Drivetrain buildup

[dwarrick]

Hey guys

I was just looking on some insight from people who might know a little more on this. My current setup is 07 LSJ with a 2.8 and supporting mods. I have not installed everything yet due to car put away but come spring time I am guessing the car will be in the 250hp zone at the wheels.

I currently do lapping days and the worst part about the car is the open diff. I have bit the bullet and bought the quaife LSD. Since the trans will be apart I thought this is hopefully the last time its coming out so best time to improve.

Currently stock clutch is installed, but even with basic mods slipped last year on the dyno. With what I have now I am leaning towards the GM performance clutch, lightweight flywheel, ARP bolts. Seems like best bang for the buck and should handle my setup fine.

Next is FDR. I am told 2002+ saturn vue counter shaft and ring gear will drop in and give me 4.45. With where I track the car this should help. It is quite a small and twisty course.

Finally is disassemble/ assemble of the actual trans. I have a almost new non-lsd trans for the same car right now. The plan is to install everything in that trans, then do a quick swap over to save downtime. I have taken enough of them off the car but have never actually did a re and re to one so one of the trans techs at work said he can to the change over for some wobbly pops Is there anything to improve on when assembling everything again?

[Maven]

you cant use the VUE final drive parts, its not the sme transmission.

[qwikredline]

wobbly pops wont hack it. without tools or experience, the tech may break 5th gear assembling. minimumu need one diff bearing, gaskets, anerobic sealer, crush sleeve and lock nut. Good luck

[dwarrick]

We both work at Atlantic Canada's largest GM dealer. He had done thousand of transmissions, but never mix and matched. Trading labour time/experiance for a 24 thats all.

I was told the grand am cobalts had a 4.45. But that might not be true.

if you call up gm parts department tell them you have an 04 saturn vue, 2.2l 5 speed and you want the ring gear and counter shaft for the transaxle

That is where I heard the Saturn part info, but figured someone here might know more.

[recaro86]

Also you may want to skip the lightwieght flywheel and go new oem or resuface yours.

[qwikredline]

We both work at Atlantic Canada's largest GM dealer. He had done thousand of transmissions, but never mix and matched. Trading labour time/experiance for a 24 thats all.


That is where I heard the Saturn part info, but figured someone here might know more.

I was told the grand am cobalts had a 4.45. But that might not be true.

Yes the grand am cobalts ran 4.45. We built 10 or so of those cars begininng thanksgiving 2004. I run 4.45, have for years. I gave away the last three sets of 4.45 to a race team needed them. If your buddy has done thousands of m35 transmissions, he is going some. They didnt make that many ss cobalts and redlines... and certainly atlantic canada didnt get that many, but meh.

just put in the quaife, and for the track time at Shubenacadie you do it will be enough. Or buy the 4.45 pinion gear shaft and ring gear from CED.... either way, 4.45 is a great track gear but hard to come by. If you put your transmission together without a new collapsible spacer u will be doing the job over. Lightweight flywheel with a GMPP clutch is fail. Recaro86 is right. Light flywheels dont do much for performance, and like short shifters, just enourage fast shifting and synchro issues.

[qwikredline]

ps that is insight you were asking for.

[dwarrick]

Never narrowed it down to just cobalt transmissions. With over 30 years of being the shops primary transmission tech he would have been quite busy over the last few years otherwise. I do thank you for the info though. Better find out by someone who has actual experience in the matter then the forum world of know it all's, and waste money trying.

Here is the gear set I was looking at. Unsure of its past if it is the real deal or not

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Cobalt-SS-SAA...item45ffc525f6

[qwikredline]

tried to figure it out if its my buddy selling the stuff i sent up to him. email me later next week I will find out. Iirc these gears came out of a GM m35 and I am stretching here, either a saturn L series or some sort of low geared Euro trash car over there. The trans was made by GM Fiat Saab powertrain, I have lost touch with what they are now or if they evaporated in the bankruptcy of GM and now Saab and who knows with Fiat?

[Maven]

that PROBABLY is the right setup, but like I said before, its not from a vue, the Vue used the F23 like the 2.2 and 2.4 cobalts did. The 2.0 cars use the F35 or as Qwik calls them, M35. This is a beefed up version of the F25 that was used in Saab's and the Saturn Lseries. The F25/F35 and F23 don't share parts.

[dwarrick]

The lad selling the gears name is Brent and lives in Sussex NB. I got the LSD from him. Good to know about not being able to use the parts. I figured if I could get them at my cost, it might be worth while when it is apart. I am just happy to have the diff, and it should be a huge improvement alone.

Has anyone run the GM upgrade LSJ clutch? Some say it is just an LNF clutch. I would like the hyper singe but cost is high with the flywheel. There was a nice used one on here but since sold.

[qwikredline]

GMPP upgrade is an LNF Cover with an \LNF TOB and a unique disc but it is entirely interchangeable with an LNF disc, but the GMPP upgrade kit is hard to beat for performance and value I have them in stock cost about 425 to ur door. U will find the cover holes are too large for your dowels, either make some centring sleeves that you can discard when assembled, or eyeball it with the disc centring tool and u r good to go.

If it was me I would go with 4.45 gears. O wait. I did.

U will lose 2 gallons of range out of your tank with the mileage u get turning the car at 3-3500 down the highway.

[RooTBeeR]

4.45 could make tracking fun

[dwarrick]

If he doesn't sell the gears by the time I need them i will probably pick them up.

thats odd about the holes for the dowels. Is it because the LNF ones are bigger? or just mess up when making them?

[qwikredline]

LNF ones are bigger

[BlackBaltSw]

The lad selling the gears name is Brent and lives in Sussex NB. I got the LSD from him. Good to know about not being able to use the parts. I figured if I could get them at my cost, it might be worth while when it is apart. I am just happy to have the diff, and it should be a huge improvement alone.

Has anyone run the GM upgrade LSJ clutch? Some say it is just an LNF clutch. I would like the hyper singe but cost is high with the flywheel. There was a nice used one on here but since sold.

Ive got a 3k mile great shape hypersingle for 550 shipped.