fast, cheap, and reliable- i picked all 3
fast, cheap, and reliable- i picked all 3
my 2009 cobalt LT has been a constant non-stop project for me and a few of you are curious about my car...
when i first brought it home -

what it looks like now-

story of everything in between-
It started out as an everyday cobalt when i bought it black 1LT wingless i had the dealer tint the windows to 20%, install a gmpp catback, and put on the wing
i drove it like that for about 2 months and wanted more so i installed the gmpp intake and eibach sportlines along with a TWM short throw shifter and drove it around for a long time like that then after my tires started to get worn pretty good i bought some used 17's with almost new tires and put them on untill they started going bald (6 months on crappy sumitomo tires) and purchased some custom powdercoated 18's. i then purchased a LSJ exhaust manifold and downpipe and installed it the car sounded amazing
i was pretty happy with the car then and stopped modding for a month lol
then i was in a wreck and got a ss/na front bumper out of the deal
i then tinted the tail lights black with clear and bought a new headlamp harness and installed it along with the switch and now have a factory foglight setup
a couple months later i couldnt stand the vibrations in the front any longer due to the control arm bushings being toast... so i got ahold of powell raceshop and bought fe5 control arms, powell/ottp bushings, and ss/sc front brakes for my car, then had it aligned...
in the meantime i was also slowly buying parts for what makes the title of my thread legit.

for those of you that don't know its a brand new ko4 twin scroll turbo for a ss/tc and manifold...
ko4 turbo new $230
lnf turbo manifold, o2 housing and oil/water lines $325
LNF coolant crossover tube $60
intercooler brackets $6.00
42# inj and harness $80
cxracing fmic $90
lnf dp and resonator $80
tune $250
and intercooler piping $99 shipped plus another $110 for silicone connectors
ss/tc catback $150
autometer boost gauge $60
ss/tc pillar $35
sparkplugs $18
fuel filter $15
LNF thermostat housing $35
vulcan oil return line $70 + 7.00
aem wideband $175
banjo fitting for coolant line $26
thats the list of parts i used on my turbo build minus the tools.
not very expensive but very worth it.

thats the intercooler mocked up-obviously its crooked because its not tightened up
final engine shot- (note the lines and wires were ziptied up after this pic along with the pcv hose connected)

now my final mod for a little while is the ss/tc sideskirts that are being painted next weekend 2 days before my wedding... they are sitting in the bedroom leaned up in the corner.
and i think thats all the mods i have done so far, ive done so much i cant remember everything.
as i get more pics and videos up i will post them.
when i first brought it home -

what it looks like now-

story of everything in between-
It started out as an everyday cobalt when i bought it black 1LT wingless i had the dealer tint the windows to 20%, install a gmpp catback, and put on the wing
i drove it like that for about 2 months and wanted more so i installed the gmpp intake and eibach sportlines along with a TWM short throw shifter and drove it around for a long time like that then after my tires started to get worn pretty good i bought some used 17's with almost new tires and put them on untill they started going bald (6 months on crappy sumitomo tires) and purchased some custom powdercoated 18's. i then purchased a LSJ exhaust manifold and downpipe and installed it the car sounded amazing
i was pretty happy with the car then and stopped modding for a month lol
then i was in a wreck and got a ss/na front bumper out of the deal
i then tinted the tail lights black with clear and bought a new headlamp harness and installed it along with the switch and now have a factory foglight setup
a couple months later i couldnt stand the vibrations in the front any longer due to the control arm bushings being toast... so i got ahold of powell raceshop and bought fe5 control arms, powell/ottp bushings, and ss/sc front brakes for my car, then had it aligned...
in the meantime i was also slowly buying parts for what makes the title of my thread legit.

for those of you that don't know its a brand new ko4 twin scroll turbo for a ss/tc and manifold...
ko4 turbo new $230
lnf turbo manifold, o2 housing and oil/water lines $325
LNF coolant crossover tube $60
intercooler brackets $6.00
42# inj and harness $80
cxracing fmic $90
lnf dp and resonator $80
tune $250
and intercooler piping $99 shipped plus another $110 for silicone connectors
ss/tc catback $150
autometer boost gauge $60
ss/tc pillar $35
sparkplugs $18
fuel filter $15
LNF thermostat housing $35
vulcan oil return line $70 + 7.00
aem wideband $175
banjo fitting for coolant line $26
thats the list of parts i used on my turbo build minus the tools.
not very expensive but very worth it.

thats the intercooler mocked up-obviously its crooked because its not tightened up
final engine shot- (note the lines and wires were ziptied up after this pic along with the pcv hose connected)

now my final mod for a little while is the ss/tc sideskirts that are being painted next weekend 2 days before my wedding... they are sitting in the bedroom leaned up in the corner.
and i think thats all the mods i have done so far, ive done so much i cant remember everything.
as i get more pics and videos up i will post them.
look good, makes me wonder where you got the parts so cheap. $80 for a FMIC!? how come if i want one for my car they cost more then your like entire build. $150 for a catback, all the vendors want like $400-700 for ones for the LNF lol. Intercooler piping $99, Injen piping for LNF $210 for only hotside
because i bought almost everything from zzp. or from here secondhand.
the ONLY parts that are new is the fmic, charge pipes, silicone connectors, t bolt clamps, turbo, and the oil return line. the fmic i bought from a member on here, it was new never installed.
the ONLY parts that are new is the fmic, charge pipes, silicone connectors, t bolt clamps, turbo, and the oil return line. the fmic i bought from a member on here, it was new never installed.
i thought of more stuff that i have done, ss/sc leather steering wheel, hhr blue wheel controls (the lights are blue/green), 08 sport cluster, ported throttlebody, and 225/40/18 eagle gt's also
Now back to the car, very nice! That's the cheapest turbo build I've ever seen. Great job on it. Just goes to show what some time and effort can really do with these cars, and how easy it is to make power on them.
Thanks for all the compliments guys!!! lets me know that all the work i have done to it has paid off. the car is going to the bodyshop soon to get the hail dents out and the front bumper is being repainted by the shop that fixed the car... the idiot that no longer works there "forgot" to prep it before painting it!
nope not 12 on the boost side... im maxing at 7 psi untill tomorrow then its going to 12 when i get more vacuum line to hook up the boost controller... at 7 psi its not that much faster than stock so somewhere between 170-200 is usmc's guess... 12 psi should im hoping put me around 250 (fingers crossed) vince is still working on my tune and will probably be pissed when he sees the fuel trims then.
and yes im working on it... its hard to find them... at least cheap anyways (i paid $100 shipped for mint condition sideskirts)
nope not 12 on the boost side... im maxing at 7 psi untill tomorrow then its going to 12 when i get more vacuum line to hook up the boost controller... at 7 psi its not that much faster than stock so somewhere between 170-200 is usmc's guess... 12 psi should im hoping put me around 250 (fingers crossed) vince is still working on my tune and will probably be pissed when he sees the fuel trims then.
and yes im working on it... its hard to find them... at least cheap anyways (i paid $100 shipped for mint condition sideskirts)
Last edited by 09blackonblack; Apr 18, 2010 at 10:42 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
it wouldnt bolt up for them because of the coolant crossover tube all ecotecs have the same exhaust pattern. other then that everything was pretty much bolt on and go.
im always in wichita with the car lol. right now im having issues with building boost too soon and car getting too warm.
1. i have no heat shields yet - paid for and he should ship them today or tomorrow
2. the heater hose is right on the hotside - ordering one from a lnf
3. the stock spring is too weak - stretching it more and adding a washer
those should be fixed today besides the hose that the dealer will have to order. the 2.2 hose looks like _/~\ its just a big squiggle and sits right where the hotside is.
im always in wichita with the car lol. right now im having issues with building boost too soon and car getting too warm.
1. i have no heat shields yet - paid for and he should ship them today or tomorrow

2. the heater hose is right on the hotside - ordering one from a lnf
3. the stock spring is too weak - stretching it more and adding a washer
those should be fixed today besides the hose that the dealer will have to order. the 2.2 hose looks like _/~\ its just a big squiggle and sits right where the hotside is.





