If you've ever put a "performance" exhaust on an auto 4 cylinder, it sounds terrible. What was hard to understand?

Case in point: A kid who goes to RMU with me had a Sentra SER with an auto. Big muffler unknown. might be a catback, might just be a muffler. But god, you can hear it for a mile, it doesn't sound good at all, and it drones so much when he lets off the gas that it makes me want to punch infants.

 

Yes, until you get to the point that you are adding a Turbo, then you need extensive work to make the Auto capable of surviving with reliability.

 

1. Do you want your car to go faster?

2. Are you willing to put money and time into your car?

If you answer yes to 1. and 2. mod away

 

Do you understand how a engine works? Do you understand how a transmission works?

Ok (assuming you do).

I'll explain anyways...

The actual engines sound note is what determines the sound of the exhaust initially. The design of the exhaust system changes the sound of the exhaust note.

What you are referring to is the smooth transition of shifting and the low RPM shifting that typically stock automatics are programmed (or mechanically) inclined to do. You're talking about the RPM vs Gearing that the vehicle is in and how it sounds.

I am talking about the actual exhaust note. The sound it creates is no different regardless of transmission type. That is what I'm talking about.

Was that hard to understand?

 

I don't understand this. You could wait a year and trade it in for an ss/sc?

Wouldn't that be the "biggest" mod to do to an LS?

1. I've seen alot of LS cobalts that use ss/sc parts to be better.
2. It's a completely different setup if you go to an ss/sc (some parts wouldn't work - at least cai)
3. If you wait a year you could "mod up" to alot faster of a car. Instead of putting all your money into making it somewhat equal to what already comes better.

Idk. I would save. I would never want to drive an LS or SS after having my SS/SC.

 

That's what I meant all along. lol. The engine/exhaust it's self doesn't sound any different. It just sounds bad IMO because it shifts too quick. And it holds gear differently.

 

Hmm lets seeeeee.......90+% of all cars running faster then 9's in a 1/4 mile are automatics, ALL outlaw class cars are automatics. In fact nothing seriously fast in a 1/4 mile uses a manual transmission! Tooo easy to miss a shift and lose a race!

Now true manuals ARE fun to drive but that doesn't mean auto's are turds by any stretch of the imagination. You sit for 2 hours in rush hour traffic in a manual every day for a few years and see if your still singng its praises!

 

Ok, well that's what I was talking about originally as well.

 

except that those auto transmissions have absolutely nothing to do with a stock auto tranny

especially the one found in the 2.2 cobalt...

now granted you could build your auto tranny but you're always going to be a step behind a manual tranny street car unless you build it up or just outright overpower them.

 

Well....

The fastest NHRA class for gasoline cars is Pro Stock, and they're manuals. The fastest quarter mile cars on the planet, fuelers, are manuals.

Automatics became popular when class racing was replaced with bracket racing. Winning in brackets requires consistency, and the most consistent cars are autos.

That said, my car is an auto, I like them, I think they can be very quick, and, for drag racing, they're sometimes easier to build and certainly are easier to be able to drive fast.

I commute in Denver in my Cobalt. I NEED the auto .

 

Well I have an auto LS and I can say that those are 3 really good reasons. And I would definately modify your LS cause for one its cheaper insurance. Also I believe you said you have an 07 and HP Tuners is supposed to support the 07s soon I believe so you can tune for mods such as cams and the intake and exhaust. And HP Tuners also lets you change shift points and line pressure in the tranny which will make a huge improvement.

So far I have a Weapon R intake, Pacesetter Cat-Back, DC-Sports Strut Bar, and a Progress rear sway bar and the do make a noticeable difference.

But in the end it's all about what you want to do but personally I'd modify your LS. Automatic 2.2L FTW

 

Even in the supercharged version of the 3.8L GM motor (Monte Carlo SS s/c, Grand Prix GTP, etc), they build the tranny up a little bit with some heavier duty components from the factory. And hell, that's only for 40 hp and 40 tq. But it obviously puts extra strain on the engine. Even on top of that, if you have a highly build n/a version of the 3.8L motor, different companies have "heavy-duty kits" for the normal transmission. It's certainly not as simple as just throwing any extensive mods onto your car and calling it a day. You do that, and your day will be over a bit early at the track.

 

Keep the auto and mod that **** man. You got a good car to start off with and it has potential, plus it's less of a pain in traffic as other here have said. Also If it makes you feel any better, your car is a lot better off then mine, I got an old 93, 3 speed auto LOL

 

have fun with it if your keeping it. if u plan on just trading it in for a SS/SC then dont do jack to it because its pointless in my mind putting money into a car u plan on getting rid of that soon.

but if you wanna keep it and have some fun without worrying about it breaking down or stuff.
2 mods and thats it.

1. Injen Short Ram OR Cold Air (it can be either cause its made that way)
2. GMPP touring catback exhaust (order from dealer)

with that said hope you consider this when modding.

 

I gots 250Whp on my ecotec 2.2 4 speed with no tranny issues at all.

 

The man has spoken

 

Almost right. The fastest cars in a 1/4 mile are top fuelers and they use a transmission that uses centrificaly (sp?) actuated fingers to produce clamping force on clutch packs similer to an automatic trans. When the race is over the tranny is toast and must be replaced. Going 0 - 100 mph in less them 0.8 of a second and excelerating to a speed of around 330 mph in a 1/4 mile woould be impossible to shift gears fast enough. Funny cars fall under the same type of transmission. These are the cars I was talking about along with the outlaw cars cause as you said they run brackets and for bracket racing you can not beat an automatic.

What more proof do you need?

 

Absolutely right! From National Dragster magazine in an article about Top Fuel drivetrains: "...by the end of the 1980s, the clutches had multiple stages, transmissions were gone, and e.t.s dropped and speeds rose dramatically."

While I go to the Nationals every year, I last had anything to do in a fuel pit in the '80's. Forgive my out-of-date info!

 

A truly wonderful sight to behold

 

Dude nothing to forgive. Its all good, things change.

 

how long u been running it? just wondering since i turbo my 2.4 ecotec in 12 days.

 

I'm with you on the 3 speed auto, wolfwood390. My old GP only has 3 gears and it feels like I'm at like 6000 rpm going 60 on the highway. haha!

 

What's the difference between the performance exhaust and the touring exhaust? Isn't the performance one better/aggressive? That said, does the 2.2 not sound good with the performance one or something? Why choose touring?

I want to do a lot of things to the car, but I'm not sure if I want to upgrade to the SS/SC or not in a year. I guess I'll have to sit down and think about it for awhile, or just mod very slowly until I figure it all out.

I appreciate all the feedback. I'm really excited now. Driving my cobalt is like floating on a laser blue metallic cloud.
-Aleckor

 

Oh I was going to say hell yes to the 2.4L auto. But I can't tune those. I hear there ar eshift modules that will help you some on that 2.2L

 

I say mod til your heart's and walet's content. Moddings fun no matter what you drive. Even modding a hoopty is fun. AKA my GEO Storm. lol. I miss that car..... Also an auto btw.