YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

Alright, Sounds Good.

#I_Haul_Ass

so lemme see if i got this: take two side bolts out-
what lines will i have to unhook/release to get the h/e out?


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YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

You gotta get longer bolts, it's 50mm m6x1.0 at either Home Depot or Lowe's. Get bolt spacer at Lowe's to hold the A/C. 1 on the driver side is 1 1/2 inch and passenger is 1 inch. If You ask why ? You will see A/C Condensor are not even, cause of A/C Condensor on the driver side has like tube and the driver side of A/C is flat. Never heard bolt spacer here it is link ->Lowe's Home Improvement

chris88z24

Nah, it definitely took longer to cool the car off. Like twice as long. It's also extremely humid where I live. We got over a FOOT of rain since June. I'll take a slower car over waiting for cold air any day of the week.

The engineers knew what they were doing. For a dd I'd leave it. If I raced my chevy cobalt on a track id definitely do the mod.

Ps the ac work was done at an independent mechanic shop. When I got the car back it worked better than it did before. Then when I switched the cores it wasnt nearly as good. Put it back to stock and its all better.

The temp might be the same but check the humidity levels before and after - that alone makes a huge difference.

YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

Well, Not all engineer know what they are doing. There is flaws with engineer that they didn't think twice about supercharger cooling. Our LSJ stock kinda SUCKS with cooling till You do the cooling mods to get Your power back. Cobalt was made at the last mins with GM, So that's where engineering has their flaws. At the 1st Year of LSJ has intercooler pump plug backward or it's Ion Redline. Then they correct it but kept adding more problems with recalls. I think that's where GM gave up on Cobalt and moved to Cruze.

Powell Race Parts

iTrader: (3)

good post and well reasoned. air density is a huge variable and well identified here. If I were racing, and we did, our cobalts had no a.c period. cheers

southal cobalt

iTrader: (3)

actually the stock system is efficient for even stage 2. and you cant fault engineers for manufacturing errors, nor recalls. gm doesnt design all the parts that go into the car.

Powell Race Parts

iTrader: (3)

flaws in this post for sure. It was the Ion Redline in 2004 had wrongly wired pumps. Never happened to Cobalt. I know, we found the problem here at our shops, working for GM.

Nothing wrong with GM engineering, darn fine people.

Be thankful for a neat car that you have, it is not gonna happen the same again. Cruze is a good looking car, no doubt. Go trade your LSJ in and drive one.

YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

True, But most of the time engineering do the most of the job because that's how they design cars to be that way. I am not saying it's all engineering faults because there's too much cars to be made. LOL!

YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

I drove Cruze and HATED EVERY BIT OF IT! I guess I am born with LSJ! HHOOO WWHHAAA!

lwrs10

Let me set you straight here. First, I live in Pensacola, FL. You are not even close to me for humidity. It has also been in the mid 90's here almost every day since I did these mods....and my AC is working just dandy.

Now let me point out why your AC is probably not working as good. Did you seal up the gaps on the top and the bottom of the condenser with thick weather stripping? Did you use the rubber fillers on the sides? These are crucial to get maximum airflow across the condenser.

Now, on to some numbers. Real numbers, not just I think its working as good. BTW I have full AC credentials and my EPA licence, so I fully understand how this system works.

I checked the temps with a Fluke IR thermometer on the condenser input and output and measured the temperature drop. The actual temps here are irrelevant, but I will post them anyways. If you know how the AC system works, you will know the temperature drop is what matters, because the only function of the condenser is to turn a hot gas into a hot liquid, and it usually only take about 10 degrees.

At idle, before the mod. Engine fully warmed up. 88* temps outside. AC on high. I measured a 12 degree drop across the inlet and outlet of the condenser. 144 inlet/132 outlet.

At idle, after the mod, engine fully warmed up, 90* temps outside. AC on high. Weatherstripping installed for maximum airflow across condenser from fan. I measured a 12 degree drop across the inlet and outlet of the condenser. 146 inlet/134 outlet.

The intercooler heat exchanger temps were only 112 degrees on the inlet side, and 101 on the outlet side. The air coming out of the condenser was only 96 degrees, measured with a temp probe suspended between the exchanger and condenser. So the condenser was getting airflow across it that was 6 degrees hotter after the mod.....but remember....it was 2 degrees hotter that day anyway.

Now.....temps coming out of the vent. You mentioned humidity is what really matters here, and said it in a way that meant humidity in the cabin. Well let me tell you right now you are very misinformed there. Humidity only matters on the outside(the whole air density thing)....not the cabin area. Even more so with it on recirculate.

Before mod, at idle, engine fully warmed up, fan on 3, and not on recirculate....I measured 57 degrees. 88* outside

After mod, same conditions, I measured 58 degrees. 90* outside.

So, even with a 2 degree temp difference, with the after mod outside temps being hotter, I only saw a 1 degree difference. And that would 100% be tied to that outside temp difference.


You broke your condenser, replaced it, had it recharged, then complained the AC did not work as good after mod....with no numbers to back it up. I thought this modification through well in advanced, and the AC performance was something I did question. Which is why I measured everything before and after. And I feel no difference in performance myself and have the numbers to back it up.


But.....one quick thing that most likely made it equal. The weatherstripping I used to make sure the condenser was getting maximum airflow across it at idle. Car did not have that from the factory. There is always some type of trade off with any modification you make like this, and you try to minimize that. Hence the weatherstripping I used.

lwrs10

ok thats enough of arguing.


Got the pulley and 60's in it yesterday, and got it mostly tuned in. After a full 3rd gear pull the IAT2 temps climbed to about 133* with and ambient of 90, and they started at 112* Not too bad, and wish I could compare that number to before mod temps.

YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

That's pretty good for mostly stock cooling system. If You add dual pass and option b then You will have faster recovery to cool that system down. I got all the cooling mods in my car and I noticed that got all my power back. I am gonna get ZZP Stealth HE but I will tell them that I want to keep my option b. Option B is the MOST IMPORTANT cooling mods to bleed air out of your cooling system.

riceburner

iTrader: (66)

My temps are no better with a dual pass, phelonic spacer, option b, meth injection, and a fmic. So kudos to you! Im on 60s and 2.8" too

BALT06SS

iTrader: (1)

Do you have to unhook any lines to switch the two around?

#I_Haul_Ass

*gucci mane voice* yeaaaaaaaaaaaa lol i unhooked the lines leading from the filler neck (the see threw one) and the one on the bottom right of the heat exchanger. my a/c isn't working so i unbolted the condenser on the left side and yes this does require careful bending since those hoses were meant to sit next to the radiator (you'll see). it took me a while since i already had a fmhe but not hard.


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Pinky Demon

iTrader: (1)

The engineers designed the car fine. They just ran out of cash to play with. The Cobalt does have a price point after all.

lwrs10

i did not disconnect any lines. I did however unbolt the filler neck.

BINGO. They did the most practical design within budget constraints.

YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

Yeah

davev9150

Thanks for the tips on bending the pipes. Im putting the stock HE on my HHR and theres no room inbetween the rad and condenser. However I dont have those side brackets to hold the HE so I gotta make something up, gonna be ghetto to start with.

YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

I use straps to hold HE, I know it's ghetto but it works for now.

davev9150

Im thinking of bolting it to the ac condenser mounting tabs with some angle brackets, but then both would be held by only those tabs slid into plastic slots on the rad tanks. Seems like a lot of weight, if that doesnt work I may have to go the zip tie route

sternerG85SC

iTrader: (1)

Same concept with ZZP's Stealth heat exchanger. I deleted the stock H/E and zzp s3 front mount h/e. Stealth mounts infront of the ac condenser and radiator. unless I cut the front bumper I wasn't able fit the S3 H/E.. but I never understood why GM cramed the stock H/e in between the rad n condenser.

riceburner

iTrader: (66)

Any other temp testimonials?

YelCal7

iTrader: (1)

Wished that I had Aeroforce Interceptor in. Then I could tell You guys the difference.