RCK605's Track Goblin #438 - 05 SS/SC

RCK605

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone! Building a kit car or restoring an older vehicle has always been on my list of things to do. This is the type of stuff that got me interested in engineering. My biggest holdup on starting a project like this has been a lack of any real shop space and tools beyond simple hand tools. After doing some reading and research on the different kits available, it was an easy decision to go with the Goblin. The biggest deciding factor being this forum and the help everyone provides each other.

My intended use for the Goblin will be something fun to drive and take to car meets. I also want to get into autocross. This will also satisfy my needs of always wanting to build or tinker with something since so many always say they are never truly finished!

Also I plan to keep this first post updated with links to major milestones, decisions, issues, and resolutions of the build. Hopefully one day mine will be as helpful to someone as many of the build logs have already helped me.
 

Ark :D

Goblin Guru
Welcome to the forum. :)

Label everything on your wiring, and save your parking brake handle and tubes!
 

RCK605

Well-Known Member
As mentioned in my last post, this build is going to be an interesting adventure. At least the beginning stages. After deciding to pull the trigger and build a Goblin I started to scour the internet for a suitable donor. My preference was an SS with either a supercharger or turbo but would have been ok with a 2.4L NA as well. For a good enough of a deal I would have settled for a base 2.2L car as well. Really, was looking for anything that ran and drove so I could use it as a gas saving commuter until I placed an order and received Stage 1. As my search went on, admittingly not very long, I noticed that running and driving Cobalts are going for a premium in this inflated used car market. Skyrocketing gas prices probably are not helping much either!

What I ended up finding and purchasing was an already disassembled 2005 Cobalt SS/SC. Their description in the sale post even specifically said all the parts required for a Goblin build. I knew there would be pros and cons to this, so I jumped on the offer. On the upside, I didn't have to strip a car in my garage during this Texas heat or have to deal with disposing of the Cobalt carcass. On the downside, I wasn't the one stripping the donor and ensuring all parts were labeled and accounted for.

Since getting everything home I have done an inventory of what I received. The missing parts are as follows:
  • Parking brake lever
  • Parking brake cables
  • Parking brake tubes
  • Rear hubs
  • Wiring harness is not labeled and in a giant rat nest ball
  • Fuel injector feed line (metal piece of fuel line between the fuel rail and flexible fuel line that comes out of the fuel filter)
  • Fuel filter
  • Possibly various hoses that should be easy to replace
Parking brake lever, cables, and hubs will be sourced from Rock Auto (cheapest I found so far) and I'll use flexible conduit for the tubes like I have seen done on here. The wiring harness is going to be...fun, yeah...fun...but I have a plan to get that squared away. The difficult one so far has been locating the fuel injector feed line or an adapter to convert the threaded tube connection on the inlet to the fuel rail to an AN fitting.

I have already purchased a fuel filter, timing chain tensioner, and timing chain guide bolt.

The plan is to start sourcing the missing parts that are needed, clean up the ones I do have, and work on the harness while I wait on Stage 1. That should keep me plenty busy for the next couple of months.
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
"Wiring harness is not labeled and in a giant rat nest ball"

I probably can help here. I just un-balled my giant rat nest of a wiring harness from my 2nd donor car.
I plan on putting together a video of all the connectors for a 2006 SS SC donor, as my harness is labelled.
 

RCK605

Well-Known Member
"Wiring harness is not labeled and in a giant rat nest ball"

I probably can help here. I just un-balled my giant rat nest of a wiring harness from my 2nd donor car.
I plan on putting together a video of all the connectors for a 2006 SS SC donor, as my harness is labelled.
I'm going to start by building the table from the videos. Then I'll layout the harness the best I can and connect as much as I can and hopefully make sense of what is what. I'll definitely keep an eye out for your videos though!
 

Joebob

Goblin Guru
Another Houston Build!

Another thing that helped me tremendously was to go through other build logs and bookmark some of the solutions to issues, especially in the second half of the build as there are no videos yet. You can start organizing the bookmarks by keywords such as wiring, brakes, suspension. As you get to that part, you can delete the bookmark as progress.

Here is a great place to start with wiring. Not same year or engine but most should be common to trace from major connectors to the module connectors.

 

RCK605

Well-Known Member
Finally finished cleaning out the garage and organizing everything. Now I can start on making sense of the wiring harness and cleaning parts.

I also received my chassis configuration confirmation this week. Was a little sooner than expected, but quite exciting! Looking forward to the day I bring it home and can really start day dreaming about all the different things that I want to do.
 

RCK605

Well-Known Member
Found a solution to my missing fuel injector feed line. CBM Motorsports makes an adapter to convert the tube fitting to -6 AN. You can find the part here:


The description calls for 2.2L and 2.4L engines, but I confirmed with CBM that the part has a M20x1.5 thread which matches the fuel rail.

If you want to run a return style or boost reference fuel system, OTTP sells an adapter for the end of the fuel rail. I plan to install this adapter as well and use both for inlet. I've seen it mentioned in a couple places that cylinder 4 can get starved of fuel under certain conditions. Since my motor is stock I don't think I'll have a problem, but since I have the part I might as well use it!


Here is a picture of the fuel rail inlet connection. This is where the metal feed line with the QD attaches, but mine was missing and the part is discontinued and I couldn't find one anywhere.

20220613_082716.jpg
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
If you run that OTTP Fuel Rail Fitting (LSJ), then it goes in place of your stock pulse dampener.
So by putting fuel into both sides of the fuel rail, you might be creating a problem by eliminating the dampener. Unless you are also going to replace it with an aftermarket one... but wouldn't it just be safer and easier to leave it stock, with a proven system for the stock injectors?
 

r3drckt

Goblin Guru
I would leave the stock dampener unless you plan on running a BRFPS because the dampener will help hold the fuel pressure up to the stock (52?) lbs. the reason for the adapter from OTTP is to allow the BRFPS to dynamically regulate the fuel pressure based on the boost.
 

RCK605

Well-Known Member
Both valid points. I was a little concerned about the dampener. Sounds like I might create an unnecessary issue by using both ends as an inlet. I guess I'll just hold onto the OTTP part until I turn up the boost and switch to a BRFP.
 

RCK605

Well-Known Member
Took the first bite of the elephant tonight. I'm hoping by the end of the weekend I can identify most of the connections by plugging things in. Then I can get them labeled and start the thinning.

20220623_215013.jpg20220623_211640.jpg
 

Rauq

Goblin Guru
Found a solution to my missing fuel injector feed line. CBM Motorsports makes an adapter to convert the tube fitting to -6 AN. You can find the part here:


The description calls for 2.2L and 2.4L engines, but I confirmed with CBM that the part has a M20x1.5 thread which matches the fuel rail.

If you want to run a return style or boost reference fuel system, OTTP sells an adapter for the end of the fuel rail. I plan to install this adapter as well and use both for inlet. I've seen it mentioned in a couple places that cylinder 4 can get starved of fuel under certain conditions. Since my motor is stock I don't think I'll have a problem, but since I have the part I might as well use it!


Here is a picture of the fuel rail inlet connection. This is where the metal feed line with the QD attaches, but mine was missing and the part is discontinued and I couldn't find one anywhere.

View attachment 33902
That's basically how I ran my BRFPS. The end of the hardline going into the rail had a hairline crack, so I installed the CBM adapter and dropped a fuel pressure regulator on top of it, then the OTTP adapter on the other end of the fuel rail- in through the OTTP fitting, and out through the CBM fitting, then into the regulator, with the overflow returning to the tank. I don't think you need to run fuel into both fittings, by flowing through it with the regulator after the rail, that's about a best-case scenario for keeping the rail full and at pressure. I'm flowing fuel backwards through the rail now with no pulse dampener, but everything seems to work ok so far.
 

RCK605

Well-Known Member
Over the weekend so far, I was able to get all of the connectors labeled. Big thanks to @Ross on that one for providing some videos of his harness and labels. Then I proceeded to remove all of the old tape and loom. My assistant wasn't too helpful and wanted back in the house before we were finished! Tomorrow I am hoping to start on thinning out the wires.

Are there any wires that the videos show to remove that people have kept? I am thinking I may want to keep some additional 12V power. I'll also be keeping the AC wire for a wideband O2.
 

Attachments

Ross

Goblin Guru
I kept the 2 aux power ports. Need to add back the heated seats wires. I kept the dash dimmer dial and sunlight sensor, but never use it, so should have eliminated it. I kept the clock spring, and adjustable steering. Was able to put a horn button on the steering wheel. Keep what you want!
 
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