Suggestions on this doner

[Chris Eggert]

No luck today I Did not win the car my high bid was 1700 it want for 2200 after all fees not including shipping it would have came out to 3100 I don't thing it's with paying that much for a salvage tittle when I might find one for 4000

David that is the same problem I have with buying from copart and iaai, why pay $3k+ for a wrecked car with a salvage title that might end up having more damage than I expect it to have Or for it to have damage to the parts I will be need for my Goblin build. That will mean more expense to replace parts that I didnt expect to be damaged.

I figure I will eventually find what I want for the same $3k+ with a clean title running and driving. I have found some nice drivable SS cars from $2000 up to whatever someone is willing to pay. I'm just biding my time looking and waiting. I will find the donor that I want to start out with one day soon, it's just a matter of time...

 

[David]

So I think I finally found my donor which I will be picking up tomorrow it's a 2008 SS/TC the bad is that it has 160,000+ miles and it has the airbag light on ,and the owner doesn't know if it has a LSD trans , and I won't be able to test drive it since it has no plates so I'm going to have to take his word that it runs good. The pros are its close to me,it starts and runs,and I think I'm getting a good deal at 2500 what do you guys think

 

[Briann1177]

Looks really good. A few more miles than I'd like, but it looks clean and runs. No need to worry about the airbag light since you'll be cutting that out anyways. It will still be on in the Goblin though.

No check engine light?

 

[David]

Well according to the owner just the airbag light I hope hes not a lier and when I get there it's on he said he was the original owner and no accidents

 

[Briann1177]

If it checks out, I'd go for it. The other thing about buying a clean donor is you can sell more parts. I sold most of mine pretty quickly on Craigslist.

 

[David]

Yea I don't own a ob2 reader I was thinking in maybe picking one up to plug it in to see if anything would pop up what s your thought

 

[Briann1177]

Not a bad idea to get one. Ill probably go with a Bluetooth one. They're dirt cheap.

 

[David]

I have never used one but I'm sure it's self explanatory which one do you recommend

 

[Briann1177]

I haven't gotten that far yet. Lol

 

[Chris Eggert]

Well I have been down all week because of my back. I messed it up last weekend removing the old wood picket fence down across the front of my property.
It was a good thing I guess because I learned something that I have not seen mentioned in any if the threads on here.

The Cobalt came with 3 diffrent transmissions available:
1. Saab F35 5 speed with and without the LSD option
2. Getrag F23 5 speed
3. 4T45E 4speed automatic

What I learned this week is that as of this year you can add a Limited Slip Differental to ALL of the transmissions used in the production of the Cobalt.
From around $350 up to about $1400 depending on the Brand and warranty you get.
So it actually opens up the choices for donor cars for those of us who want the LSD to any cobalt made. We can get a 2.2 or a 2.4, add a supercharger or turbo charger on for the power. Yet you can have the LSD for better launches while drag racing and I can have it for drifting across the these mountains....

 

[Silverback]

...you can add a Limited Slip Differental to ALL of the transmissions used in the production of the Cobalt. From around $350 up to about $1400 depending on the Brand and warranty...

A few words of advice from www.ecotecforum.com/forums/showthread.php?9897-How-to-install-LSD:

"...with an F35, installing a diff in that is a bit more involved than installing the Team Green in an F23. There are special tools needed and youll need a new nut and crush sleeve for 5th gear, differential bearings as well as the gasket for the side cover, all these things are GM/Saab parts only and will run you around $200 in parts."​

 

[David]

No good on the donor I got there and the car was dead so I jumped it the car was running horrible it at a bad idle and loud pinging but the worst was that the wiring harness was all cut up and splits everywhere so I skipped on that headache I hope I find one soon

 

[Chris Eggert]

A few words of advice from www.ecotecforum.com/forums/showthread.php?9897-How-to-install-LSD:

"...with an F35, installing a diff in that is a bit more involved than installing the Team Green in an F23. There are special tools needed and youll need a new nut and crush sleeve for 5th gear, differential bearings as well as the gasket for the side cover, all these things are GM/Saab parts only and will run you around $200 in parts."​

It wouldnt let me see any of the thread on that form, I will freely admit Im stupid when it comes to the internals of a transmission.
I know nothing about taking one apart, rebuilding it and putting it back together. I have never even read over the instructions for doing it. I can however take a GE a Pratt Whitney or a Rolls Royce jet engine apart and rebuild them. Its all in what you are good at and what you know you are good at. I havent tried doing a transmission, but thats not to say I wont try it one day. Im up for a challenge sometimes.. I read that the special tools that you need to take them apart are right around $100.00 which isnt bad for something you could be using often until you do things right...lol

I did find a few places where you can buy them rebuilt with the LSD installed and the performance upgrade already done for the SC or TC conversion to the cars. Prices weren't to bad, I have paid more for a transmission a couple times in my life. They were all between $1795.00 and you could go all the way to almost $4,000 for one. Depends on how much hp and torque you are gonna throw at it. If you need it to survive being hooked up to 300hp or 600hp you have to dig into that stack to make sure it does. The more HP you produce takes more money to make and that means it takes more money to actually put it on the road...lol

I found a 2007 Cobalt LS 2.2L with a 5 speed with only 67k on it a little while ago. Clean clear title one owner car and he said he would pull a carfax on it when I get there to look at it. Im not going any where today with this back screwed up, but Im hoping I can get out tomorrow. Asking price on the car is $2800 which really isnt to bad makes me think he only wants $2200 so he bumped it up to have room to haggle. I know we have some 2.4 and 2.2 cars in this area for $500.00 and up. A bunch between $500 and $2,000, I have been ignoring them for a couple months now...

 

[Chris Eggert]

No good on the donor I got there and the car was dead so I jumped it the car was running horrible it at a bad idle and loud pinging but the worst was that the wiring harness was all cut up and splits everywhere so I skipped on that headache I hope I find one soon

I hope you find one soon and I find one too. Im branching out on possibilities now. Since I found out about the LSD being available for all the transmissions I dont have to be as picky and dead set on an SS with the G85 package. I can look at other ones now...

 

[David]

I was reading up on the transmission but I don't see its worth buying a 2.2 or 2.4 cobalt and dumping money to add a turbo and adding the LSD to the trans and then dealing with the headache to try tuning the 2.2 or 2.4 to get good power which way is it cheaper to buy a 08-10 SS/TC or try to piece everything together

 

[Chris Eggert]

I was reading up on the transmission but I don't see its worth buying a 2.2 or 2.4 cobalt and dumping money to add a turbo and adding the LSD to the trans and then dealing with the headache to try tuning the 2.2 or 2.4 to get good power which way is it cheaper to buy a 08-10 SS/TC or try to piece everything together

I have found a couple 08 and 09 SS TC cars with what I consider as High mileage having 150k up to 175k on them. With an asking price of from $4,000 - $6,000. As a matter of fact the one for $4,000 is only about an hour ride or a little less from my house. I called him and first thing he said was the price was firm and to not even ask if he will take less. Then proceeds to tell me 2nd gear is non-existent and 4th is starting to make noise so it wont be long before its gone. So hes asking $4k firm and the first thing I have to do is pull the engine an transmission to either get them in the shop to have them rebuilt or make my first attempt at rebuilding a transmission.

Saw one on craigslist out towards Memphis and I almost hooked the trailer up to my truck. I was ready to drive a little north of Memphis to Brownsville, Tn. last week. Girl has a 06 or 07 SS 175k on it, 2.0 LSJ with a 5 Speed. It actually looked good in the pic's and she said it runs an drives good listed it without a price. I sent her a text she said she was asking $2000.00 OBO. That made me scratch my head and think something is wrong. The next day I get a text from her. She said bring me $600.00 and get this car. I was in shock until her 2nd message that said she had lost the title and needed the car gone now. She said She would sign a bill of sale, she doesnt realize in Tennessee a bill of sale only works for 25 years and older cars. Every other vehical has to have a title to get registered. It is actually a state law that the title must be signed over when the money exchanges hands. It only costs $11.00 and takes them maybe a week to get a replacement title to you in Tn. I want no part of that deal, even if she paid me. I figure a title loan company is probably hunting it right now. Then I try to get a title and they come get it and Im out $600 bucks and probably lucky I didnt get arrested.

 

[DanPerryy]

I

I have never used one but I'm sure it's self explanatory which one do you recommend

Posted a thread here on the goblin site about of obd readers. Elm327 and others. A android program called torque. Easy to setup, use and see lots more about the drivetrain.

 

[Karter2026]

I

Posted a thread here on the goblin site about of obd readers. Elm327 and others. A android program called torque. Easy to setup, use and see lots more about the drivetrain.

I use the Torque app also. I upgraded from the free to the pro version $5. Great as a code reader. I have it on a 8" galaxy tab and use it mostly in my 2001 Suburban as an auxiliary gauge panel, It was the cheapest and easiest way to get a transmission temp gauge. It will end up getting used in the goblin also. There is a ton of neat features and monitors in the app.

 

[David]

Thank for the info so I did my research and looked at all the reviews and the best one the the market right know supposedly is the one I ordered which is BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices let see how it does

 

[David]

So I found another doner a 2008 SS/TC 110,000 miles no LSD needs new brakes and new clutch looks in pictures like it's pretty clean for 4000 what do you guys think I probably can get back my be 1000 back or more if I try to sell some parts but also it's a Cali car is there any difference in the wiring what do you guys think