So i am building up the balt this winter and am throwing alot of power at it. i am expecting about 320-360hp. i have heard nothing but bad things about the rods in cobalts. in one gm build book it says they are good up to 300hp. and another says 250hp. and i don't want to hear none of that "thats what gm says, that doesn't mean thats what they will hold crap" because whoever says crap like that is uneducated about building a motor. its all about facts. and i need some. and if you have bought forged rods where did you go to get them?

 

if i remember correctly the book is about building a 2.2 motor, not a 2.0 motor. a list of mods that you are planning to do would be helpful. cause turbo setups people have been getting 350+ whp on stock internals on the 2.0

 

The 300hp build book was for the LSJ. For the hp #'s you are talking about, the stock LSJ rods are absolutely fine. Those rods can safely handle 450hp.

 

oh my bad. how would you know its not like you know anything bout building an engine

 

i hear what you guys are sayin. i have the LSJ build book and the other one. is there any other facts out there that you know of. because i have heard of many people throwing a rod. and thats at like 300-310 hp. and victory what rods do you have? and are they pretty stout

 

The shop that took my engine apart knows good parts when the see them up close. They are happy using the stock rods for builds up to 450bhp.
I have 2 different sets of rods. One a HD set from Pauter Machine and the other ones from Macias Racing. Both sets are very stout and will easily withstand 1200bhp.

 

once again correct me if im wrong but the people that have blown there motors and broken pistons and rods are more from a bad tune or too much heat then too much acutual power.

 

You are not wrong.
I have heard of no one actually throwing a rod because of the power they made with their engines.

 

i guess it more depends on how you plan on getting that 350 hp, nitrous shot 150 you may have some trouble with stock internals (lol someone should do this), but if your going for the 300 range i assume your going turbo cuz god knows unless your blown 4-banger its f'kin hard to do that with stock eaton, and in that case i think stock internals will last you pretty long ask 06blackg85ss

 

well as of right now i just have stage 2 of sorts with a custom tune and CAI. but i will be getting my head back from the machine shop in about a week or two. and with me playing with a dyno calculator on-line i found that with headwork and exhaust that will put me over 310hp. and now i have 10.5:1 diamond pistons who knows what that will go to. but i expect to see upwards of 320-340hp. or at least i hope. plus the exhaust that i have on the way should help out a tiny bit.

 

Wishful thinking...
To quote Area47... it's all in the tune.

Edit:
Maybe watch this guys thread... if he breaks 300 on the stock blower, then you can start number guessing....
https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/2-0l-lsj-performance-tech-47/come-see-my-dyno-87142/

 

im sry but i dont think youll even see 290 whp on that setup. youll see alot more then most stage 2 guys yes but not 320. not without some smaller pullies and larger injectors, and a million other small things. but once you get it all back together feel free to prove me wrong at the dyno

 

i will deffinately keep my eye on that guy. i mean maybe i just have high expectations. but i know that my buddy has a stage 3 cobalt and with his stage 3 and exhaust, CAI, headers and a few other things he dyno'd at 275. so i don't know. i guess i will just have to see what that other guy does and then see what i do.

 

Well, I sure hope your right... I'm doing a similar build to the guy in the link... so if he doesn't make big power, I'll be pretty upset...

BTW, check your PM's in a few... you might find the info very helpful.

 

If your tearing the motor down you might as well swap out for forged internals, you wont ever regret it. That's if you can afford. If you can't, then just save your money until you can. It would suck to put money into a motor only to have to take it apart again.

 

... stocks rod are good til 400 anyways...
But your right... to be on the safe side, it's best to replace them with forged ones. It's one thing to blow a piston... it's another to send a rod though the side of the block.

 

Guys, you all talk like you don't know that the stock, LSJ, rods are forged. For the HP #'s you are talking about the rods are fine. It's the pistons that are not forged.

 

i dont doubt you victory for a second but could you find that in writing. i just want to do some more research on it personally

 

It is true that the stock rods are forged but after discussing w/ my machine shop we decided the best route was to go aftermarket.

 

that calculator is very generous.

i would be shocked if it yields more than 280whp.

 

the rods are forged but would just feel alot better knowing that they will hold up. i am really considering going to eagle rods or some other forged rod. i know that eagle is tested up 500hp and higher. that would make me feel better about the whole situation. also anomalous i know that those calculators are generous. but i still don't think that it is to far off eigther. by the way congrats on car of the month. it looks good as hell.

 

you will eat a rod due to a timing mishap, massive pressure, or a lost bearing.

 

Well I have went a completely different route from everyone i have a cobalt ss/sc g85 but i just put a 2.2 built and ported head on it with stage 3 comp cams .5 oversized farrea valves and valvesprings and some titanium retainers. I also put a set set of mahle pistons in the bottom end the car will have nos but just a small amount like 50 shot i've done all the heating upgrades like cobra h/e and stuff and all the typical bolt ons like header, 3" exhaust coldair clutch and flywheel. Now i have hp tuneres so im gonna try to get a good tune on her and see what she can put down with my eaton it has 60's and a 2.6 pully with colder plugs. If the car doesnt put down 350 without spray im gonna go turbo and the car is hitting 22 psi with that head and cam setup.

 

I'd say if you plan on running pump gas the rods are fine. If you plan on running a 200 shot thats a different story.

 

True, but there are several cases of the LSJ's throwing rods. It may be from user error (improper engine reassembly) how one that I know of, the engine was never opened up. Paul's (06blackg85ss) Cobalt is just defying the laws of physics