2.1L TVS Redline
08-11-2013, 11:52 PM
#53
Yep. I think I remember an oil cooler assembly thread you started where you posted an alternative to the stock oil cooler. I had genuine interest in that, but cannot do it the way you did as my block is an LE5 and I don't have any ports where that oil cooler bolts to. I would have to use an adapter or something to accomplish the same thing. Something like this:
CBM 10813 Ecotec 2 2L 2 4L L61 LE5 Remote Oil Filter Adapter Cooler Billet USA | eBay
CBM 10813 Ecotec 2 2L 2 4L L61 LE5 Remote Oil Filter Adapter Cooler Billet USA | eBay
08-12-2013, 04:20 PM
#56
but if you are serious just cut the oil filter housing off plug the bypass weld 2 -10 an bungs to the block
we can out one on your engine we just need to pull it out and disassemble it to do it
08-12-2013, 04:54 PM
#57
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09-08-2013, 12:54 AM
#62
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It kind of funny that you posted this, because I was about to update the thread today... 
IF there were any LSJ-T's around here, then you would see their headlights in my rearview mirror by now... I live in a pretty small town, and I only know of a couple of other Cobalts and one ION, and I don't think any of them are even on the forums at all. I only know of one LSJ-T *relatively* closeby, but he's not even done swapping the turbo yet.
Ha... family first buddy.. and you are definitely family.
Ok, so the update :
Here's the deal. I had the car running, yes... but it hated cold startups and would misfire like a **** under anything less than normal 180* operating temp. You can actually hear the car misfiring on the video I posted. Even though that was the first real startup, it started up like that pretty much every time on a cold start. Once warmed up, it ran pretty well, except for what I thought was tuning issues, such as rpms dropping to the point of stalling out on deceleration when I took it out of gear, and idle surging (but not all the time).
I did a compression test and horrible numbers followed. I'm talking 30-130-35-30 where my car should have been closer to 250 per cylinder. Having just rebuilt the entire bottom end, I was convinced that the bottom end is rock solid. I then found this thread where ZZP's Stage 2 cams had a lot of them shipped out being out of spec.
https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/2-0l...oblems-297769/
The issue was the base circle on the cam lobes. They should be 1.179" and ZZP had shipped some out that were closer to 1.200" which would keep the valves always open at least .020" and thus, low compression test numbers and a shitty running car.
I wasn't sure if that was the problem, so I took the car to mrbelvedere's house and we got to work. Taking the cams out, we measured the intake base circle at 1.201" and the exhaust at 1.189" which confirmed the cams being out of spec. Luckily, John had a set of stock cams and we threw them in there and bolted it back together. I brought my HPTuners with me just in case the tune needed adjusted for the cams, but we just wanted to see how the car ran on the current tune, with the cam swap. To our amazement, it started right up. On a test drive, it is so much more driver-friendly and easier to drive. On the way back home, it was so much better driving that it literally felt more like a stock ION Redline with an exhaust (although with about twice the horsepower...).
I will send the cams back to ZZP to get them changed out. I might even try to convince them to send me a set of Stage 3's...
Cliff notes : Car is running very well.
I live in a pretty small town, and I only know of a couple of other Cobalts and one ION, and I don't think any of them are even on the forums at all. I only know of one LSJ-T *relatively* closeby, but he's not even done swapping the turbo yet.Ok, so the update :
Here's the deal. I had the car running, yes... but it hated cold startups and would misfire like a **** under anything less than normal 180* operating temp. You can actually hear the car misfiring on the video I posted. Even though that was the first real startup, it started up like that pretty much every time on a cold start. Once warmed up, it ran pretty well, except for what I thought was tuning issues, such as rpms dropping to the point of stalling out on deceleration when I took it out of gear, and idle surging (but not all the time).
I did a compression test and horrible numbers followed. I'm talking 30-130-35-30 where my car should have been closer to 250 per cylinder. Having just rebuilt the entire bottom end, I was convinced that the bottom end is rock solid. I then found this thread where ZZP's Stage 2 cams had a lot of them shipped out being out of spec.
https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/2-0l...oblems-297769/
The issue was the base circle on the cam lobes. They should be 1.179" and ZZP had shipped some out that were closer to 1.200" which would keep the valves always open at least .020" and thus, low compression test numbers and a shitty running car.
I wasn't sure if that was the problem, so I took the car to mrbelvedere's house and we got to work. Taking the cams out, we measured the intake base circle at 1.201" and the exhaust at 1.189" which confirmed the cams being out of spec. Luckily, John had a set of stock cams and we threw them in there and bolted it back together. I brought my HPTuners with me just in case the tune needed adjusted for the cams, but we just wanted to see how the car ran on the current tune, with the cam swap. To our amazement, it started right up. On a test drive, it is so much more driver-friendly and easier to drive. On the way back home, it was so much better driving that it literally felt more like a stock ION Redline with an exhaust (although with about twice the horsepower...).
I will send the cams back to ZZP to get them changed out. I might even try to convince them to send me a set of Stage 3's...
Cliff notes : Car is running very well.
09-08-2013, 11:14 AM
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I didn't even know about the base circle problem until one day when I was just browsing around on here. That got my mind thinking and then speculating. I'm glad that was the problem, it's a lot easier than building the whole motor again for no reason.
09-08-2013, 03:09 PM
#67
I had thought we went over the cam issue and I had mentioned to look at that cam thread about the base circle. Either way I'm glad you found the issue. When you first told me those numbers I knew it was something else besides the bottom end.
I hope you get some stg3 cams. I was interested in them myself and want to see a real world powerband from them.
I hope you get some stg3 cams. I was interested in them myself and want to see a real world powerband from them.
09-08-2013, 07:12 PM
#68
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Honestly I have had so many conversations about this I don't remember talking to you about that specifically. I do apologize...
There is a funny story about that night I called you a couple weeks back. I don't remember much of that conversation anyway...
I would love to see how Stg 3 cams do with my build, but I'll take ZZP's advise on which ones to get. I emailed Zooomer, let's see what he has to say.
There is a funny story about that night I called you a couple weeks back. I don't remember much of that conversation anyway...
I would love to see how Stg 3 cams do with my build, but I'll take ZZP's advise on which ones to get. I emailed Zooomer, let's see what he has to say.
09-08-2013, 10:09 PM
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I did have ZZP S2 cams the last build. That was probably where the low compression numbers came in. In all honesty, the bottom end was probably holding it's end of compression, but upon teardown, the piston-to-wall clearance was a little too large, and the #1 rod bearing looked flat out terrible, especially for having only 3k miles on it. There was probably contamination in there, metal shavings or something.
It probably wan't the bottom end, but it's a good thing I took it apart. I was reusing the pistons so I had to replace sleeves anyway, so I went with mrbelvedere's spun chromoly ductile centrifugal spun sleeves. I also opened up the oil feeds to the crank main journals and a couple other minor things. That got set up with proper clearance at the machine shop, then new rings, bearings and bolts all the way around. The bottom end should be about indestructible by now.
It probably wan't the bottom end, but it's a good thing I took it apart. I was reusing the pistons so I had to replace sleeves anyway, so I went with mrbelvedere's spun chromoly ductile centrifugal spun sleeves. I also opened up the oil feeds to the crank main journals and a couple other minor things. That got set up with proper clearance at the machine shop, then new rings, bearings and bolts all the way around. The bottom end should be about indestructible by now.
10-17-2013, 01:41 PM
#74
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Update
So... I ended up throwing a rod bearing. I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I heard a knocking coming from the motor and then I parked it. I took the oil filter out and it looked like this :
Sooo... The motor is coming back out. What likely happened was the oil filter was crushed upon the oil change that I just did. This caused a restriction in the oil path that starved the low end, specifically the rod bearings (if that's what it is) of oil. I will have the motor out here soon and confirm and update this thread accordingly. It will be cleaned and rebuilt just like it is with new bearings, bolts and gaskets.
Oh, and I got my ZZP S3 cams...
Sooo... The motor is coming back out. What likely happened was the oil filter was crushed upon the oil change that I just did. This caused a restriction in the oil path that starved the low end, specifically the rod bearings (if that's what it is) of oil. I will have the motor out here soon and confirm and update this thread accordingly. It will be cleaned and rebuilt just like it is with new bearings, bolts and gaskets.
Oh, and I got my ZZP S3 cams...
