5.3L or 4.6L northstar engine swap possible?
11-18-2008, 02:52 PM
#1
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5.3L or 4.6L northstar engine swap possible?
Hey, does anybody know if either the 5.3L LS4 from the Grand Prix GXP or the 4.6L NHP Northstar V8 from a front wheel drive caddy will fit into a modified cobalt engine bay? I know that you can jam a 5.3L into a grand prix, but they also carry a 3.8L V6 stock, what do you guys think, anybody have any experience or any ideas? extra engine weight could help to keep the tires on the ground too. Thanks hopefully this is do-able 
11-18-2008, 03:00 PM
#4
short answer, it's possible if you have enough money. you will lose many, many things that make the cobalt driveable on a daily basis though.
instead of getting a new engine, why not just get a turbo, and build up the engine you have.
instead of getting a new engine, why not just get a turbo, and build up the engine you have.
11-18-2008, 03:04 PM
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my dads monte ss with the ls4 gets low 20s for mpg and he drives it hard
im sure everything could be wired up to keep it working like a cobalt with a big engine
11-18-2008, 03:51 PM
#6
you would lose things like power steering, windows, abs, most all of the electronics, would need a new tranny, etc. newer cars have everything so tied in with the electronic systems, that interupting those systems causes them not to work.
11-18-2008, 03:57 PM
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so your kinda getting to : if he could get the wires all sorted out then it would work but only do it if you know how to wire and that wiring would be a huge pain in the ass
11-18-2008, 03:58 PM
#9
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You'd just have basically a trailered drag car, like D4 was saying. None of the electronics would work with the swapped ECM, you'd need all new suspensions, brakes, and on and on and on.
11-18-2008, 04:02 PM
#10
by the time you finally get it to work, as a track only car, it's not worth the money spent on the upgrades, because you could have had a faster car for less money, and still have it be driven on the street.
11-18-2008, 07:05 PM
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that's the thing, it won't work. there's nothing to figure out with the wiring, it just won't work. it would be ok for a track only car, but without everything working it won't be worth it for a street car.
by the time you finally get it to work, as a track only car, it's not worth the money spent on the upgrades, because you could have had a faster car for less money, and still have it be driven on the street.
by the time you finally get it to work, as a track only car, it's not worth the money spent on the upgrades, because you could have had a faster car for less money, and still have it be driven on the street.
11-18-2008, 07:11 PM
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i dont think you understand nike...theres alot of hsit that just wouldnt get alon, ie power steering, ABS modules, ECM, PCM, suspension parts, brakes, transmission, etc.
this isnt like a honda swap where everything seems to just drop in place. Itd be a HUGE pain in that ass.
and thered probaby be very little room to fit turbo related parts under there after all is said and done.
this isnt like a honda swap where everything seems to just drop in place. Itd be a HUGE pain in that ass.
and thered probaby be very little room to fit turbo related parts under there after all is said and done.
11-18-2008, 07:12 PM
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that's the thing, it won't work. there's nothing to figure out with the wiring, it just won't work. it would be ok for a track only car, but without everything working it won't be worth it for a street car.
by the time you finally get it to work, as a track only car, it's not worth the money spent on the upgrades, because you could have had a faster car for less money, and still have it be driven on the street.
by the time you finally get it to work, as a track only car, it's not worth the money spent on the upgrades, because you could have had a faster car for less money, and still have it be driven on the street.
11-18-2008, 07:15 PM
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i dont think you understand nike...theres alot of hsit that just wouldnt get alon, ie power steering, ABS modules, ECM, PCM, suspension parts, brakes, transmission, etc.
this isnt like a honda swap where everything seems to just drop in place. Itd be a HUGE pain in that ass.
and thered probaby be very little room to fit turbo related parts under there after all is said and done.
this isnt like a honda swap where everything seems to just drop in place. Itd be a HUGE pain in that ass.
and thered probaby be very little room to fit turbo related parts under there after all is said and done.
i bet it could be done somehow, like taking the whole ls4s internals, everything from the ls4 donor car and putting it into the cobalt body
kinda like the civette
11-18-2008, 07:18 PM
#15
money is better spent just building the engine, and keeping everything working.
Last edited by D4u2s0t; 11-18-2008 at 07:19 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
11-18-2008, 07:22 PM
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Itd be THOUSANDS CHEAPER to just build the stock motor. Plus the amount of aggravation would way to intense for me to deal with. And in the end, if you just wanted a car and motor with no luxury features then youd have that.
Yes, theres always a way if theres a will, but does the will have money closley behind?
Yes, theres always a way if theres a will, but does the will have money closley behind?
11-18-2008, 07:23 PM
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what you're not understanding is that none of the electronics in the car will work anymore. it's not about making power, it's about being able to drive the car.
so after all the custom fitment to make this work, if it's even possible, you still have a 4 cylinder car. at that rate, what's the point.
money is better spent just building the engine, and keeping everything working.
so after all the custom fitment to make this work, if it's even possible, you still have a 4 cylinder car. at that rate, what's the point.
money is better spent just building the engine, and keeping everything working.
11-18-2008, 10:08 PM
#18
you said internals... so, are you talking about a whole engine? or just the internals. there's no room inside the cobalt engine to put 8 cylinders. so you can fit 4. so either you're explaining it wrong, or not understanding.
that being said, if you put a different engine, you have to use the computer to control that engine. the computer that's controlling the new engine will not be compatible with the other systems in your car, meaning they won't work. you can't swap out everything, it doesn't work like that. at that point, you obviously have all the money in the world to spend on your cobalt, and if you have all the money in the world to spend on your cobalt you would just buy another car. or, fix up the engine that's already in it.
11-18-2008, 10:29 PM
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sigh...
you said internals... so, are you talking about a whole engine? or just the internals. there's no room inside the cobalt engine to put 8 cylinders. so you can fit 4. so either you're explaining it wrong, or not understanding.
that being said, if you put a different engine, you have to use the computer to control that engine. the computer that's controlling the new engine will not be compatible with the other systems in your car, meaning they won't work. you can't swap out everything, it doesn't work like that. at that point, you obviously have all the money in the world to spend on your cobalt, and if you have all the money in the world to spend on your cobalt you would just buy another car. or, fix up the engine that's already in it.
you said internals... so, are you talking about a whole engine? or just the internals. there's no room inside the cobalt engine to put 8 cylinders. so you can fit 4. so either you're explaining it wrong, or not understanding.
that being said, if you put a different engine, you have to use the computer to control that engine. the computer that's controlling the new engine will not be compatible with the other systems in your car, meaning they won't work. you can't swap out everything, it doesn't work like that. at that point, you obviously have all the money in the world to spend on your cobalt, and if you have all the money in the world to spend on your cobalt you would just buy another car. or, fix up the engine that's already in it.
it would be like a monte carlo/impala/grand prix with cobalt cosmetics
yea u could do this with a lot of money
my dad met the rich guys in florida when he was young, they had so much money they put 454s into chevettes and other tiny cars
11-18-2008, 10:42 PM
#22
yea, swap out everything, engine computer, all of it, and run all the air conditioning and radio to the current stuff in it
it would be like a monte carlo/impala/grand prix with cobalt cosmetics
yea u could do this with a lot of money
my dad met the rich guys in florida when he was young, they had so much money they put 454s into chevettes and other tiny cars
it would be like a monte carlo/impala/grand prix with cobalt cosmetics
yea u could do this with a lot of money
my dad met the rich guys in florida when he was young, they had so much money they put 454s into chevettes and other tiny cars
it's like trying to replace your keyboard on your computer with a ps3 controller. even if you get the ps3 controller working with the computer, and you can move the mouse around with the joystick, you still can't type a sentance. same thing with the car.
11-18-2008, 10:44 PM
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it was different with older cars because they didn't rely so much on the computers to run everything. what you're saying simply won't work.
it's like trying to replace your keyboard on your computer with a ps3 controller. even if you get the ps3 controller working with the computer, and you can move the mouse around with the joystick, you still can't type a sentance. same thing with the car.
it's like trying to replace your keyboard on your computer with a ps3 controller. even if you get the ps3 controller working with the computer, and you can move the mouse around with the joystick, you still can't type a sentance. same thing with the car.
11-18-2008, 11:06 PM
#24
