work in. If you've got a full fitted garage, you could do it, but it'll be more involved than just a drop in.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

The 1.6 NA and 1.8 NA are essentially the same engine except for internal displacement. Shouldn't be too much of an issue fitment wise, but there will be the matter of getting the ECU to run it.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

What country are you from? In the US, Cruze is still using an now all aluminum 1.4 L turbo gas engine, 1.6L in the US is a turbo diesel, understand in other countries, do have a 1.6L turbo gas engine. 

Ha, back in the 50's and even 60's was real easy to drop in a Chrysler Hemi in a 48 Plymouth coupe or a large Caddy V-8 in a 48 Ford coupe, called them sleepers. Insurance companies didn't give a darn and no such thing as an EPA. Warshawsky had adapter plates and bolt on motor mounts with only about a half a dozen wires to worry about.

But this is history, a complete nightmare today, can't get insurance and the EPA would be jumping all over you.

Whoops, reread your post, South Africa, have no idea about your laws. but the 1.8 is far less complicated then the turbo, so if having problems with the 1.8, will have more with the turbo.

Seen a lot of cars in South America, nothing like here, still using carburetors without all of the electronics we have here. Know zero about South Africa.


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## EricSmit (Dec 21, 2016)

NickD said:


> What country are you from? In the US, Cruze is still using an now all aluminum 1.4 L turbo gas engine, 1.6L in the US is a turbo diesel, understand in other countries, do have a 1.6L turbo gas engine.
> 
> Ha, back in the 50's and even 60's was real easy to drop in a Chrysler Hemi in a 48 Plymouth coupe or a large Caddy V-8 in a 48 Ford coupe, called them sleepers. Insurance companies didn't give a darn and no such thing as an EPA. Warshawsky had adapter plates and bolt on motor mounts with only about a half a dozen wires to worry about.
> 
> ...


There is a 1.6 N/A motor; non turbo.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

EricSmit said:


> There is a 1.6 N/A motor; non turbo.


Learned something new, would be interesting to learn the emission laws of different countries and what they can and cannot do to their own vehicles.


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## Occams_Razor (Dec 9, 2016)

There is an old joke on the TDI forums where if anyone asked if it was possible to swap any NA engine for a TDI. 

Answer was "Yes!" 

1.) Open hood.
2.) Remove NA Radiator Cap and set aside.
3.) Rip out EVERYTHING that has ANYTHING to do with the NA engine, (including the entire engine and transmission)
4.) Replace EVERYTHING you RIPPED out with TDI components.
5.) Replace Radiator Cap from NA engine on to your new TDI radiator.
6.) Close hood.

DONE!


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Occams_Razor said:


> There is an old joke on the TDI forums where if anyone asked if it was possible to swap any NA engine for a TDI.
> 
> Answer was "Yes!"
> 
> ...


May want to update this from a radiator to a reservoir cap.


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## Conant (Mar 5, 2017)

jblackburn said:


> The 1.6 NA and 1.8 NA are essentially the same engine except for internal displacement. Shouldn't be too much of an issue fitment wise, but there will be the matter of getting the ECU to run it.



Good day,

Turns out I still have the car, parked in the garage somewhere. Lol. What do you mean by ECU? Are you talking about the computer box?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Conant said:


> Good day,
> 
> Turns out I still have the car, parked in the garage somewhere. Lol. What do you mean by ECU? Are you talking about the computer box?


Yes. Air/fuel would, I imagine, be different between the engines.


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## Conant (Mar 5, 2017)

jblackburn said:


> Yes. Air/fuel would, I imagine, be different between the engines.


So in short I must get get the 1.6l ECU too? 

But can it gets wildly distorted if I use the same ECU in the old car? Can it not work, even it not 100% efficiently?


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## Ztussey (Dec 15, 2020)

shockz said:


> Is the 1.6L a turbo? If so, you're going to need to do a lot more for swapping an NA to a turbo, including getting an intercooler.
> 
> You're probably also going to have to get a computer reprogram.
> 
> As a general checklist of items, you may have to get different motor mounts, transmission, replace alternator, wiring harness, fuel system, a/c compressor, etc... I'm not well versed in Cruze engine configurations, but usually going to a completely different engine requires a lot of work as opposed to a direct swap of the same kind.


The 1.6 is the turbo diesel


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Ztussey said:


> The 1.6 is the turbo diesel


It's also a smaller version of the gasoline 1.8L, as well as a turbocharged gasoline version in Australia and other European regions.


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