Urban Legend or Truth? Staged Upgrades for IRL and Cobalt SS

The Ion Redline is now on its 3rd model year, and now the Cobalt SS is all over dealerships, so where are these upgrade packages for the twins? GM locked the ECU up and threw away the key which has really stunted the aftermarket for these cars. Stage 1 was going to be a pulley and retune, and I think they even had a large supercharger in the works. Anyone know anything about these? If we want to compare the IRL and SS to the SRT-4, GM needs to step up and match the wonderful support Mopar gives.

I wouldnt bet on any advances in the SC2.0, but look foward to the turbo 2.0 to really set the tone for GM sport compact performance. Astra is loving the press its getting with its VXR package, and they cant get enough of it.
Id love to see a 245hp turbo 2.0 mated to a 6spd in a Cobalt SS

I wouldnt bet on any advances in the SC2.0, but look foward to the turbo 2.0 to really set the tone for GM sport compact performance. Astra is loving the press its getting with its VXR package, and they cant get enough of it.
Id love to see a 245hp turbo 2.0 mated to a 6spd in a Cobalt SS

And that is why I would buy an SRT4 over a Cobalt SS if I were in the market for that kind of car. What kind of crap is that. This car is specifically marketed to someone with performance in mind, and they don't have any factory upgrads for the car yet. What ever happened with that 282SS (or whatever it was) concept. Something like 282 hp out of the Cobalt. I thought that might have been a window into the upgrades you could buy for the car in the future. Dodge wasted no time coming out with the ACR package for the SRT4, and now you have a Dodge that can outhandle and outaccelerate the similiar Chevy, and the only thing going for the Chevy is its "better interior", which isn't actually something guys in this market segment are holding out for.

SRT-4 is saying goodbye at the end of the model year. Cobalt will have the market to itself! Not sure WTF Ford is thinking.... Bring the new Focus from other markets over, and stick a version of the 2.3L direction injection turbo motor in it already!

-B

So if the SRT-4 disappears then I guess it will be ok to never give any factory support to its Cobalt SS. I am sure we will see another iteration of SRT-4 from Dodge, the car did too much for their image. Hopefully the SS will at least have some factory upgrades by then.

The Ion Redline is the redheaded stepchild in the tuner world right now. Its in its third model year now and you still cant even buy a cat-back exhaust for it. I have to laugh everytime I hear that the eco-tech is the next small block. The current aftermarket for it is pathetic. If GM could release some upgrades to give it some balls, it would propbably garner a little more respect.

http://www.gm.com/company/gmtunersource/downloads/gmtunerengine_assembly_250-600hp.pdf

Here's a couple of links, and I'm not sure of how much use they will be to IRL people:

www.cobaltss.com
www.gmtunersource.com

I know there are already pulleys and someone had some kind of inline ECU device (not a full re-program though). I believe that headers are already here or on the way and so are exhausts and intakes. But no, nothing yet from the General which I think is what the problem is.

There is a dealer that posts on the CobaltSS.com forums that is beginning to get some performance packages together and says they will not void your warranty. It still remains to be seen.

I really like this car a lot and it may very well end up being my next car if GM can't get the Camaro right.

Stage 1 and 2 GM kits are supposed to be released in corrolation with the PRI show in december . No one as far as I know has any idea what those will include . Stg. 2 is supposed to make 245 hp . which is probably underrated like the stock 205 hp rating is . Meanwhile , the aftermarket is starting to come into play ....how ever slowly . I wouldnt discount the SC motor , it will make and take alot of power . The first pully upgrade with a pcm tune is out now . 2.8 pulley with a piggyback pcm , hp to the wheels is looking to be in the 250's with that particular kit . Most are dynoing 200-215 hp to the wheels stock . LOTS of stuff in the works for the SS .

The Ion Redline is the redheaded stepchild in the tuner world right now. Its in its third model year now and you still cant even buy a cat-back exhaust for it. I have to laugh everytime I hear that the eco-tech is the next small block. The current aftermarket for it is pathetic. If GM could release some upgrades to give it some balls, it would propbably garner a little more respect.

Yeah, I have heard that alot too, that the ecotech is the next small block. That is quite humorous. I thought the LS1 was doing a good job at being the next smallblock. Hopefully 90z28SS is right about GM making upgrade packages for it. It would be nice if they would make an catback for it that didn't sound like crap. The SRT-4 sounds alot meaner from the factory that the SS/Redline do.

SRT-4 is saying goodbye at the end of the model year. Cobalt will have the market to itself! Not sure WTF Ford is thinking.... Bring the new Focus from other markets over, and stick a version of the 2.3L direction injection turbo motor in it already!

-B
The SRT-4 is going away??? I haven't heard this. I see so many of them on the roads around here I assumed they were selling very well. But oh well, less competition I guess.

The SRT-4 is going away??? I haven't heard this. I see so many of them on the roads around here I assumed they were selling very well. But oh well, less competition I guess.

2005 was the last year of the neon so there will be no 2006 SRT4

i have the 2.8 pulley and piggyback ECU on my RL and love it. i run dead ass even with some LS1 6 speeds on the highway, from a stop is a differnt story..., but from all roll with this kit the car is lethal and hangs with some very fast cars. the looks on peoples faces when they get rolled by a Saturn is just priceless hahah.

i have the 2.8 pulley and piggyback ECU on my RL and love it. i run dead ass even with some LS1 6 speeds on the highway, from a stop is a differnt story..., but from all roll with this kit the car is lethal and hangs with some very fast cars. the looks on peoples faces when they get rolled by a Saturn is just priceless hahah.

Do you know what you dyno? I kind of find this hard to believe, unless I can see something more tangible in the form of a dyno sheet.

i have the 2.8 pulley and piggyback ECU on my RL and love it. i run dead ass even with some LS1 6 speeds on the highway, from a stop is a differnt story..., but from all roll with this kit the car is lethal and hangs with some very fast cars. the looks on peoples faces when they get rolled by a Saturn is just priceless hahah.

Wow, that must net you a lot of HP and significantly more tq since they dyno stock at like 205 HP, 180 TQ.

stock my dyno was 211hp and 188tq, i havent dynoed with the kit yet but im guessing in the 250-260whp range. the LS1's that i ran with were 100% stock. 40 and 60 punchs are the best spots for this car to start out at. i'll see if i can get some on video that i can post so i can prove im not bullsh*tin, cuz i know it sounds hard to believe, thats why im not getting defensive. another thing to consider is, this 2.8 pulley takes boost from 12psi up to 17-18psi depending on weather conditions.

this is the only video i have, this was all stock with a cone filter. that Z28 has ran a best of 13.2 at 103, and the M3 has full exhaust, intake and a tune.

https://home.comcast.net/~rathershort/bretts2races.mpg

Cool , I was gonna say ....post the vid . Theres plenty more over on cobaltss.net . These cars arent the joke everyone thought theyd be :) And any question to the ecotec's power potential should be quelled with a read of GM's build book for it . Mild to wild , bolt on street car to a 1000 plus hp turbo ...lots of info in there from GM .

I read an article about GM doing a warranteed upgrade and a do it yourself booklet/guide with GM parts to make your cobalt 500+ horsepower and do near better then 11.8 out of the fwd compact coupe.

and a do it yourself booklet/guide with GM parts to make your cobalt 500+ horsepower and do near better then 11.8 out of the fwd compact coupe.

That is the GM build book for the Cobalt that is out now .

stock my dyno was 211hp and 188tq, i havent dynoed with the kit yet but im guessing in the 250-260whp range. the LS1's that i ran with were 100% stock. 40 and 60 punchs are the best spots for this car to start out at. i'll see if i can get some on video that i can post so i can prove im not bullsh*tin, cuz i know it sounds hard to believe, thats why im not getting defensive. another thing to consider is, this 2.8 pulley takes boost from 12psi up to 17-18psi depending on weather conditions.

this is the only video i have, this was all stock with a cone filter. that Z28 has ran a best of 13.2 at 103, and the M3 has full exhaust, intake and a tune.

https://home.comcast.net/~rathershort/bretts2races.mpg

Well, that helps put things into perspective. Your power to weight with your estimated hp at the wheels is still pretty close to a stock ls1 fbody though, alittle bit worse, and I am accounting for only 300rwhp, not one of the 01s or 02s, as they make a good deal more. Don't take this as I am not saying it didn't happen though. I would like to eventually take a ride in a Cobalt SS, just to see what some of the fuss is about.

I just watched the video. I am still doubtful about a run against a stock ls1. You ran an lt1 that trapped a best of 103 mph. Stock ls1s can track 106-108. That is quite a difference. E36 M3s aren't particularly fast either.

That is the GM build book for the Cobalt that is out now .

yea, if anyone had to know the trivia question, "What is the fastest FWD compact car?" you'd be looking at a Saturn Ion(Correction, recently been beat by the cobalt), with a ecotech putting down
Pro FWD -- 1. Marty Ladwig, Chevrolet Cobalt, 7.659, 197.54 vs. 2. Jason Hunt, Saturn Ion, 7.878, 191.28.

"Running back-to-back 197 mph passes not only shows how consistent the Ecotec engine is, but also how fast the track is. They’ve done a great job resurfacing the track here (at Atco). We’ll see if we can go even faster tomorrow.”

Well, that helps put things into perspective. Your power to weight with your estimated hp at the wheels is still pretty close to a stock ls1 fbody though, alittle bit worse, and I am accounting for only 300rwhp, not one of the 01s or 02s, as they make a good deal more. Don't take this as I am not saying it didn't happen though. I would like to eventually take a ride in a Cobalt SS, just to see what some of the fuss is about.

I just watched the video. I am still doubtful about a run against a stock ls1. You ran an lt1 that trapped a best of 103 mph. Stock ls1s can track 106-108. That is quite a difference. E36 M3s aren't particularly fast either.

that was a hell of a race, but the lt1 realed you in probably at about 105 (not sure how fast you were going, but thats my estimate, maybe its more like 115... but that was crazy, i'd be pissed if I lost that race... but then again I'd not have stopped wizzing past you after the lt1 got that edge...

That is the GM build book for the Cobalt that is out now .


Not only is it out, its posted on the first page of this thread! :eek:

"Running back-to-back 197 mph passes not only shows how consistent the Ecotec engine is, but also how fast the track is. They’ve done a great job resurfacing the track here (at Atco). We’ll see if we can go even faster tomorrow.”

Everyone knows that Atco is 20 ft short, and always has a tail wind. Everyone is gunna be faster there, duh...

Not only is it out, its posted on the first page of this thread! :eek:


How exactly did that get posted on the net in .pdf? The book is for sale by GM right?

How exactly did that get posted on the net in .pdf? The book is for sale by GM right?

Yes it is for sell by GM. I have no idea how it got posted. But it is posted on GM.com

I can post the one for the 600-1000 HP build if you want. :D