Dutchman

There are some higher mileage LNFs, there's a thread about that somewhere on here. The valve coking issue is something to be aware of, plenty on the site about that and how to fix it. I had my intake valves walnut blasted around 80K and bought Powells air/oil separator to deal with it.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

I had a 94Z28 before my 09 Cobalt. It had a bbk throttle body, airfoil, Moroso intake, 1.6 rockers, high flow cat, flowmaster exhaust and was dyno tuned on a dlowmaster dyno. My 09 tuned e47 fbo Cobalt would flat out kill it in any race. I'm running 12.80's with the Cobalt, and from a roll it wouldn't even be close either. Camaro had posi with 3.73 gears also, and on a good day got 17mpg. On a gas tune my Cobalt can knock down close to 35 on the highway.
I never got around to heads and cam on the 94, would have really woke it up. I don't miss it much though. I have raced several stock ls1 ss's at the track and they are a 13.90-14.10 car. But I know with some work they are nasty.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

Also- my 94 had close to 370 wheel torque. Boost ramped my Cobalt has 400.

SayHiToYourMom4Me

Thats awesome first hand experience. I'm going the slightly modded DD route on the cobalt maybe like 300hp.

Also the Walnut cleaning. I watch a vid on that and doing the job doesn't seem too difficult just time consuming. Every car out there has its stupid thing. The Lt1 camaros have their stupid opti spark.

07blackg5

iTrader: (8)

My supercharged car makes ~240whp and is pretty underwhelming

ProfDNS

I make 150 without the supercharger. THAT'S underwhelming

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

I hated that stupid opti spark deal, replaced mine with an upgraded one but don't remember what it was. I had an auto trans model and the trans in the car was horrible once I got the hp up. Had to build the trans from that point. I had tons of handling stuff on mine also, tubular front suspension, panard bar, aftermarket axels, etc, big sway bars. Loved the t-tops, hated changing spark plugs.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

Honestly I just have fun in my Cobalt, and have for 6 years. Yeah it's a cheap car, hs kids drive them, but it brakes well, handling is very light, gets great gas mileage, and when you nail the go pedal at 60, I can be at 100 in less than 4 seconds. Plus if I blow the motor, I can throw a new one in for the same price as a set of heads for a v8. It's not a car for everyone, and I am old enough I don't care what anyone says. So much fun to hang with or beat cars with 3 times the size of the motor in the Cobalt. If I can get the zfr on this summer, I expect to be pushing high 11's in the 1/4.

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

Some people do that stuff just for looks. It's possible if it was used on the track at all it wasn't very much but it could go either way.

I think what it sounds like you are used to feeling is that instant low-end torque you get from a V-8. A supercharger will give you more instant torque like if you slam on the pedal it will provide instant torque like your NA V8 though it will be less torque overall than a turbo because of the power it robs to spin the supercharger. I think you would be happy with a Cobalt with a TVS but that it sounds like you aren't interested in going that far and just sort of want a stock Cobalt?

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

Good on you not caring about what people think of your car. Cobalt is an econobox but if you actually enjoy driving it can be a fun little econobox. Also very fun beating people in their shiny, much more expensive, V8 cars.

chris88z24

They'll be a future classic.

SayHiToYourMom4Me

I'm way past caring what people think of the car I drive. I drive what works for me or makes me happy. I expect that this car would out handle any 4th gen Camaro as well. Still searching. I'll keep you posted when I finally pull the trigger.
Thanks everyone.

97n06ss

This post caught my eye. I have an 97 Camaro SS that's got some things done to it, I ran a best 13.1 at 104 on drag radials. I bought my 06 Cobalt SS supercharged 4 years ago, I havent done to much to it since I bought it at the time to commute. I have not ever taken it to the track so have no idea what it can do, but it is safe to say that it is a different kinda fast. It took me a while to get use to the front wheel drive torque and how light the car felt. It amazes me the amount of power some of the guys on this board get out of the lsj as well as the lnf. I think I spent about 7000$ back when I was younger total on the Camaro just to get a low 13 sec car, which at the time was fast, and these guys spend less on modifications and get into the 12's with a 4 cylinder. I do know getting on an entrance ramp it does not take my Cobalt that long to hit triple digits and it never feels like it stops pulling.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

Ls1's can make big power. Cobalts are fun to make power on because they hurt feelings. They aren't supposed to be fast. Plus you can still get decent fuel mileage that it's harder to make on built v8's. Fed is great in the snow but it really makes it hard to hook up at the strip. If I don't throw the bigger turbo on this year I hope to still be running 12.50-12.60's.

97n06ss

Had a buddy that had a 99 ws6, put long tube headers off road pipe and gmmg exhaust and ran a 12.7....LS motors make power pretty easily, the ol cast iron block aluminum head LT1 was state of the art at the time but in todays times is very obsolete. But thats impressive running mid 12's in a Cobalt and yet still able to get over 30 mpg, thats hard to beat!

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

My old Z got 17mpg pretty regularly with me babying it with the 3.73's. Sorry I thought you had a ls motor. As I was selling mine they finally came out with a better set of aftermarket heads to fit it. Those Lt1 motors revved really well for an old school V8. Was going to put headers in mine till I figured out you had to take 1/2 the front end apart to accomplish it. With the eibach springs on it and lots of polyurethane mounts mine road like a log wagon. I do miss the sideways burnouts in it though.

97n06ss

LOL, thats a pretty good analogy..

Johnny Bliss

ive had LT1 corvettes and several 4th gen ls1 fbodies.

the 4th gen ls1 f bodies are amazing cars, the ws6 and SS models handle great and have good power.

i get 30ish on the highway with the M6. i've had some with mods and some without. all stock my 00 SS ran 13.4@104

i had a 01 z28 vert with LTs, lid, exhaust and it ran 13.2@107

4th gen ls cars are one of my favorite cars. great gas mileage, good power, cheap but comfortable interior. world class motor and trans (M6)

the 4l60e is garbage but ive had them in corvettes and still fun to cruise but not a performance transmission stock by any means.

chris88z24

I'm still looking for a reasonably priced 2002 Camaro SS 35th anniversary edition.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

I've ran against 2 00-01 SS's at the strip and they were never faster than 13.40. You must be a good driver.

SayHiToYourMom4Me

The 4l60e's are total crap. I had mine rebuilt twice only making slightly more than stock power. Swapped in a t56 after the clutches on the 4l60e started to slip again. I think it was the 2-3 band. Another time I broke the input shaft.

Back to the buying a turbo cobalt. I've decided to play it slow and bide my time. I'm looking for a clean rust free BC car. Don't really want or need it until October so I have time. Not many out there though. After reading and reading the plan is to keep the intake stock, get a new hot and cold pipe and a catted down pipe. I think thats what its all called. 93 octane HPT tune and call it a day. Maybe 300hp at the motor and high 12's low 13's.?

Johnny Bliss

Johnny Bliss

Johnny Bliss

hawkssoccer11

iTrader: (13)

low 13s very do able with that set up. get a high flow cat esp if you dont want a catless (better power gains). not really necessary to get the cold side pipe. im still running my stock one. only reason to get an aftermarket one is if you do a maf relocate.