Trail_Creeper
Active Member
Placed the order today (tonight my current time zone). Hopefully I get back from this deployment before the chassis is done
Scott - #416 SS/SC
- Thread starter Trail_Creeper
- Start date
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
Be safe and do the US proud! 
SmsDetroit
Goblin Guru
Welcome and thank you for your service
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
Heard from DF today and got the chassis number...
#416 coming this summer
#416 coming this summer
Last edited:
Lndshrk Steve
Well-Known Member
Congrats and Thank You for your service.
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
It's been a busy week. Made it home from my deployment and my list of house things is insanely long. Bought this house a month before I left for my deployment.
Started playing with the Cobalt. A little back story on it... my girlfriend picked up our '06 SS/SC donor off Facebook Marketplace for $900. Has 123k miles, but wasn't running. Previous owner is a younger kid just getting into car and happened to bite off a little more than he could chew.
26 April 2022:
Charged battery and tried starting the car. Bendix wouldn't engage flywheel. Pulled it out and cleaned starter, works great now. Attempted to do a cold compression test and see if there was anything. Ended up with all 4 cylinders reading 0psi.
29 April 2022:
Engine teardown begins to find why there is no compression:
Found out why there is no compression:
Found put the valves did lightly kiss the pistons in all 4 cylinders.
They don't appear to be gouged bad. Thinking whoever did the toming chain never turned the motor over by hand and just hit the starter. My plan is to clean the pistons up with some emery cloth. Already ordered all new intake valves ($50 from Rock Auto). Going to get it all together by next weekend so I can get the bulk of my house stuff done before I get the call from DF about my Goblin.
Started playing with the Cobalt. A little back story on it... my girlfriend picked up our '06 SS/SC donor off Facebook Marketplace for $900. Has 123k miles, but wasn't running. Previous owner is a younger kid just getting into car and happened to bite off a little more than he could chew.
26 April 2022:
Charged battery and tried starting the car. Bendix wouldn't engage flywheel. Pulled it out and cleaned starter, works great now. Attempted to do a cold compression test and see if there was anything. Ended up with all 4 cylinders reading 0psi.
29 April 2022:
Engine teardown begins to find why there is no compression:
Found out why there is no compression:
Found put the valves did lightly kiss the pistons in all 4 cylinders.
They don't appear to be gouged bad. Thinking whoever did the toming chain never turned the motor over by hand and just hit the starter. My plan is to clean the pistons up with some emery cloth. Already ordered all new intake valves ($50 from Rock Auto). Going to get it all together by next weekend so I can get the bulk of my house stuff done before I get the call from DF about my Goblin.
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
Also found these today:
The 32mm socket was between the alternator and laminiva core of the intake. The other socket was between the under the laminiva core coolant inlet/outlet
The 32mm socket was between the alternator and laminiva core of the intake. The other socket was between the under the laminiva core coolant inlet/outlet
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
So how much rubbing on parts did those sockets cause?
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
Surprisingly very little to none. I've had the car sitting for almost 6 months, previous owner had it sitting for almost a year... so no telling how long they were there before him
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
New valves are on the truck set to be delivered today. But the more important news is:
I heard from Kimberly today about final configuration for the Goblin and a "ready date" of June 15th. So now I'm crossing my fingers it will arrive while my kids are here for the summer!
I heard from Kimberly today about final configuration for the Goblin and a "ready date" of June 15th. So now I'm crossing my fingers it will arrive while my kids are here for the summer!
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
Spent the weekend in SC celebrating my nephew birthday and Mother's Day.
Got back to VA this afternoon and got some work done on the head. Manged to get all the intake valves pulled from the head.
All 8 looked like that. New valves are lapped and need to find a spring compressor to get them installed. All 3 of my current compressors don't fit.
Got back to VA this afternoon and got some work done on the head. Manged to get all the intake valves pulled from the head.
All 8 looked like that. New valves are lapped and need to find a spring compressor to get them installed. All 3 of my current compressors don't fit.
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
Ooh, that's not good. Assume the valve guides in the head have been checked? Bending valves can oval-out the bottom of the guide inside the intake port behind the valves. Just something to look for, if not already checked.
Sluggonaut
Goblin Guru
Does this mean it went faster around corners?
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
Doesn't show any signs of guide damage. Plus what I thought where gouges in the pistons turned out to be no more than gunk moved around with a very tiny impression on the #3 pistonOoh, that's not good. Assume the valve guides in the head have been checked? Bending valves can oval-out the bottom of the guide inside the intake port behind the valves. Just something to look for, if not already checked.
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
Got the motor mostly back together. Hoping to have it running tomorrow.
New valves are in, timing is set and turns over by hand with no issues:
Now shows a little compression when turning over by hand:
Tomorrow will be putting the radiator back in, plumb the coolant lines and vacuum hoses back up, then see of she runs... fingers crossed.
New valves are in, timing is set and turns over by hand with no issues:
Now shows a little compression when turning over by hand:
Tomorrow will be putting the radiator back in, plumb the coolant lines and vacuum hoses back up, then see of she runs... fingers crossed.
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
Cobalt is alive!!!
It needs a tensioner pulley though
She will now be my daily driver until I can get my "brick" on the road in the next couple weeks.
It needs a tensioner pulley though
She will now be my daily driver until I can get my "brick" on the road in the next couple weeks.
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
For those that saw my other post... car had some starting issues a few weeks ago. After checking, replacing fuses and relays, and rechecking everything about 40 times I had to step away for a couple weeks due to some personal stuff coming up.
Long story short I ended up shotgunning an ECM at it. Received the ECM last night, threw it in the car and did the relearn process this morning and now... it runs again!
Now that the car is "sorted out" I will be eagerly awaiting the phone call from Stewart Transport. Got the email from @GoblinGal this morning about Stewart Transport having a potential pickup date and that they should be contacting me shortly!
Long story short I ended up shotgunning an ECM at it. Received the ECM last night, threw it in the car and did the relearn process this morning and now... it runs again!
Now that the car is "sorted out" I will be eagerly awaiting the phone call from Stewart Transport. Got the email from @GoblinGal this morning about Stewart Transport having a potential pickup date and that they should be contacting me shortly!
Ghostknife
Goblin Guru
heck yea! once you get the donor car broken down it will go fast.
Trail_Creeper
Active Member
With the time line I have forecasted it will be roughly September before tearing the cobalt down due to my kids coming down in week (slightly excited), powder coating turn time, and getting the finishing touches on my cherokee so it will be road worthy.