I know this has been posted like a million times buttt ig otta know. So i wanna put a 2009 2.0turbo cobalt engine in place of my 2.2 ecotec. I've heard it said that it would cost 10k to do this swap but i can get an engine for like 2 grand and i would do all the work myself and with my dad who has done tons of engine swaps... i thought it would be worth it but it seems everyone on here says it would jsut be easier and cheaper to do an aftermarket turbo... i konw the lnf would be reliable and works great with a cobalt obviously and i wanna keep the car as long as possible. so what do you guys think?
oh and i have an 09 lt

 

You need the ENTIRE wiring harness for the ENTIRE vehicle from a TC. All the way down to the tail light plugs.

 

It would be a lot easier to just build and put in a turbo in your current motor and have a lot more power than a stock lnf, costing a lot less than doing a whole swap. Don't forget you would need a transmission also.

 

What he said.

In addition to the transmission... you'd also need the following:

Steering knuckles
Sway bars
lower control arms
hub bearings
intermediate and both outer axles
struts
fuel pump
intercooler
radiator
cooling fans
intercooler piping
engine control module
shifter assembly
shifter cables

Basically you're better off trading your car in on a used SS and fixing it up.

 

fail. as above. never ends. and wont start when you put it all together. good advice has been posted. take it

 

What was said above. Pita.

 

he would not need all of that... but agreed. either trade and do the extra payments or just do a turbo swap on the car

 

Ive done the swap. But i went from a lsj to a lnf. Pain in the ass. Not worth the time unless your going to just tune the LNF and leave it alone. You can turbo that 2.2, put a set of forged rods, pistons and some arp had studs in it and have 400wheel for far less work. The wiring harness is different all the way around the car so its not like there are any short cuts. You really need a totalled LNF complete car to do the swap right. You have to then strip both cars down to bare body "seats carpet dash headliner pillars fuse boxes airbags and everything has to come out of both cars. swap brake lines, fuel pump, steering column, all modules under the dash, drill holes for the clutch setup, swap abs modules, compare fuel lines, swap body harnesses, air bag modules, door locks to match your new key, every little thing must be taken into consideration all the way to the tail lights since the taillights harness goes into the trunk up the roof to the rear view mirror back to the side curtain airbags, down the passanger side to under the rear seat to the fuel pump and rear abs sensors back up to the center air bag module then up to the fuse box inside the car which is different as well so you have to swap it and all its connecting harnesses. the story goes on and on and on and on.

 

and after all that you wont have a cobalt sstc, you need the gauges, seats, ground effects kit, grilles, rims, blablablabla suspension work

much cheaper and easier to get a tc.

 

Don't forget your car won't be worth **** either.

 

*** it, try it out.

 

thanks guys. i think ill just turbo mine now. you guys are swell

 

I had a 2006 2.2 Ecotec. Thought about doing something to it, and thought "this will be a waste of my money and time"

Luckily, a few months later, some ******* 3 cars ahead of me on a 45mph road stopped for no reason. Made me hit the person in front of me and her hit the guy in from of her. 2006 LT was demolished. State said my fault, but no one sued me, and insurance paid off the car.

I'm now $12,000 in debt for a 2009 Cobalt SS/TC. But at least it's a car I can be proud of.