Ok so i am looking to put a stage 3 upgrade kit on a stage 2 cobalt ss. see if you can help me with any of this...

-i plan on hooking up the 50 dry shot that the computer is setup for. would it be a bad idea to instal a meth kit with that?

- can the new computer i get that has the stage 3 program/setup in it be tuned again with HP tuners.... i want to tune it because i plan on installing a cam set on it and the cams will requier a tune.
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UPDATED BELOW!!!! als in post #17

I am looking to get the most out of my stage 3 kit...

I do plan on getting stiffer valve springs but want to know what company has the best kit

and i will be putting the neutral balance shafts in.

now when i change out my pistons for forged pistons would it be wise of me to go little higher on comression? and or bore size.. diamond sells them with stock bore .1 and .2 over.... and each set you can get at the stock 9.5:1, 10.0:1 and 10.5:1 compression ratios.

what would be the best combo for the most power?

and i am open to hear about any other ways to maximize the power on my stage 3 build up. thanks!

 

Yes you can run the meth, with high octane mode, theres a thread on it. The pcm is locked so you cant tune it, but on the lsj build book they used a differenct set of cams and didnt change the stage 3 tune... so you might not need to tune for them really, but I'm not the best guy to answer that so dont hold me to that. The best way to run stage 3 is just to do full bolt-ons,run meth if you want,a 2.9, add that dry 50 shot to go with it and call it a day. If your goals are a bit more than this, just get tuned with hptuners and dont bother with stage 3.

 

thanks man

 

yeah i have stage 3...im running a 2.9, K&N Cold Air Intake,Soon to be new exhaust when i find the right one and a 50 shot...I was told you could use meth because of the more aggressive tune the stage 3 pcm has...Just some info i know about this

 

keep the tips/ ideas coming.. thanks guyss


do any of you who run stage 3 have hp numbers or 1/4miles times

 

I wish we had more information concerning the cams... It seems strange that stage 3 allows you to go to 8k rpms but the stock cams don't make power that high. There must be something that GM hasn't released. I wish I knew who to email and possibly get an answer.


BTW meth will maintain high octane mode... makes the tune that much better, not only is stage 3 better than stage 2 but the HO mode is awesome. Timing is way up especially after 5k or so. Pulls really hard up top.

 

GMPP cams. Gm sells them but they're harder to find. They swapped the pistons, valves, valvesprings, retainers (and possibly the guides), also the balance shafts.

Basically stage 3 was designed to be used with that build. To run that high you at least need new cams, valvesprings, and possibly valves.

 

Since the Stage 3 PCM is locked, I'm concluding that you installed meth. without tuning it....

Does it stay locked in 100 octane mode while spraying meth?

Any problems ?
Have you noticed/measured significant gains (lower IAT's)


From the reactions throughout, S3 is not that popular around here but I think that it's good for people who can't tune or don't have good tuners at their disposal.

I think it's a shame that S3 is locked cause I wouldn't mind keeping its rev. limiter adjustability and 100 ocatne mode, while customizing it for 60lb injectors....

So red_line_cobalt, keep in mind that you will be limited to 42lb injectors for as long as you have this PCM. If you have plans to go with smaller pulleys in the future, you will not able to it safely run them with the 42lbs. For this you'll need the 60lbs. and you can't tune the S3 PCM for this

Also, remember to say goodbye to your A/C as it will not work after you install S3. There is a workaround how to for this though, but you have to know what you're doing !

.

 

I just don't see how they can do cams and not tune... I doubt they were using the stage 3 tune, that's what I'm trying to get at. If they were, I'll be looking into this option very soon.

No I did not tune for it, but it richens stage 3 up to a much safer A/F ratio (stage 3 is way leaner than stage 2) and it fools the computer into thinking there is 100 octane gas in the tank, allow more timing and such.

 

is it just HO mode thats runs really lean? Would I be safe on 91(with maybe some gas-line antifreeze as ocatane booster,lol) with normal mode? There no 93 stations near me...

 

i have learned and seen on my own that the 60# injectors over fuel the motor.... even with the the 2.6 pulley

 

Well with the 42# you dont get enough fuel which isn't good...I would rather have to much fuel and lean it out by tuning than having a junk stage 3 locked pcm...

 

fnfast a while ago black cobalt ran 12's with gm stage 3 kit.

 

and now that's under question as is your times.

 

sorry to thread jack but i was looking into this route because i have meth and need a tune for it and this would work for that and some extra power but is it really worth 400 bucks...there are no tuners around here

without using the 50 shot that is

 

could i get a mild cam with my stage 3 cuz i would not be able to tune it

 

I am looking to get the most out of my stage 3 kit...

I do plan on getting stiffer valve springs but want to know what company has the best kit

and i will be putting the neutral balance shafts in.

now when i change out my pistons for forged pistons would it be wise of me to go little higher on comression? and or bore size.. diamond sells them with stock bore .1 and .2 over.... and each set you can get at the stock 9.5:1, 10.0:1 and 10.5:1 compression ratios.

what would be the best combo for the most power?

and i am open to hear about any other ways to maximize the power on my stage 3 build up. thanks!

oh also is the HP that GM rated for the stage 3 at the wheels or crank? and is that with stock intake exhaust.....

 

I think the highest compression you can run without knock is what would yield the most power, if your gonna run ho mode with meth, the meth is gonna prevent you from knocking even with a higher cr. So if your not planning on getting a tvs or turbo and running more boost later, then the 10.5:1 would probably yield the most power. The old saying that theres no replacement for displacement applies to what bore your gonna go with, go as big as you can safely run on stock sleevs if you dont want to get aftermarket sleeves. I dont know much about that on this motor so I cant answer it, but I'd love to see what someone with a bit more experience has to say. I'm considering building up my motor in the winter/spring and am looking for more info before I decide on it.

 

well i am going to run the stage 3 18psi boost... and as for meth i dont know what i am going to do about that cuz i am going to be running the 50 shot with the stage 3 computer, like it is set up for. i have a large tank at my place and i will have the 100+ oct gas in there to fill up my car with... so i wont need the meth to raise the octain to turn on my HO mode.

i was planning on doing the .2" over if i can run it safely but i dont know if i should go 10.0:1 comp or 10.5:1 comp ratio

 

I'm really wanting to knock how much over we can run on the stock sleeves, and what can we run on aftermarket sleeves. I mean, between the extra power from higher comp, more displacement, meth, 8000rpm valvetrain w/agressive cams, even cryoing the motor and coating the moving parts in dfl(dry film lube) like someone has suggested before. I wonder whats possible with this motor on a stock blower.

 

anyone else able to help me out with this