Smitty1017

Anyone here own or know about any turbo/supercharger kits that are reliable? Im looking into putting a turbo in my 2.2, and Im inexperianced in tuning. I Can easily install it all I am sure, the problem lies with that I don't know what all is needed after you slap on a turbo or supercharger in order for it not to blow. What exactly is meant by the Tuning part? I it just a tuning chip or controller or whatever that does it for you or do you need to have like program experiance to set it up?

Ok I guess what Im really asking is for a step by step guide in getting a turbo or supercharger in a 2.2 and EVERYTHING that is needed. (Not just slap it on and blow the engine like i read in another thread.)

I am very interested in modifying my car, albiet inexpericanced, although I am very mechanically apt I've just never done it before and I dont want to order something and F up my ride.

Anyways, any help would be greatly appreciated. Go easy on the car noob

Novajoe

there's a sticky up top about all this.

But to make it short and sweet, there's turbo kits out... and there's ways to turbo your car... but there's no tuning available for your stock ecu, so reliability's out

Smitty1017

Yeah i've read that. But for future reference, (when they are released) What else, besides slapping it on needs to be done? (engine strengthening, etc.) and when these tuners do come out, will be it just be plug and play, or do I have to know a bunch of complicated crap?

The reason Im asking is so I know whether on not i can do it myself when the day comes.

Novajoe

well I'm sure they'll make a plug and play kit for our cars eventually, but get ready to lay down around 3-4 grand for it.

As it stands you're going to have to learn EVERYTHING about modifying and tweaking EVERYTHING in your fuel delivery system. You're also going to have to learn to tweak your timing. Your going to have to run oil and coolant lines for the turbo(tapping your oil pan for a return), and run several metering guages(fuel pressure, boost, egt, oil pressure, etc.)

Also to make it reliable you're going to have to do alot of other things not engine related such as reinforce your motor mounts, get better tires and brakes, clutch, etc.

Putting a turbo on your car is pretty much a process of reworking the whole car. Any moron can plumb and fit a turbo on their car pretty easily, but that won't necessarily make it fast/reliable. Not only are you going to have to pay for all the changes I stated above but chances are, you're going to have to pay someone to install and tune it for you. Asking the questions you're asking I would suggest either do a crapload of learning about automotive systems and how they work or pay someone to do the install for you unless you feel like junkin out your engine and possibly other things.

Vin

What year is the car? Automatic or Manual transmission?

The 2.2 now has a tune turbo kit out by Garrett which comes with SCT tunning for cars running the E16 computer. If your car is a 2007 then you are out of luck at this time. If your car is an automatic then you are somewhat out of luck until tunning for automatics is known.

The alpha kit is what I'm getting:
http://www.turbobygarrett.com/turbob...oletCobalt.htm

Also consider a tranny cooler. You should be able to run this turbo safely on stock internals in the lower boost range. The torque converter should be replaced because it is a weak link and can take less torque then other parts. Also replacing things like rods and lifters will only improve your chances of not having problems in the future.

Smitty1017

06' automatic transmission. I would have liked to get a manual but I got a good deal on it and my girlfriend has to drive it alot as well.

Also, novajoe, not a bad suggestion. I would like to learn alot more about the process, any resources you know of that I can check out?

Novajoe

why would he be SOL if he has an auto? I'm sure if they offer a replacment ecu for the manual, then they would offer one for the auto... True you can tune your gear ratios in the auto's provided you have the right software but even if you can't tune them it would have no effect on running a turbo save some balder front tires.

just go to any auto forums for n/a cars that've been out for awhile. neons.org has a lot of good information on adding a turbo since everyone and their mother's trying to throw a td04(srt-4) turbo on their sohc. True it's not for your car but you're just trying to get the basics down. It's nothing you're going to learn overnight, but I'd suggest going to alot of different sites and read alot and ask alot of questions.

Vin

You will destroy the auto without a tune. There is no word yet if SCT's tune will support the advantage III tunning application to allow us to remove the SAI, govenor, and of course tune the electronic automatic. The auto must be tuned and there is no word on an auto tune yet. I have the money sitting in the bank and I won't be buying until complete tunning comes about.

I like the Hahn Racecraft stacked approach but that only exists for the 2.4 at this time.

Novajoe why go ask a bunch of SRT lovers when you can ask here?

Without using a piggyback solution you are still stuck with the auto IMO. If you use the piggyback solutions you might not be street legal.

RedBaseBolt

actually HP Tuners supports our trannys for tuning.

The_Blur

Stop asking questions before using the search button. There are 100 of you asking questions that we've all asked months or even years ago. Type in "turbo" and see how many threads come up. It's ridiculous. Read all of those threads before you make another turbo thread. (I hope this isn't too harsh.)

With that said, there are plenty of options for 2007 2.2L Cobalts due to the availability of HPTuners; however the 2005-2006 2.2L Cobalts got screwed and didn't get any custom tuning. Recently, SCT offered a flash for the Garret alpha kit, but it is not yet customizable. Basically, build up your bottom end. If you want a really incredible example, ask Halfcent or go to the J-Body Performance website and look at their Mild Performance 2.2L motor.

Novajoe

I really doubt that a street turbo setup would destroy the auto tranny as long as you keep it cool enough(tranny cooler). You MIGHT need to upgrade your tourque converter, but that's still cheaper than tuning costs or swapping the tranny all-togeather.

why not ask srt owners. Ask dsm owners, supra owners, hell any car that has a huge turbo aftermarket is going to have a massive amount of turbo knowledge following it around. He's trying to learn about turbo's, how they work, and how a turbocharged car is different from a n/a car. Not really about cobalts specifically, that comes later.

And if he's looking for a quality turbo setup then I don't recommend going piggyback at all. standalone is the best setup for it, it's just not available. Really a street legal reliable turbo setup for the 2.2 cobalt isn't available yet. But there are way around everything. Just depends on how much money and time you want to put into your ride.

cobalt9123

NJHK did a great how to make your own ecotec turbo kit on yerkobalt dot com
and he shows you everything you need for the turbo kit, but you'll need forged...everything, and i've heard a cobra heat exchanger, you have an auto, so you'll need a transmission tune, some engine tuning, and you'll definately need gauges to check out everything

Halfcent

Oh boy...

Okay, let me straighten everybody out here.

2005-06 manual trans L61 cars can buy the Garrett kit right now and be done.
Automatics can't, because the transmission are computer controlled by their own separate Transmission control module separate from the engine control module. SCT's flash is the engine only. With a trans tune, the transmission will slip the clutch packs on the upshifts due to more torque input from the engine then the program expects.

2007 cars have nothing right now. And no, HPT does not support it. They want to, but don't yet. HPT has nothing at all in any way for the L61 cars. We are all pissed about it.

RedBaseBolt

HP Tuners actually supports our trannys Half-Cent. You can buy the kit with your auto and purchase a tune for your tranny through HP Tuners.

rycobaltls22

::gasp:: Is this true? Someone PLEASE confirm this!

Vin

What he said sounds better but its pretty close to what I was trying to say. Once you burn your clutch packs out you are screwed and will need a tranny rebuild. You can not even check the tranny fluid on these cars yourself to smell or see the oil change. If you could monitor the oil you would know if your clutch packs were wearing out. Over time the clutches do wear out in an automatic. Its a fact that if you change your tranny fluid and tranny filter and have a complete flush done that you will save your tranny over time. If you don't get the auto tune you will be doing this monthly.....

What do you mean you can buy the kit with the auto? Do you mean you buy the kit for the auto? How much is this kit? How much does the tune cost? If its true then let the turboing begin. If it isn't true then let the RedBaseBolt killing begin. lol

Smitty1017

Does anyone have a link to the different things I would Need for the 06' cobalt auto turbo package? o.0 Im looking for a price range here. (Thats including the tranny tuner that someone mentioned that a few others are sceptical about)

Witt

You really don't have a way to tune the transmission for a turbo. Whats going to happen is whether you try it with a stock tranny tune or whether you use a Shiftplus thing is the PCM/TCM is going to detect more input torque than allowed and is going to throw a fault which will then command full line pressure during shifts. Not pleasant in anyway whatsoever and makes it nearly impossible to use the vehicle as a daily driver.

Vin

There is NO known kit for the automatic tranny. There is alot of bullshit in this thread. What Halfcent said is the real truth. The tranny cooler is cheap around $30-50 depending on what one you get. Most transmission shops can install them, infact they are easy to install. You can buy them at most automotive centers.

The turbo package I am getting (note that I own an auto 06) will be the Alpha kit on the website above for $3,699.99 which includes:
* GT Tuner Kit items
* Engine Control Unit
* Larger-than-Stock Fuel Injectors
* Garrett Brand Boost Gauge

Note that this kit includes the SCT tunning which is for the ECM that our cars has. That ECM is different than that found in the 2007. It is considered an Orphan ECM and therefore no one really wants to support it because of a limited market. But SCT has at least cracked it and now more and more information is comming out.

For your automatic transmission right now the only one I can think of that could tune your tranny would be the dealer but they will likely not dyno your car and figure out what the shift points should be rated at. If HP Tuners supports the tranny then we are all in luck.

Right.

Some JDM/DSM junkies have gone on other sites I've been on suggesting to people to use a shift kit which will only sure up existing shift points in the tranny. Needless to say that it doesn't work. Wait until the automatic transmission tune is out and we are all telling you exactly what to do.

Smitty1017

So you're saying im basically SOL without spending a million dollars or putting a manual transmission in?

or do I just need to wait it out till a company releases a solution for said problem?

RedBaseBolt

HP Tuners does support the L61 auto tranny. but let me get this straight.

You can buy HP Tuners for your tranny. This is not a 'kit' or a 'package' that comes with the turbo kit, it's something you would have to source out and purchase separately.

It's out there, you just have to find a dealer that will sell it. It is NOT a sure-fire method of making your tranny work with a turbo but it's a step in the right direction.

Witt

It won't work, I've already tried that. HPTuners doesn't have the capability to unlock the PCM therefor any type of reading or rewriting of the control modules will fail. HPTuners actually considers all the various computers contained in the car as a single "VCM". If it can't access one, it won't let you access any of them.

RedBaseBolt

Well if thats the case then that is very homosexual. Really.

Vin

I talked to HP Tuners and they told me there was nothing a few weeks ago for the 2.2. That their updates might support our cars with their next software release. So who is your source for this information? Can they be so kind as to identify themselves and let us know what they can do because some of us will gladly pay them for the tune. I don't believe you at this point.

Witt

Tell me about it.

If I had millions for capital I would develop a standalone with fly by wire support and CAN bus pass through. I would then make even more millions. Only problem is...well...