GMTunerSource.com - Show Me The Facts! We Dissect the Cobalt SS Turbo Stage 1 Kit

Show Me The Facts! We Dissect the Cobalt SS Turbo Stage 1 Kit

Written by Corey Mullane | Thursday, 20 August 2009 | 0 comments

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Cobalt SS Turbo LNF Stage Kit Comparison

We’ve been working hard over here to bring all of you the latest on the LNF Stage kits as the information becomes available. As we released more and more information it seems we received more and more questions, from you, about the LNF Stage kit. Is it a good deal? Why doesn’t it deliver X amount more horsepower? Will it turn my Cobalt SS Turbo into a chick magnet? While we’ve worked with the great folks over at GM to get answers to every one of your questions, one seems to still linger around – why doesn’t the LNF Stage 1 make more horsepower than the LSJ Stage 2 kit? While this may seem like a ridiculous question it deserves an answer. So we got with Bill Duncan over at GM HPVO again and he helped us explain the answer a little better.

First let's tackle the GM Stage kit testing procedures. The basics are this. The power data is taken in 200 RPM increments and relayed to the engineers. When they determine power drop off they end that run. If power is made until redline, they data they release will show 200 RPM before redline because getting an accurate power reading when the motor hits the “governor” would be next to impossible. With that being said, let’s dissect the LNF Stage 1 HP graph and see what it really means for the Cobalt SS Turbo owner.

By now everyone should know that the Cobalt SS Turbo Stage 1 kit will deliver a peak power gain of 20hp and 60 lb.-ft of torque. But what about the trip up to that peak HP level? This is where most races are won or lost and this is another place where the GM HPVO guys have done their homework to help make a monster out of the Cobalt. The biggest difference in HP between the factory LSJ tune and the LSJ Stage 2 kit is 36hp. This happens to be at the engine’s redline due to the supercharged nature of the engine. For the LNF engine, and its torque-happy turbo power adder, it’s a different story as more RPM does not always equate to more HP.

If you start from the bottom of the HP graph and follow up, you can see the gains start quickly at just 2200 RPM. With the increase in boost at a lower RPM the engine takes in a lot more air and makes a lot more horsepower. When compared to the LSJ Stage 2 kit it actually makes a lot more horsepower, delivering a 50hp increase at 4700 RPM! That’s right, we said 50hp! Throughout the powerband the LNF Stage 1 delivers 45% more HP than the LSJ Stage 2 kit and for $122 less. No matter how you slice that, that’s some serious power for a lot less serious coin.

For the LNF Stage 1 kit, the redline has been increased from 6300 to 6500 RPM as well, but because peak power occurs at 4700 RPM there is no need to continue the run during testing. Power gains towards the end of RPM range are minimal as well. This extra RPM will benefit you though in giving you the ability to stay in gear during a time attack or auto-x style event but during an all out drag race you want to shift a little after peak power to stay in the fat part of the powerband and keep the turbo spooled up and happy. Make some extra use of the no-lift shift feature and you’ll be sure to throw down some times that no one at your local track would think a Cobalt could pull off.

We know piktars help make sense of complicated matters like this so we’ve included a new chart below directly comparing the LSJ Stage 2 to the LNF Stage 1 to see the benefits for yourself. Oh and yes, the Stage 1 kit will turn your car into a chick magnet. The kind of chicks it draws however depends solely on you.