Hi, my name is Michael, and I am new to this forum and to the Cobalts. I have over 6 years experience with turbocharged DSM, and currently own an 11-sec 1997 Eclipse GSX (pump gas and automatic). I was looking for a new daily driver and decided to get a Cobalt SS. When I got to the dealership selling it, I noticed that the car was not stock. Most of the stuff I can see for myself (Magnaflow exhaust, zzp header (or so it looks), zzp downpipe, scan gauge, aem wideband, and a super heavy clutch. Upon closer inspection I noticed solid motor mounts and an engine damper on the passenger side. I had a couple of questions I would like answered to further my knowledge of these cars.

1. Its running 20 lbs of boost, and has an intense racing sticker. Does this mean it has the stage 5 kit or just a smaller pulley?

2. It idles at 950-975 rpms, and has a slight lobe. Is this the stock idle?

3. Are there any issues I should look out for? I have done some reading and have found there are some problems with the electronic steering. Anything else?


I'm sure there will be more in the future, but this is all I can think of now. Sorry if this is in the wrong place, but it looks like this is where most of the knowledgeable people would be.

Thanks,
Mike.

 

Stock idle should be around 700-750.

 

the idle should be butter smooth. with 60's or 42lb injectors.

 

I cant anwser any of you questions but it sounds like you gota a bad ass car. PICS!!! please??? lol

 

drop that intense tune. it has known to kill a few cars. if you are used to tuning then get HPtuners and jump on it.

 

Mine idles like that

 

Thanks, It is nice looking. I'm not a Chevy fan, but what a car. Its all black, and it has the black halo headlights, and looks sick. Also, I did all my own tuning on my eclipse, but I never did any tuning on these newer cars. For the eclipses you can get a standalone ecu (AEM EMS) or dsmlink, which is where you use a laptop to program the EPROM in real time. I'm also familiar with tuning with an MAF translator. I have tuned about half a dozen cars this way.

Also, Rangerondubz, do you have an intense pcm reflash? Or aftermarket cams?

I know most EFI / MFI cars idle around 750, but I thought maybe the guy who owned this car before me put in an aftermarket cam and had to bump up the idle, or, the SS's had an aggressive cam from the factory and had a high stock idle.

 

pics, we may know who use to own the car


im not even joking. seriously

 

I have stage two and mine idles at 850, is that normal?

 

You say you know who owned the car? Thats kind of what I was looking for. I was going to take it to Milan Dragway to see if anyone knew, since it looked like it used to be raced. By the way, I picked the car up at a dealership in Farmington Hills. Have the guy PM the name of the dealership, so I'll know its him.

 

How does the car work? I mean its no 11 second car, but should be solidly in the 13's?

 

Unless this thing is an outstanding value (like, if those are the mods you just gotta have), I'd try and find a brand new one. Some 17 year old kid probably beat the crap out of this one.

 

You know thats just the thing, I'm not sure how they are supposed to run. It has a set of Geforce T/A KDW's, and under boost, first and second gear are pretty much useless. With my other car being AWD, I can't compare "Seat of the pants," because I'm just blowing smoke. If it was racing season I could just mount some slicks on and take it the strip, but seeing as theres snow all around me this time of the year I can't.

Edit: It's just a daily driver, so if it doesn't run as fast as it could, it's not that big of a deal for me. Gas mileage is though. Driving conservatively, I go through about a tank a week. Is this normal? Also, the scan gauge says I'm getting around 24-33 mpg just cruising. Does the gauge take parameters and compare them to a stock car's parameters and calculate that way? Or does it calculate with accommodation for modified cars? I'm just curious how accurate it is.

 

pics or ban!?!?

 

I'll post pics as soon as the snow melts off the roads, so I can wash the car without getting it dirty by the time I get home.

 

for one get off the intense tune.....and 20 pounds of boost i would imagine stage 5 someone else help me out here?....

 

unless you have aftermarket axles, clutch. you will have some serious issues with slicks on the front of that.

there is only about 5 of us that run cams in the lsj engine. that car is not one of them.

dsm link is for the weak.
aem is pushing it.
hks vpro owns all
maf-t is a band aid fix for a dsm

 

Troof...

 

I can't help you with any of your questions, but welcome to the site. I just interviewed with a company in Farmington Hills, so I may be around that area more often.

 

Hmm. HKS VPro is way too much money and not user friendly at all. Dsmlink is awesome, but has its drawbacks. Aem is overrated since megasquirt has the same features and about $1,000 less. Maf translator is cheap and highly effective. Some guys are running 10's with the translator. Dsm's benefit from it even more by using a bigger maf sensor, and being able to run it in a blow through setup. Not to mention, this has absolutely nothing to do with anything on this forum

 

if the post involves me somehow. it never stays on topic.

al blaha went 9's on a stock modded 1g maf back in what, 95? 96?

the vpro is magic in the right hands.
i trapped 108 w/o second in my 1g on a modded stock maf. and 118 in my gsx on a autronic sm2 system. not blinding fast, but quick in 2000


now on to your ss/sc

there is a couple guys in michigan that know their ****. they also may know that car.

 

ditch the tune, and that much boost. Sounds like the car is in good hand now though.

 

Where in Michigan are you? I'm down 75 a little ways... Love the DSM's too... wouldn't mind seeing pics of that too.

If you want to get a Wicked Tune... you can come down to the Ohio Meet in April. LOTS of knowledge will be there... as well as a member that does some really good tunes.

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/mid-east-58/official-ohio-spring-meet-april-19th-2008-a-91823/

And this is WickedSS2005's profile:https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/members/wickedss2005-2430/

I believe he charges a 1 time fee of $200 to tune your car. He's tuned A LOT of the Ohio SS's.

Us Cobalts use a laptop program called HPTuners for programming.

------------------

Go look at the Pulley on the S/C and tell us what size it is... it should have the size etched into it.

 

Was that car at bob saks? im not sure if i'm thinking of the right dealership name, but was it at drake and grand river. I'm often in farmington hills visiting family.

 

Yes it was Bob Saks. I was going to post pictures of the Eclipse, but I figured it would be sac-religious, especially for a chevy board. I've had enough trouble after stomping some built chevelles and camaros. Thanks for the info on the tune. Also for the guy who said he lived down 75, I live in where 75 splits into 275. It's dark and cold outside right now, and I didn't see a size etched on it when I glanced at it when I bought the car? Could he have installed the pulley so the size is facing towards the supercharger? I read somewhere that 0.100 of an inch is around 1 lb of boost. Using this with a stock boost of 12 lbs, I figured the size to be around 2.600".