Choosing Donor car- electronics

Torchandregdoc

Goblin Guru
I'm new to the Goblin forum and trying to get as much info as possible before buying my donor. I have another thread where I explain some of my thoughts on donor selection.

Knowing what you guys know now, are their models of cobalt that have more, or less, electronics that may help in converting cobalt wiring to goblin wiring. Ie: with or without traction control. Seat airbag switches. On star. Are there vehicles with certain types of electronics that I want stay away from?
 

Briann1177

Goblin Guru
Unhelpful response here, but why are you thinking about donor selection based on the amount of wiring/electronics each model has? That's a very unusual criteria. If wiring is not your forte, DF will do all the harness work for you. I think the cost is $770.

Just curious.
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
Donors with higher trim packages have more options that need to be eliminated (stereo amp, heated seats, subwoofer, etc.) but those are simply just cut out and tossed. Nothing that you have to stay away from, well, stay away from flood vehicles or complete burns.
 

Torchandregdoc

Goblin Guru
Unhelpful response here, but why are you thinking about donor selection based on the amount of wiring/electronics each model has? That's a very unusual criteria. If wiring is not your forte, DF will do all the harness work for you. I think the cost is $770.

Just curious.
Because I think to much. This forum and the people are awesome. I have gathered an incredible amount of info. I have another thread that has provided a bunch of mechanical help, now I'm just looking at electrical. I know I want a 2.4L Naturally Asperated( I need automatic because I'm a paraplegic and I will do a turbo with ZZP). -G85 trim for LSD. Still not certain which bolt pattern I like.

I see people building emulators to help reduce warning lights and error codes, I'd just like to try and get ahead of the game on that stuff. You know, learn from someone that has already been through it. If I can do something to eliminate a warning light or code, I want to do that.

The question I should ask is " have any of you said to yourself" dang it, I wish I would have done it that way" as it pertains to electrictronics.
 
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Torchandregdoc

Goblin Guru
Donors with higher trim packages have more options that need to be eliminated (stereo amp, heated seats, subwoofer, etc.) but those are simply just cut out and tossed. Nothing that you have to stay away from, well, stay away from flood vehicles or complete burns.
Good info. Yes, those are the things I'd like to eliminate. My morning study says I may be sol. Looks like ss is the only package with 2.4l automatic and if I'm not mistaking there aren't any sub trim options in the SS's.
 

Karter2026

Goblin Guru
The question I should ask is " have any of you said to yourself" dang it, I wish I would have done it that way" as it pertains to electrictronics.
Leave a few key hot accessory wires for future add ons. (like radio, wiper, and etc. ) just tag what circuit they are from and tape them up in a easy to find spot. for later use. Wont hurt to leave a few battery hot ones also.

I say this to everyone who asks about starting the wiring. Label every plug that you pull. If it wasn't connected label it with location in the car. You may think "I will remember these are speaker wires." After you see so many plugs that memory is gone.
 

Motoracer110

Well-Known Member
Welcome torch! Most of the add on wires will get thrown out so I wouldn’t worry about those options. I’ll be throwing in a blue tooth radio meant for utvs and atvs there is tons of Bluetooth gadgets these days to make the car the way u want. I saw some other kits using wireless turn signal buttons mounted in the steering wheel pretty cool. I’m just about a week out from picking up my goblin frame and the only thing I would have done different in searching for a donor was get one knowing I would replace the engine. My donor had a cracked cylinder housing and still “started” so I had to buy a new crate motor. I would have saved some money buying a non-running donor.
 

Torchandregdoc

Goblin Guru
Hey, thanks for the welcome. This is a cool place. This many people with a common interest has produced so many good ideas.....and a few bad.

In my first post I kinda walk through some of my thinking about a donor. I'm a t-12 paraplegic so I have been looking at 06 SS/NA w/ auto trans. I will run a TC. Seemed to have everything I needed. They are hard to find.

Also I'm learning about hubs and tire options, or the lack there of. It's just been the last week that I started thinking about mix matching models and parts. The SS/NA's go for at least 3g. I could buy a base donor from the local Coport for $550 and then add in the other parts and possible save some money and get everything I want. That idea of buying a non running base donor 4L45 trans and then dropping in a 2.4L ZZP creation would be cool. ( of course the motor is then more expensive than the SS/NA route). The guys at ZZP say that the 4L45 will be fine with 300hp. Not sure if the LNF or LSJ will mate up to the 4L45, but that's the number I'm headed toward.

I may be biting of more than I can chew. There are a lot of possible permutations. Axel spline size, lug pattern, LSD, VVT, different Gen motors and sizes. ECM's,

Thoughts?
 

askiles

Goblin Guru
I bought a running, driving, registered and on the road 2006 Cobalt SS/SC for $2,000. You just have to keep your eyes peeled for the great deals. They are out there. There is no lack of Cobalts around.
 

k.rollin

Goblin Guru
Hey, thanks for the welcome. This is a cool place. This many people with a common interest has produced so many good ideas.....and a few bad.

In my first post I kinda walk through some of my thinking about a donor. I'm a t-12 paraplegic so I have been looking at 06 SS/NA w/ auto trans. I will run a TC. Seemed to have everything I needed. They are hard to find.

Also I'm learning about hubs and tire options, or the lack there of. It's just been the last week that I started thinking about mix matching models and parts. The SS/NA's go for at least 3g. I could buy a base donor from the local Coport for $550 and then add in the other parts and possible save some money and get everything I want. That idea of buying a non running base donor 4L45 trans and then dropping in a 2.4L ZZP creation would be cool. ( of course the motor is then more expensive than the SS/NA route). The guys at ZZP say that the 4L45 will be fine with 300hp. Not sure if the LNF or LSJ will mate up to the 4L45, but that's the number I'm headed toward.

I may be biting of more than I can chew. There are a lot of possible permutations. Axel spline size, lug pattern, LSD, VVT, different Gen motors and sizes. ECM's,

Thoughts?
I was unaware of a longitudinally oriented 4 speed automatic with a 4500 lb GVWR design limit, per the GM nomenclature; not that it would fit in the Goblin as designed. The Cobalt transmission uses a transverse orientation, and is identified as the 4T45E.

The 4T45E was never equipped with a LSD from factory in a Cobalt application, but aftermarket solutions exist in the form of preload inserts or replacement differentials. I plan to use the Engineered Performance unit when I rebuild my transmission.

The 4T45E was mated to the L61 (2.2L non-VVT), LAP (2.2L VVT), and LE5 (2.4L VVT) when used in the Cobalt. The ECMs of pre-2007 L61s (Gen.1 blocks, 2005-2006 Cobalts) are not tunable using HP Tuners. The Gen. 2 L61 was used from 2007-2008 and is tunable. I believe that @JSATX added a turbo to an LAP, and while I haven't done the install yet, I have collected the parts to do the same to my Gen. 2 L61.
 
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Torchandregdoc

Goblin Guru
Yeah, feelin' like a dork. I never knew that's what the L stood for. So, besides the typo, this is bad news. I have had people checking trunks all over the west coast looking for a G85 build code. 250hp in a 1500 lb car will be frustrating without an LSD. Im not finding much in the web about Engineered Performances unit. Well, I guess it doesn't much matter. I don't have much of a choice.

I've been looking at donors with LE5, figured the drive train may be a little more tough in the ss, plus I like the extra cubes. Is there any error in my judgment?
 

Lonny

Administrator
Staff member
250hp in a 1500 lb car will be frustrating without an LSD.
I don't believe you would ever know it doesn't have an LSD. We had over 200 HP in a non LSD goblin and it would always spin both tires.
Independent rear suspension doesn't lift one tire and plant the other like a solid axle, front engine, rear wheel drive car does and under heavy loads the spider gears shove apart against the ring gear carrier which creates enough friction that it will spin both tires.
If you watch our all terrain video it does not have an LSD and it spins both mud tires on the pavement and dirt.
http://instagr.am/p/BvE0RzsBHkj/
 

Waterdriver

Goblin Guru
That might hold true in low traction conditions and accelerating in a straight line with these.
From what I have experienced during autocrossing, (donor SS/SC) my car was spinning the inside tires coming out of corners. Left and right hand corners. It required a lot of throttle restraint until the car was almost straightened out. Suspension was soft and had a lot of pitch and roll.

Now, with stiffer front springs and the rear sway bar it drives more like it has an LSD. Loading that inside tire more, giving it traction. This caught me a little off guard my first run after installing these items as I almost ended up going off track and mowing the grass.
For right now I installed the rear sway bar as a band aid to compensate for still using the soft stock Cobalt springs and struts in the rear. Lots of rear roll and bottoming out the struts.

Dont be discouraged if it doesn't have an LSD, they're still plenty quick! Think of it as kind of built in "Stability Control".
 

k.rollin

Goblin Guru
That might hold true in low traction conditions and accelerating in a straight line with these.
From what I have experienced during autocrossing, (donor SS/SC) my car was spinning the inside tires coming out of corners. Left and right hand corners. It required a lot of throttle restraint until the car was almost straightened out. Suspension was soft and had a lot of pitch and roll.

Now, with stiffer front springs and the rear sway bar it drives more like it has an LSD. Loading that inside tire more, giving it traction. This caught me a little off guard my first run after installing these items as I almost ended up going off track and mowing the grass.
For right now I installed the rear sway bar as a band aid to compensate for still using the soft stock Cobalt springs and struts in the rear. Lots of rear roll and bottoming out the struts.

Dont be discouraged if it doesn't have an LSD, they're still plenty quick! Think of it as kind of built in "Stability Control".
This is consistent with what I have seen in discussions about the Lotus Elise. The cars were not initially offered with a LSD, though it became an equipment option eventually. It was found that the lack of a LSD was not a detriment for street and road course applications, but did not allow autocross drivers to get back on the power as quickly on corner exit. Depending on the OP's intended use of the Goblin, the LSD may not matter.
 

Torchandregdoc

Goblin Guru
Lonny,
Thanks for the reply. I know that you are a "crazy busy" that most can't understand. You've put together a cool affordable product and people are starting to rally around it. Well done. Not to worry, I'm sold. That first video that I saw of a Goblin eating a liter bike... that sold the product.

I intend to use my Goblin as an autocross car, that can be driven to the meet if I want. Maybe a Friday night drive around the lake from to time to time, but mostly autocross

That might hold true in low traction conditions and accelerating in a straight line with these.
From what I have experienced during autocrossing, (donor SS/SC) my car was spinning the inside tires coming out of corners. Left and right hand corners. It required a lot of throttle restraint until the car was almost straightened out. Suspension was soft and had a lot of pitch and roll.
That's the frustration I'm talking about. If you are to eager leaving a corner, you're supposed to loose it, not simply be penalized a 10th. Lol.

I'm sure that set up will greatly improve the handling. It does sound like there are some options for LSD, but for now I'll just find my donor and then start making changes as needed.

I'm very excited for this project. I had lots of fast toys when I was able bodied and now, a little older, and hopefully smarter, I can have fun building the fast toy and then enjoy autocrossing it.

Thanks again everyone for the input.
 
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