What I want to do is get the ZZP 3" intake with K&N drop in filter, and also upgrade to a bigger TB(lsj) BUT isn't this pretty much pointless if I don't have a larger than stock exhaust...

Thanks..

 

intake would help, but tb only becomes restrictive after some exhaust work is done.

 

Ok, I just don't want a LOUD car, I was looking at the Tsudo N1 it seems pretty low tone and a good price.. what do you/anybody else think??

 

no its loud, the gmpp series are good and quiet exhausts

 

Magnaflow is always a popular choice.

 

The gmpp exhausts sound good but the piping is technically smaller than stock.

Magnaflow is a decent choice for a quieter exhaust. Also might want to see what zzp has.
I have the slp and in no way is it quiet. Though its not bad either if you dont have passengers. If you have passengers in your back seat I dont recommend it.


Also as far as the throttle body upgrade us 08's have to either buy an adapter that zzp doesnt have or have to do some minor rewiring.

 

would this be pretty close...

Cobalt magnaflow exhaust - YouTube

but i don't want this...

SS Cobalt w/ Magnaflow - YouTube

is that just because he has a FULL exhaust or what??

 

LSj's have a higher flowing downpipe from the factory but he probably has full exhaust.
Also the 2.4 is a bigger engine and from what I noticed dont typically sound as raspy as the lsj's do. (the extra displacement makes a difference as does the compression etc etc etc)

edit: actually just watched the video. He lists a magnaflow cat. So that pretty much says he has at least a downpipe and catback and trust me the 08 2.4 downpipe REALLY quiets down the catbacks. I had a zzp downpipe with the zzp header on the slp catback and it was just beyond loud! But with the stocker back on there the car is much quieter (still can be heard some distance away just not 5 minutes away lol)

 

haha nice, ok so as long as I keep my stock dp it shouldn't sound too loud or raspy??

 

It will definitely help mellow it out. The difference between a high flow downpipe on my slp and the stock downpipe was massive!!

 

+1 for downpipe adding noise. I just got a catted ZZP dp and its definitely louder

 

Personally I think the best budget exhuast set up is a header and downpipe with the stock cat back. You get huge flow gains and it is marginally louder. It sounds good too, IMO.

 

yeah thats good and i would love the power gains i just dont want the noise... ha

 

Any header/dp work is going to result in a much louder exhaust. I can't attest to how loud it would be with the stock exhaust on an aftermarket header/dp, but you could always add another muffler or resonator if it is too loud.

 

I had a zzp midlength header with high flow cat on the stock catback. Hated the sound of it. It sounded like it was choked up and several people did not like the sound of it....
But it was a bit louder and deeper. But honestly im much happier with the sound of my slp with a header and the factory downpipe. Im sure Im giving up a bit of power this way. But it does sound better. And being an 08 2.4 auto this car will never be reliable and quick unless I dump a bit of money into it (or swap in an 06-07 2.4 )

So to the op think about your goals with the car and go from there. Until then most of what your going to get here is just opinion

 

true to both of those and why the 06-07 2.4???

 

Apparently the 06-07 2.4s have forged internals and the 08s do not. Someone correct me if this is wrong.

 

Didn't the 2.4's come out in 2008 only?

 

2.4 came out in 06 for the cobalt as SS/NA

Also you can do lnf catback.... just an option.
I need a catted do lol

 

Idk how it worked with the Cobalt, but the g5 gt had the 2.4 for 06 and 07 then later went with the 2.2 vvt.
Edit: beaten! Haha

 

Why did Chevy even bother with the 2.4 it's. Waste of money. And why did they build my car, it's a 2010 lt but looks identical to a ss/sc. Then Chevy made the cobalt sport that looks identical to my car too. Weirded

 

Someone doesn't know what they are talking about. Research your engine and you'll find out.

If you want a quiet car stop modding before you start. If you want more hp at all your car is going to be louder. Thats how it works.

No. Pistons and rods are run of the mill used across many different manufacturers. Rods used a popular forge casting C70 iirc. It is stout, but not even close to an after market rod. If the rods changed after the '07 model year it was to a similar, less expensive process, but the strength is probably pretty still pretty close...the only people to find out are those who like to strap SC/TC on their cars

This is the stock '06 rod/piston vs aftermarket(ZZP/JE). As you can see you shouldn't get too comfortable with your stock rods:

 

Actually the 2.4 model has a lot going for it over your 2010 LT LAP 2.2 and while your car looks similar to the sport and ss/na it doesnt get as many good bits. the 2.4 was a stepping stone between the 2.2 L61 and the LSJ.

But I understand why the LSJ and LNF guys get frustrated by us LE5 guys now.
Its the same type of thing at us getting frustrated at the 09-10 LAP LT with the sport package. They look like we do but they have less tq and 20hp less.


Anyway thats all off topic. To the op you can save some money if you went with a cti over the axle pipe and a muffler and tip of your choice. But others are right almost every single mod for these cars will add some sort of noise increase. Sadly its the name of the game.

 

Sports don't have the SS front lip or bumper, it has its own rear bumper. And I don't mind a nice sounding car with noise just I don't want a.. this.. COBALT SS STAGE 2 BORLA NON RESONATED EXHAUST - YouTube

 

So What is the diff between my 2010 cobalt LT and a Sport and a SS?