I did not see a thread for this so here i made one correct me if there was one i may have missed. I am going to get the Stage 1 kit for my car will i also need colder plugs or no i rather have them put them in when i get my kit i am kinda new to this car. Please all info would be great. Just for your info i have a injen cold air and magnaflow cat back exhaust.

 

from what i have heard you only need the plugs with smaller pulleys, so no you wouldn't need colder plugs.

 

So your are saying i dont need them now but if i get the stage 2 upgrade with the pully then i will need colder plugs? If so thanks i just did not know

 

You will not need them right now, but if you plan on running any pulley smaller than the stage 2 you will need them. On another note though, you should save up for the stage 2 kit.

 

Ok hey thanks i would but only have enough money for the stage 1 and the install right now plus i have two kids i have to feed and cloth but i will i mean i will get to stage 2 later then sooner but thanks for the input.

 

just bought my stage 2..... gonna get installed as soon as it gets here, i'm gonna do zex plugs

 

yes and have a catastrophic failure like ive seen a few ppl on here

 

<----ignorant guy here...


MacG, are you saying that you have heard of people that have stage 2 with colder plugs, and end up with catastrophic failure?

Because I have stage 2, and have been having some problems with it, so I ordered one step colder plugs. Should I not put them on? I figured it wouldnt hurt, but I havnt researched it yet(which I was going to do before I put them in).


So is it unsafe to run colder plugs with stage 2?

 

Thats why i am thinking of just staying with stage 1 due to money and cause i really dont need all of that i can put 15 extra hp with something else like headers and stuff plus i aint the one who goes out and races all the time just when i feel like it yeah and also i have herd a lot people having some problems with stage 2.

 

Yeah, I am having some wicked issues with stage 2, and GM has asked me to bend over so they can insert themselves.

My theory(along with many others) is that the stage 2 tune is just too sloppy, and is not accurate enough for every cobalt.

I think that our cars just vary so much from engine to engine. Hence the reason stock dyno pulls show such a variance between each car.


BOOOO GM!!

 

Yeah thats why i am going to get stage 1 and stick with it. I dont think that i will have much trouble with stage 1 due to the fact its only injectors and not adding pullys and belts but yeah i noticed the same thing as you about the dyno pulls.

BOOOOOO GM!!! well i give them credit for making one sweet car but i did not think that GM would have this much problems my uncle retired from there as an engine builder.......

 

so would it hurt the car at all if a guy was stock to put in colder plugs? Or will it basically be a waste of money at the moment until stage kits are installed?

 

I believe he was referring to people who have used the zex plugs. I personally have seen a number of threads where people have had major engine failures and the evidence points towards the zex plugs as the culprit. However, these people were also running setups way beyond Stage 2. Once I get my stage 2 kit installed I will be going with the NGK plugs as opposed to zex, but this is not a requirement for stage 1 or even stage 2 alone.

As far as problems with the Stage 2 go, I have seen very few. The only real problems have shown up when a dealer installed the kit and never reflashed the PCM. Maybe that's what happened to you TKolb325. Is your redline at 7000rpm? If it isn't you're running on the stock tune. For this reason it seems important to find a dealer who has installed a number of these kits when shopping around for an installer. Almost everyone complains about the Stage 2 tune for the fact that it is way too conservative (rich) and more power can safely be found by leveling out the AFR. Like I said before most people run into problems when they try to go beyond stage 2 by adding smaller pulleys while still staying with the stage 2 tune. Almost every problem with these motors stems from the fact of low fuel (especially in cylinder #4), and by that I'm saying that more has to be done with the fuel management than just slapping on 60lb injectors and tuning. But that's a whole different story...

Its not necessary to put colder plugs on and will do nothing for your performance. In fact they will wear out faster. Hotter plugs are used in low compression motors and are more likely to cause pre-ignition. Colder plugs are used in high compression motors and F/I applications because they are less likely to pre-ignite the fuel (since they stay colder) with all the air being crammed in the cylinder (which generates heat). However, because they stay colder they get fouled faster and thus wear out faster. So yes it is a waste of money. Just stick with the stock ones until you put the kits on and then go one step colder than stock if you want to. A lot of people switch to colder plugs after putting on the stage 2 kit just to be safe, especially if they still have the stock exhaust on and are seeing more boost. The main reason to change the stock plugs is once you start pushing significantly more boost and are starting to see knock.

 

if you are not detonating, you do not need colder plugs. pure and simple.

 

Ok cool. So putting one step colder plugs on a stage 2 won't hurt it, and if anything, will just be a waste of 15 bucks. No big deal...

I just really wanted to try this, because of the problem I have been having. I won't go into detail, as it is a long story, but yeah, I have the reflash, and the latest and greatest programming that GM has to offer. I just get alot of uneven acceleration on non-WOT pulls. The choppyness comes from 2800rpm-4600rpm.

GM has given up on the problem, and is now telling me that it is supposed to run the way it is, and that the engine is just searching for HP.

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/general-cobalt-68/f%40-k-gm-53475/

That is my rant about how GM pissed me off.

Anyways, I figure I'll give the NGK plugs a shot, and if it doesnt help, than I just wasted 15 bucks, but atleast I tried...

 

Doesn't GM have an updated tune as of late?

 

I have the most updated program as of april ~1st...

There have been updates in the program, but i'm pretty sure I have all of them. My problem was escalated all the way to the engineers that came up with stage 2. But those bastards said there was nothing wrong....

 

I have Stage 2 and use NGK 1 step colder iridium plugs and my car runs great, before stage 2 I used NGK stock heat range iridiums with no problems and the plugs looked great when I replaced them with the colder ones. I have a 2.85 pulley that I'm about to bolt on which is the main reason I went 1 step colder, stock heat range should be fine with stage 2 as I had no problems during the 2 weeks that I ran them, but 1step colder is more security for those hot days in summer

 

I have had my stage 2 installed for a while now, and I dont have any problems. As a matter of fact, I have a very nice A/F ratio. Guess I got lucky, but I dont think that the stage 2 kit breaks motors.

 

There was only one thread to my knowlegde about a zex plug failing and any plug u buy NGK toos i have seen them fail on our cars may have a rotten egg in the dozen. I have 60's with a 2.8 and zex plugs for the last 500 miles with no problem i am getting better gas milage smoother idle and and smoother acceleration.

 

I am getting my stage 2 installed this week should i order 1 step colder ngk plugs and what stock plugs does the cobalt ss/sc have

Bump anyone out there that can answer my previous question please

 

I dont have an answer to your question but I do have a statement about an above post or 2. The stage 1 and stage 2 kits uses the same program of the PCM. So if your goin to have any troubles with the programming that GM provides, your goin to have it on either one. There is only one.

sorry for the hijacking.

 

No you did not hijack it i actually just sent you a message about this same thing

 

If you get colder plugs on an engine that doesn't need it, including stage 2, the plugs will never get hot enough an will have an effect on the burn.

This is why some mechanics will put in a step hotter plug into an old grandmas car, since she only drives down the street and back; the plugs will heat up faster and to a proper temperature which will help to get a more even burn.

Too hot of plugs cause preignition and therefore detonation; too cold of plugs will foul out and cause misfire due to lack of a strong spark.

 

Well i asked my dealer earlier when i went there a few mins ago with my stage 2 and they said one step colder will not hurt casue of the gains that the stage 2 gives and plus they are going to put in GM ac delco ones for free at no charge so thanks to my dealer