Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

I thought I had enough and got out of the Stocker game when I sold the AMC, but since my girlfriend didn't like the trade in amount the dealership offered her when she bought her new car, we still have her 2007 Chevy Cobalt....and I have the green light to make a Stocker of it if I can't get my dragster into a chassis shop by the end of the year.

Has anyone played around with the naturally aspirated 2.2 Ecotec? What has worked? What hasn't?

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Well Zippy, it would run D/FS as it's natural class. It's probably a little heavy for that. Take it to the track and see how fast it goes completely stock. It's a 15.60 index so if it goes mid to low 16s I'd say try it.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

16.90 in 80 degree semi-humid air

Weighs 3010 so it's only 180 lbs over

111 hp on a Dynojet bone stock

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

MPH?

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Around 80 mph

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

1.30 seems like quite a ways to go... just to get to the index.Whats the record?
Mike

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

We had it at 13.96..Back to a minimum now. 5 tenths under. 15.10

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

The Ecotec engine has a lot of potential and will make great power when tweaked. In the shop I used to managed, we built them for off road racing. The engines built for the off road sealed engine class made easily over 215 HP on the dyno with the stock components and stock cam.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

As an example , the Monte went 85 mph with 200k on the clock, 2.93 gears , pure stock. We figured that was enough to run the index at the time, so we went ahead with it.
It ran 1.05 under @ 94 on the first pass.
80 is probably enough potential to get you under the index. Biggest problem will be getting enough torque out of it, with not enough gear.
Might want to check if you can get 13" or even14" wheels on it.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

These are round track racing wheels but they are available in the right bolt circle pattern (4 x 100) and are approximately 12 - 14 lbs.

http://www.bassettwheel.com/legends_mini.html

Any advice on back spacing?

Having a harder time finding skinny front runners in that bolt pattern. Can anyone point me in that direction?

How did you go about tuning the computer Mark?

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

We had Ed Wright remove all the limiters and the electronic transmission junk, and give it some more timing and fuel. Only tuning we can do is raise the fuel pressure, using an LT1 adjustable regulator. We use a mild street and strip style cam so that the vacuum signal is not outside of the parameters of what the computer can handle.
Stock ECM and coil pak.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Are the fwd's allowed to use a K&N style cold air intake?

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Don't see why not, as long as you don't cut any new openings.
It might go faster with nothing on it.
In the dime rocket tradition, we just gutted the stock air box of all the baffles and anti- noise devices, and opened up the front of it some more. Ours holds the computer in the lower part, so some of it had to stay anyway.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Mike, are you referring the 2.4 Ecotec 4 cylinder engine?
I believe Mark runs the 3.1 V-6.


If you plan to run the 4 cylinder Ecotec, there are lots of different ECU platforms including standalone ECU's.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Ours is the 2.2 liter L61.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Using a calculator (http://www.wallaceracing.com/et-hp-mph.php),
It says you will need 163 hp to run .5 under, assuming you lose the 180lbs (2830). Good luck:)
Mike

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Okay, came across these 19.5 x 7 - 13 inch asphalt oval slicks from Hoosier. I'm assuming that "IN2" is the compound but can't find any info on it. Does anyone know about that compound at all?

https://shop.hoosiertire.com/index.p...-7-13-in2.html

Mike Jones - I figured I'd have to free-up / make up to 170 and be comfortably under the index. When I ran my 16.90s a while back I just had the car in "drive"; I didn't want to over rev an engine that didn't belong to me (took it out to the track while she was away for work). But then I read that "L" will do the 1-2 shift for you, then pop it into "I" and it will do the 2-3 shift.

Come to think of it, my runs were on a "no prep" night, then when it was dyno'ed it was one of those dyno nights at a local tuner, and they weren't able to get the car to hold in 3rd gear.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Better install front brakes from a Geo then. Maybe Billy's got some.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Mickey Thompson has a 22" Diameter drag slick for 13" and 15" wheels.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

M&H better still..

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Well I just ordered one rim from Jegs with 3.5 in back-spacing and we'll see if it clears the front brakes.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

My sons and I have raced dirt track IMCA with a eco powered cavilers since 2012 and have done a lot of wheel dyno work. We must run stock exhaust manifold so I am sure a good header would make more power. With this being a VVT engine it should make more power than non VVT engine than we run. We also did a lot of testing on the air intake system and a open TB makes about 4.5 hp more than a cold air system. The intake manifold is the biggest restrictions on these motors, early on till outlawed you could just bolt on a later model 2.4 intake and pickup over 25 hp. Baseline hp at the wheel was 135 hp with limited mods, tuned stock ecm, stock cams, injectors stock exhaust manifold with a bigger pipe with some other small mods brought the power to around 150 at the wheel. Camshaft lift is 419 a the valve. Changing the valve angle helped flow on the flow bench but did not do any back to back dyno testing. I am sure a good stocker valve job would help. Eliminating the balance shafts with a kit gets rid of rotating weight. We run manual trans so never did much with the autos. Saturn VUES run the same basic set up but are geared lower because of the heaver vehicle. With the stick It goes from a 3.94 final chevy to a 4.45 Saturn, HHRs have 4.19. Checking out these cars with an auto could find something. The stock valve train will turn 7000 all day long, stronger valve springs would collapse the lifters and lose lift in long lap races. The rear of the cam gear can be ground to change cam timing or aftermarket adjustable gears are available. If you could find someone to regrind the cams mite help also. I always thought someday this would be a fun combo to do but, hell I cain't even get my SS car going. Tom.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Thanks for all that info on the transmissions and all the other engine intel I'll keep that all in mind if this gets underway and gets serious down the road. There are a lot of "ifs" involved since this is really to hold me over while my dragster is waiting to go into the shop. (4 month waiting list to get in the door, season starts in March and goes to July).

A far as wheels go, are you using 13 inch or 15 inch rims on your dirt track cars?

That's the first big hump with the Cobalt, is being able to use 13 inch rims with a 20 inch tall slick. I don't want to have to change transmissions or swap to a Geo Metro brake set-up (which may not work for me anyway since the Geo Metro bolt pattern may different than the Cobalt from what I read).

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

I've thought about a Solstice as a stocker. Longitudinal engine, traditional trans and rear end configuration and a nice short wheelbase. Also, a decent looking little car. Available either NA or turbocharged.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THAT^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
with the turbo motor would probably be the first F/S in the 9s.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

look into the 2007 Cobalt SS supercharged car---they put 5 lug wheels on that car-- now not sure if you can get "small " 14/15 inch aluminum wheels or if you have to stick with 16/17/18 inch wheels---not sure if they will interchange or if the brakes will interfere either but worth a look---wheel bearing hub is about $50 each cheaper than messing around making up something

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Well the 13 inch rim arrived, it cleared the brake caliper and the tie-rod by about 1/2 an inch.....but then I noticed something that the old rule book isn't so kosher with. The wheel was sticking about an inch outside of the fender and this is already a 7 inch wide rim.

I'm running into a dead-end in terms of being able do this with a short tire (19.5 inch x 7 / 13 inch rim). The wheel was 3.5 inch backspacing. The next step up is 4 inch backspacing but that very well may have the rim touching the tie-rod and the wheel would still be half an inch outside the fender.

I've looked at road racing and stock car racing tire sites but their short tires are all for 13 inch rims.

Would anyone know of some obscure place makes 20 inch tall slicks for 15 inch rims?

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Ala Smokey Yunick's old chevelle, get a 2X4 and nudge the fenderwell out as far as needed.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

A wooden baseball bat works great for rolling the fender lip and "massaging" it's lateral location.

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Eastwood (I think) makes a tool called a "fender roller" - I've seen it used on a couple of imports and it is surprisingly uniform when finished. And those guys move the fender a LOT!!!

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

This thread is 6 years stale, but I'm thinking about running a Saturn Ion with an Ecotec 2.2 or 2.4 in DF/S or CF/S. Is Mike Meier or anyone running a Cobalt with this engine?

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

There is a Cavalier and a Cobalt in the build section ,right here on C/R

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

2.2 fits C, at 2830 minimum. I think that's the same Billy Nees is using in the cavalier. Can tune them with HP Tuners, i've done some cobalts/g5's

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

Re: Anyone try an Ecotec in Stock yet?
 

i havent tried mine in stock or even thought about it. bbut my 09 g5 was a badass bracket machine for a couple years. deepstage, deck both pedals, let off the brake. went 1080s or so. has been as fast as a 1057 with a skinnier driver and good air. 28 final round appearances in less then 2 seasons.

like an idiot, i sold it, and last week purchased a 06 cobalt ss with the NA 2.4 motor. gonna do some minor things to it, see if i can deepstage and go 9.90s or so. they have potential for sure.