V1 ChrisH’s extended track goblin - 08 SS/TC donor #419

[ChrisH]

Hi All,
My name is ChrisH and I will be the owner of chassis # 419. I intend to use the goblin on the street and some track days. I live in the bay area in California, but will actually be building the goblin in brother’s shop in Arizona. I have never built a car before, but have had some simpler mechanical projects like designing and building a mountain bike which turned out great so I figured the next step should be a more complicated project which should also result in the opportunity to learn much more about mechanical details that allow a car to function. Also, my brother has been an automotive technician for 15 years so he has been acting as supervisor for the project.
A few months ago, I purchased a 2008 SS/TC cobalt with front end damage through copart that ran and drove. About a month ago I took a week long vacation at my brother’s place where we completely stripped down the donor, cleaned the parts, disposed of the shell and finished modifying the stock wiring harness to fit the goblin. The chassis is scheduled to hit the jig mid-june. Currently, I’m planning to powder coat the chassis, subframe and other components when they arrive and was actually hoping to get some suggestions on powder coating shops in Arizona since there are a handful of goblins in the area. Any input on shops would be appreciated.

 

[SmsDetroit]

Welcome. Looks like you have a good start.

 

[Ark :D]

Welcome. I hope you kept your aluminum parking brake tubes.

 

[Trail_Creeper]

Hi All,
My name is ChrisH and I will be the owner of chassis # 419. I intend to use the goblin on the street and some track days. I live in the bay area in California, but will actually be building the goblin in brother’s shop in Arizona. I have never built a car before, but have had some simpler mechanical projects like designing and building a mountain bike which turned out great so I figured the next step should be a more complicated project which should also result in the opportunity to learn much more about mechanical details that allow a car to function. Also, my brother has been an automotive technician for 15 years so he has been acting as supervisor for the project.
A few months ago, I purchased a 2008 SS/TC cobalt with front end damage through copart that ran and drove. About a month ago I took a week long vacation at my brother’s place where we completely stripped down the donor, cleaned the parts, disposed of the shell and finished modifying the stock wiring harness to fit the goblin. The chassis is scheduled to hit the jig mid-june. Currently, I’m planning to powder coat the chassis, subframe and other components when they arrive and was actually hoping to get some suggestions on powder coating shops in Arizona since there are a handful of goblins in the area. Any input on shops would be appreciated.


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Have to ask, what's the details on the TJ?!?!

 

[ChrisH]

Welcome. I hope you kept your aluminum parking brake tubes.

Yes, I removed and kept them after the photo.

 

[ChrisH]

Have to ask, what's the details on the TJ?!?!

That is my brother’s current project. It will be torn down to the frame in the next few weeks and turned into a full on rock crawler.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Welcome Chris. Nice work space from the photos. Hope your brother's shop is AC equipped, it's going to start warming up in the next few weeks. If yours is a typical build, Arizona will definitely be into the 110s once you near completion.
Where is your brother's shop located in Arizona? Depending upon your location may be a factor in availability and timing to get your frame power coated.
I have not looked into any powder coating in the Phoenix area, not that far along. A few others out here have gone that route, but haven't seen them online on the forum in a while.

 

[ChrisH]

Welcome Chris. Nice work space from the photos. Hope your brother's shop is AC equipped, it's going to start warming up in the next few weeks. If yours is a typical build, Arizona will definitely be into the 110s once you near completion.
Where is your brother's shop located in Arizona? Depending upon your location may be a factor in availability and timing to get your frame power coated.
I have not looked into any powder coating in the Phoenix area, not that far along. A few others out here have gone that route, but haven't seen them online on the forum in a while.

Thanks, I think we can work out something for summer work sessions. My brother's shop is in Casa Grande. I reached out to a couple shops in Phoenix but have not heard back so I will keep hunting.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

I'm about a half hour north of Casa Grande in Queen Creek, about a mile from Rittenhouse and Combs Rd. intersection by the Olive Mill. Not too far if you need a hand or advise or moral support.

 

[ChrisH]

I'm about a half hour north of Casa Grande in Queen Creek, about a mile from Rittenhouse and Combs Rd. intersection by the Olive Mill. Not too far if you need a hand or advise or moral support.

Haha thanks, I will certainly take you up on that offer once the frame is delivered and assembly starts.

 

[ChrisH]

Hi Everyone, these was a long gap between my last build update and now but since the last update I have received stage 1, got parts powder coated and have been able to get some time this last week to start on assembly. Everything has gone really smoothly and was able to get though just about everything except first start and installing the firewall in the last few days. I did finally hit a snag yesterday when trying to get the first start up and the anti-theft light goes on. It would be great to get some input on this problem and will give more information soon, but I figured I should first post an update and thank everyone for all the info on the forum which has been so helpful.

 

[ChrisH]

When I tried to start the engine the first time the anti-theft light turned on and a clicking sound came from the fuse box, also no fuel pump sounds. Snooping through the forum it seems that since my donor is a 2008 SS TC I won't be able to disable VATS using an HP tuner so I will have to root out the problem. Also, I don't have the original TPMS box, but it seems like that does not matter for the anti-theft lock. I did a key relearn which seemed to work because previously the anti-theft light would turn on and stay on and after the key relearn the light goes off after a few seconds in the on position, but when I turn the key to the start position the anti-theft light comes back and nothing happens. When I jump the fuel pump at the fuse box the fuel pump runs so I don't think there is a fuel pump problem. I checked my starter motor connections and I have three wires attached to the positive terminal of the starter motor, one going to the alternator, one going to the positive stud on the battery and the other going to the positive post on the fuse box. I have an engine ground going from the bell housing to the frame ground near the fuse box along with two other grounds, one from a fuse box multiplug and the other from the main harness bundle. On the front end I have four grounds attached to the frame ground on the bar that holds the electric power steering motor. I cleaned up all the ground contacts and removed the powder coat on the frame ground bolts to make sure there is sufficient contact. I think the next thing I will try is to get a new key cut to see if that takes care of it. Any input, suggestions or thoughts would be great. Thanks in advance.

 

[Gtstorey]

If the key turns in the ignition, a new key won't do anything. I would start with basic checks of data wiring,
High speed GMLAN uses two 120 Ohm termination resistors placed between GMLAN+ and GMLAN- circuits. One is usually located inside the PCM. The other is sometimes located inside another module, like the ABS module, but is most often a stand-alone resistor taped into the harness. The network can operate with one open resistor, but the signal will be less stable, and communication errors may occur. To test the termination resistors, simply place the Ohmmeter leads across DLC terminals 6 & 14 with the key OFF.  The Ohmmeter should read 60 Ohms if both resistors are OK (they are in parallel, so the total resistance is less than either resistor by itself).  So if your Ohmmeter reads 120 Ohms, you have one open resistor.  If your Ohmmeter reads infinity Ohms, you may have 2 open resistors, but it’s much more likely that you don’t have a good connection at the DLC.  If your Ohmmeter reads 0 Ohms, the GMLAN +/- circuits are shorted together.

Key on, can you here the throttle body move when you press the accelerator pedal?

And also start with a voltmeter at the starter solenoid. Is it getting 12v?

To some extent we can only guess at what you might have wrong. Most common is ground problem, followed by data wire, then possibly a problem with the connections on the fuse box, bcm, ecm. There have also been a few instances of damaged circuit boards in the fuse box.

Depending on how good your mechanical/electrical skills are, it could be several of these.

 

[Joebob]

When I tried to start the engine the first time the anti-theft light turned on and a clicking sound came from the fuse box, also no fuel pump sounds. Snooping through the forum it seems that since my donor is a 2008 SS TC I won't be able to disable VATS using an HP tuner so I will have to root out the problem. Also, I don't have the original TPMS box, but it seems like that does not matter for the anti-theft lock. I did a key relearn which seemed to work because previously the anti-theft light would turn on and stay on and after the key relearn the light goes off after a few seconds in the on position, but when I turn the key to the start position the anti-theft light comes back and nothing happens. When I jump the fuel pump at the fuse box the fuel pump runs so I don't think there is a fuel pump problem. I checked my starter motor connections and I have three wires attached to the positive terminal of the starter motor, one going to the alternator, one going to the positive stud on the battery and the other going to the positive post on the fuse box. I have an engine ground going from the bell housing to the frame ground near the fuse box along with two other grounds, one from a fuse box multiplug and the other from the main harness bundle. On the front end I have four grounds attached to the frame ground on the bar that holds the electric power steering motor. I cleaned up all the ground contacts and removed the powder coat on the frame ground bolts to make sure there is sufficient contact. I think the next thing I will try is to get a new key cut to see if that takes care of it. Any input, suggestions or thoughts would be great. Thanks in advance.

• Is the battery grounded near the holder?
• Is the power steering and all dash connectors plugged in?
• Do you have power to the OBDII port
• Do you have 60 Ohms across the special two pin (can't remember which)?
• Do you have the clutch pushed in and the clutch sensor working?
• Can you pull DTC codes and what are they?

These are needed before cutting any keys as that is not your issue.

Joe

 

[ChrisH]

Thanks for the responses.
-So key on the throttle body does not move when the accelerator is pressed.
-I'm getting 12V at the starter.
-The battery is grounded at the battery holder ground bolt.
-Power steering is connected and the only unplugged dash wires are the reservoir sensor plug, ambient light sensor plug, and boot gauge plug. Also, the connection sticking out of the brake master cylinder does not have anything plugged it.
-I tried connecting the OBDII port yesterday but, the reader said it could not communicate with the system.
-Clutch is pushed in, but I don't know if the sensor is working.

I will test the data wires next as suggested.

Thanks again.

 

[ATMironov]

-So key on the throttle body does not move when the accelerator is pressed.

-I tried connecting the OBDII port yesterday but, the reader said it could not communicate with the system.
-

I will test the data wires next as suggested.

Thanks again.

Definitely a data problem.
Preform the checks as described by the others.

 

[ChrisH]

So I read 60 ohms resistance when I check the OBDII plug sites 6 and 14. I also get no fault codes from the OBDII reader, but unfortunately the anti theft light is still there and the fuel pump does not turn on when the key is in the on position. But it does look like the throttle body does respond now.

 

[ChrisH]

Problem solved. I was looking over all the connections and the fuse box looked a a bit misaligned so I took it apart and noticed one of the multiplugs was not seated completely so I tightened it back up making sure it seated and the anti-theft lock went away and engined started fine. Thanks for all the useful suggestions on the wiring side of things.

 

[ATMironov]

Where in the Bay Area are you?

I'm in San Francisco

 

[ChrisH]

I'm in Redwood City, but I'm actually building the goblin in my brother's shop in Arizona. I will finish the car then bring it to the Bay Area in in January and start the SB100 process to get California tags. It looks like you are certainly building a much more sophisticated goblin, are you planning to use it on the track only or also the street?