Well , I had the engine replaced under warranty for porous block replaced with new gen , I've had it tuned now for about 6k driving it around normally and some spirited driving.

The car has approximately 60k on the clock always tuned and fully bolted since bought new. Down shifted hit gas and BOOM , rpm sky rockets and 3rd is gone.

Thought to myself when it happened , I bet every other gear works but reverse.

Parked it in garage and guess what , every other gear works but reverse and 3rd , you can kind of hear some chunks clinging around in the tranny case at idle.


Looking for options , already contacted the obvious solutions / vendors and have a 4.45 game plan.

Shortage of these transmissions and or gear sets really sucks. ZZP doesn't even list them as available.

So much for an inexpensive tuner rocket , these cars are now on par with cost of similar AWD platforms / contenders.

not bitching but seriously the cons are starting to outweigh the pros of this drivetrain combo...

Just a realization I had and thought like sharing with others.

/end

 

Damn that sucks. What other solutions are out there other than the impossible to find ones?

And I've been debating whether or not to sell the Cobalt and getting something that has mods galore and replaceable parts handy.

 

You could maybe run my 4.05 trans its for grabs

 

pm sent thanks

 

I am now cryo treating gear sets including the 4.45/ I think thats the most economical option...I may rem finish as well not sure still working on it. Improving case fastener strength does nothing they are already 8.9 bolts.

4.45 and a good driver is the answer.

or the f40 conversion if you got lotsabux.

sad to hear of the problems OP

 

You gotta pay to play , but being a GM fanboy , really kind of depressing the lack of after production essential parts. LIKE TRANSMISSIONS! LOL , just kind of blows my mind , 2 years ago I said to my self. BIG DEAL , new f35 is only 999! Now I am like wtf did I get myself into LOL, The LDK/lhu makes mad power with the right fuel blend and tuning, I love this car still but seriously the cost for a 5 speed trans is down right brutal post production. I am sure with upgraded fuel lobe this car on the stock turbo would be a whole new monster especially with 4.45 , it's just the wallet factor makes you want to cringe!


My old LNF seemed to be a "better" engine but that could be a placebo. This engine breathes way more air than the old one and needs extra fuel to run full e85 so It's not like there is no potential , it's just I didn't want to have to buy a trans right now haha ( this is who you think it is Mr. Powell per our discussion earlier on the phone)

 

That sucks!

 

Too bad you're wrong. You can't get 300 whp on any new car under 50k km's for around 10k + the $500 in mods to get there, that is unless you want another bagged pos.

You should have done more research and possibly not bought a car that was obviously bagged on before you got it, and that it being tuned means you are pumping another 1/3 the hp and torque through a known weak tranny. It is what it is.

You coulda bought a ten year old mustang and been slow as ***** no matter how much money you poored into it.

 

$2500-3000 is the standard price for a built transmission for any car, not chevies fault cobalt owners are some of the cheapest people in the industry. Considering how much more other cars are to mod and maintain, cobalt owners have it easy peasy.

 

Damn, that sucks to hear. Now I'm going to start saving for a new transmission if any more 4.45 can be found

 

Iv been on tune for like 50k Kms. Hope mine keeps holding on. Zfr going in soon. Guess it's only a matter of time for me

 

His tune is pretty aggressive iirc. The zfr will kill the transmission

 

Not if its tuned correctly. Go 4.05 LSD, i paid ~$800 shipped for mine after my LNF tranny went boom on the stock turbo, the LSJ tranny has been holding up fine on the EFR. Tuning is the answer, and of course, driver mod if applicable.

 

Agreed tuning can save the transmission with a controlled ramp, but to be safe swapping from the 3.82 to a 4.05 or 4.45 will definetly help. I'm thinking about a 4.05 and debating cryo treated gears

 

One thing for sure... Once you break a gear, you are definitely more conscious of how you drive and tune lol. Then there's still that sinking feeling in the back of your head every time you go WOT in 3rd.

Just to clarify, I tuned mine to come in at 3500 rpms slowly to 21 psi, then around 4800 rpms, smoothly ramp up to 25 psi. Pulls like a **** but smooth, no insta-torque and no lets hold over 400ft-lbs for most of the power band. I'm happy with my car.

Overall, if you can afford it: 4.45 Powell tranny.

Cheap and readily available and can hold up to most larger turbos with tuning and a good driver: 4.05 LSD

 

Found me a SAAB f40 . Eyeballing that 6 speed conversion, 2k is steep for that and I haven't really seen anyone show interest in it. It is looking like a Powell 4.45 but the cost for both is so close. Such a hard decision.

I've owned this car its whole life its been fully tuned bolted on e85 new Engine is pretty torque happy with just right ambient temps and fuel mix. 60k fully tuned and bolted and sometime driven like a monster isn't too bad for the people saying it is cheap . 2 years ago you could have an LSD f35 barely used or even seen some new ones for around 1000 bucks out the door so that is why it sucks so bad.

LOL It's been NLS maybe 10 15 times max its entire life always rolled into throttle , its had a lot of wot 2nd gear pulls but other than that , dragged twice. to a testament of my driving style when the new LDK went in there was minimal wear on the clutch.

The other day I kind of hit a minor bump while moderately accelerating in third gear. I thought damn dude thats how you destroy third gear and BAM it happens LOL so predictable but you can baby them and get by.

 

Derp.

 

That sucks dude, I am always caution when I WOT in 3rd cause I dont want this to be me.

 

AHAHA yeah I feel ya , I thought my trans was a factory freak till yesterday bwahaha.

 

445 gear for sale in canada --- see Raver0789 on here

 

Do mine get this treatment you speak of ?

 

I'd be worried with that boost spike you run kevin.

 

U stock turbo or zfr

 

Stock turbo thats what makes it even more

Term said my LDK/LHU frankenblock ( cant even tell you because I swear for the love of God Ive wire brushed it with brass brushes ETC , NO stamps on my engine block ) which I find really strange , anyway he said it pushed way more air then the LNF that came with in which I had to blend my E ratio. He said it would be even more beastly if I had the cams .

So , ZFR . **** THAT lol I am going to get it breathing and fuel supplied with better gear ratios and see what its like before even thinking about a larger turbo, Stupid thing just spins all day anyway LOL I've run many tire combos.

 

well...........lol