Hey everyone. I just picked up this Cobalt. My buddy bought it for $5500 a month ago, and it broke down. Leak down test shows one exhaust valve is either broke or bent letting air out. It runs but sounds like a Subaru lol. I'm taking it to a shop to get it tore down and rebuilt. Hoping it's nothing crazy, but I'm prepared to put about $2500 into it. I was looking into zzp's website, and this forum for performance mods to do while I have the head off.

The car is stock minus a k&n intake and 3" MagnaFlow catback.

I was really considering the ZZP ported and polished head, with stage 2 or 3 kit. The guy from ZZP recommended I run cams as well, but not sure how I feel about dropping another 600 into cams.

I was also considering just doing the ported and polished head and cams without the stage kit.

Would really like to hear your guys' thoughts on this.

Thanks
Steve

 

Paying a shop?

You are going to be in to this car more than it was worth running and driving in no time. Odds are that valve ruined a piston as well.

 

Taking it to my uncles shop

 

What are your power goals?

 

Nothing crazy, just want something to **** of the Hondas at the local car meet when I pass them

 

Its hard to help you when you aren't sure what you want.

Hondas run from 80whp to 450whp and beyond; so that doesnt help.
Stock SS/SC's beat most of the standard modded Hondas.

 

Ok I'd like to be at 300hp but more realistically around 250 at least

 

Start smaller and go bigger when you feel the need for more power. The good thing about an lsj is that if u stay supercharged, all your parts can transfer over to a tvs. Now is the time to decide if you want to turbo swap or not. Otherwise your just goin to waste money.

 

Do the ported head now.
78lbs valve springs
OEM timing set.

Grab some 60# injectors and a 2.9" pulley.
You will need a new tune; I would not plan to stay on a ZZP canned tune.

 

This

Since it needs a rebuild anyways its a good idea to have it done while its out. And you will already have the upgraded valve springs installed so you can wait and do cams later if you really want them. Its not that hard of a job.

 

He is also ready to rev higher both on the stock cams and if he upgrades.

 

Welcome to Cobalt land, Once you enter there's no escape.

 

just throw a Gen 3 in it.

 

Mehhhh.

If his uncle is doing it I am assuming he has space. It is worth it to pull the head and see if the bottom end is okay. His power goal is 250-300 so he is going to be staying on the m62.

Even if his bottom end was shot, I would say a junkyard lk9 b207r with the LSJ head swapped on there would be a cheaper option.