The Intense stage 3 kit looks awsome

Me moving from a Super Charged Tahoe to a SS Sc Cobalt I was a little skeptical about doing it but after driving my Cobalt & reading alot of threads on this site and now seeing how venders are jumping on board to make upgrades for this Car I'm so happy I bought a Cobalt

Now after lurking & reading several threads it's my understanding if you jump to a stage 3 kit (plug & play I think its the Intense kit) you will also
1. need a better clutch
2. Install an LSD
3. change the exhaust
4. ether mod the airbox or run a totally differnt cold air intake system

Does this sound about right & if not please fill in my fualt areas as I feel to get the best from the kit I will need to build around the upgrade to feel the best bang for my buck without driveline falures.

Then I guess I'd want to look at changing the stock tires next huh?

I realize when you increase HP you find the next week link so what I want is to make my new Cobalt fast but still keep the drivability for trips & plus try to maintain a good MPG which I know will drop with anything I do to increase HP.

I had put alot of money in My Tahoe & it was fast but I could not keep a tranny under the darn thing so I didn't feel safe driving it on any trips as I could replace the tranny my self for about $2500 but on the road I'm sure i would be looking at more in the line of $4000 depending on the unknown shop I would find .

So I guess what I'm looking at is doing most the other upgrades before I geta stage 3 kit to insure drivability.

 

Intake YES, Exhaust YES, So long and you arent constantly beating your car you should not have problems with your clutch for a long time. They have been putting that trans in turbo saabs for some time so you should be okay.

 

Ha ha ha Beating my car well I have always felt if my cars can't take it I sell em

Thanks & I know what you mean I just sometimes feel the stock clutch is alittle weak anyway?

 

you don't HAVE to do intake and exhaust. will the car benefit from it? YES.

you don't HAVE to do a clutch. if you don't, i imagine the stockie will be slipping a lot and you won't be getting full potential from the kit. some, like myself, have to use the stockie for all its worth, then upgrade later when $$ permits or when there's no other choice because it fails.

installing an LSD is also up to you, just another thing that will make the most of the system, but not absolutely necessary to have with the kit. and it sucks that the only LSD available costs just over $1400...i can get one for a 350Z for like $800...

you'll probably want to pick up an aeroforce interceptor gauge so you can monitor your KR and a ton of other functions of your car so you can keep an eye on everything especially when upping the boost like that.

 

Damn!! I stand corrected, upon further reading I think i'm gonna toast my stock clutch crazy with the intense 3 that I have coming. Get a new clutch lol

 

clutch will hold up fine... people just want a different clutch because they feel the power cannot be controlled with it ever notice some of people who have it just say right off the bat that it slips, what they don't tell you is they roast the stock clutch just to make an excuse to put an aftermarket one in... if anyone on here knows.. if you have the stock clutch it doesn't slip nearly as bad as it seems. Maybe thats just me though. Not to ruffle feathers or nothing.. the SRT-4 can rock 300+whp with the stock clutch, I think it's a mind thing..

LSD is NOT required to run this amount of power. Non ACR SRT-4's that are running 12's without it. I think they are fine.

I'd get an intake and exhaust before even installing this.

 

Thanks for the input guys & sneaky i seem to notice from 1st to second it seems to not be putting all the power to the wheels & like you said it could just be a mind thing as I was use to a Automatic with a total posi rear end dropping power 425HP to the road at a more constant rate or at least it felt like it

I feel I try to make up for the short 1st gear & tend to over rev into second causing slipping but I'm still in the playing/learning stages of my new found toy

I was also glad to hear you say the LSD isn't absolute as my truck cost about $1000 for parts & install for the posi & with the Cobalt I notice last week I smoked the tires in the driveway & it appeard to be planting a good posi scratch & they were started & stopped evenly so I feel it drops traction pretty good to the road ?

I think for me I need to learn my power curve a bit better so I can maintain constant power with out breaking the tires lose & thats just an art that has to be tuned.

I was in fear of a LSD mainly for winter drivability as last week I had to get differnt rims & tires as the stocks were just plain scarrrryyy on Ice & snow here in Iowa

I really like the plug & play unit offered by Intense as if I decide to go that way I can remove it all & drive into the garage with the warranty intact but I might wait & see what GM offers to keep my waranty as here in Iowa I got my dealer to upgrade me to 6 years bumper to bumper & they picked up the bill on the extended warranty as it was a local dealer offer but I still think I paid for it as I paid alittle over $20000 to purchase
I have all the bells & wistles except the color matched seats & onstar.

Well thanks again & I'll keep reading up on all the new Goodies for the Cobalt

 

Brotha, I feel lag when i shift into second momentarily too. I think its just a programming glitch that keeps fuel or boost low for a moment. I dont think its your clutch

 

You will feel a little lag. My car is modded as you can see in the sig. To launch I roll it out and then start steadily applying pressure in first to about 5500 rpm then I slip the clutch into second and hammer it. When I do so you feel that really brief lag and then the SC kicks in and kicks you in the ass.

 

Cool as I was thinking I got a dam bad clutch & was really in fear of it failing

Thanks for the replys as it realy helps to know these things !!!

 

As long as you don't get a fujita intake you should be good to go. The fujita intake it the biggest piece of crap on the market and don't let the high cost make you think you are getting a good product. The Corsa exhaust is very good, i like mine very much. If you plan on racing you car consider the LSD because it will come in handy.

 

Hey Chevypowerd I was wondering just what is the G85 as I was reading your sig & noticed it's without a G85 & I ment to ask this in another post but forgot as now I am wondering if I have it ha ha ha ?

I see you have spent a few $ on your upgrades to Wow
Also how do you like the clear bra ?

 

G85 is the recaros and the LSD package, they didn't make it or made very little of these in 05 so i missed out. Clear bra is very nice, you can click on it for more info. The only thing that sucks is when i get a chip on the very edge of the hood where the clear bra isn't covering, only happened once but it pissed me off. I keep telling myself that i have enough then these companies come out with a better product so how can you say no to that?

I have had a lot of experience with buying not cheap stuff but mid-grade equipment and in the end you regret not getting the best available because is not worth the saved money in the end.

 

If you also notice GM doesn't make you change the clutch when stage 2 is applied to the SS. that means they have faith in the stock clutch putting the power to the wheels which may only be a 20-30whp difference between the intense kit and the GM kit. No one really knows how much power the stage kit will put down on a dyno (all hear say) but I will tell you this. I am waiting for the GM kits for two reasons, a real tune and not a maf translator. A real flash tune from the factory will out weigh a unit tricking the computer anyday.

I am not bashing the intense kit but mearly offering a solid opinon on this. I think the intense kit is great bang for the buck.

 

werd or learn to drive
i have 10k on factory clutch only slips when beating on it cold
hasnt done it since dec. have mods and race it when the times are right
no probs, think the clutch will make it at least 50 K
my buddies redline has 35K, no clutch probs

is this the first standard many have you driven? if so the clutch is very sensitive compared to say a honda accord or something similar power

i drive a lot of diff cars and diagnose clutch probs at work, if getting a after market one
do NOT get a SPEC!

had a stage 2 on my last ride, failed after 1000 mi, barely broke in

have had good luck with centerforce, exedy, and kinkoba
ACT is the worst

 

I think the hydrolic clutch feel alot different than the old linkage system as that is what I'm use to on an old 67 Camaro.

I'm use to the clutch being more twards the center of the pedel & with the hydrolic it's more twards the top & tha always seem to show wear on the older systems .

One more quick question: How can I tell if I have the G85 or not from the VIN or the order sheet or what?

 

If you have color inserts you do not have it, if your seats say recaroon them you do have it. It's a $1500 package so you would probably know if you did get it.

 

Ok Thanks Chevypowered I was hoping but I know my seat don't say Recaroon but I can write it on them ha ha ha

I looked all over the invoice sticker but didn't see any extras about it or addons

Theses are some of the things you tend to find out after buying & I wanted to know this before buying oh well.

 

same thing happened to me, i thought i was getting LSD with my car and until i went on a duirt road and pulled up the e-brake and let the front tires slip did i notice that only one tire was loosing grip, other ten when i would take a turn fast. It kinda sucks, i was looking for it but no one knew anything about it. Well if you want it you can buyu the LSD and have it installed.

 

Yea at a price & like I posted in this thread I did a burn ount in the driveway & it seemed to drop a posi scratch & it started & stopped the same on both sides so it's good enough for me as I'm not racing this car except the ocasional put a hond in it's place on the road

This is actually my first new car as I always drove older POS cars & tended to make the best out of them now my last ride was the 1999 Tahoe & I bought it with 75000 miles on it & then Supercharged it with a Whipple SC & then added alot of other stuf to it you can check it out if you want

Here

 

Yeah i saw that when you made your fist, looks like a nice truck other than your tranny problems, B & M makes a good 700-R4 that might of had a better chance in your truck. I have one of those in my old blazer and it made a huge difference, costly but hopfuly it will never break again.

 

That was about the stupidest comment i've read on here since joining!

My clutch was GONE at 1K miles, NEVER raced anyone, i don't slip it excessively, it just couldn't handle the added power!!!! Why the hell you think GM is delaying the stage kits, because they KNOW the STOCK clutcj will NEVER hold the power.

The clutch should be the 2nd upgrade after a stage 3 INTENSE kit or similar mod, PERIOD.

You'll be able to get ALL your power to the tires at least!