290 hp gm ecm tune - confirmed

[JustMike]

Originally Posted by lostcause

Otherwise I may just end up spending most of my tax refund on hookers and beer....

Talk about your STIMULAS PACKAGE ....

[LeadSled1]

Well, this was enough to get me to register and post.

Please, put the "no lift shift" function in that the 08 Cobalt SS turbo has. It cuts the spark and realigns the cams for .2 of a second. You keep the gas to the floor and shift. No banging and no damage. Boost remains up so lag is minimal.

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by lostcause

So realistically, what kind of performance gains could we expect to see from a 28-30 hp increase? All in all that really doesn't seem like a whole lot. It's just over 10% but will this 10% increase in power give a 10% increase in performance? What might I expect in 0-60 and 1/4 mile improvements?

I came across an interesting "approximate" equation for predicting HP based on trap times, or backing out trap times from HP.

Let's assume a current stock RL delivers 230HP at the wheels and a 180lb driver. The equation estimates a 1/4 mile in 13.98.

Let's assume the upgrade delivers 260HP at the wheels. The equation estimates a 1/4 mile in 13.42.

Given these are rough approximations, it looks like you should shave your 1/4 mile time by half second.

[mazzella]

Wow! The 260/260 is already making me drive bad...can't wait to drive worse1

[sidejam]

Originally Posted by lostcause

So realistically, what kind of performance gains could we expect to see from a 28-30 hp increase? All in all that really doesn't seem like a whole lot. It's just over 10% but will this 10% increase in power give a 10% increase in performance? What might I expect in 0-60 and 1/4 mile improvements?

I'd expect that would shave off about .2 to .25 in the quarter mile. Genearlly, another 10 horsepower at the wheels, will shave off about .1 of a second.
This is a rule of thumb and holds farily true for cars running around 13 to 15 seconds or so. Another way to look at it, if you're .1 seconds ahead of the next guy, you'll beat him by about 1 car length.

[stromo]

If all it takes is an ECM flash to get an additional "free" 30HP, then Saturn should make the new tune standard for 2009 redlines and later. Or maybe the $500-$1000 cost is Saturn's way of insuring itself against additional engine wear and Warranty repairs.

[BlueSkyRL]

Originally Posted by mazzella

Wow! The 260/260 is already making me drive bad...can't wait to drive worse1

[Animator]

What do you think that will do to the 0-60 times for the redline...?

[DaleF]

Originally Posted by Bogie

I came across an interesting "approximate" equation for predicting HP based on trap times, or backing out trap times from HP.

Let's assume a current stock RL delivers 230HP at the wheels and a 180lb driver. The equation estimates a 1/4 mile in 13.98.

Let's assume the upgrade delivers 260HP at the wheels. The equation estimates a 1/4 mile in 13.42.

Given these are rough approximations, it looks like you should shave your 1/4 mile time by half second.

I know we're approximating everything, but looks like you added the full 30 hp to the wheels. So say we're getting about 255 whp. Still probably close to .5 sec improvement. (~ 13.50 )

[LeadSled1]

I'm hoping it is more closer to the 270-280rwhp range. Having owned a 99 Z28, (dynoed 280rwhp in a auto, rated 300hp), a 01 WS6 Trans Am (dynoed 305rwhp, manual) and a manual vette. The LS3 is rated 403 and has been putting out in the 380s for rwhp. Seems like the numbers on the stock tune are coming in a little lower when compared to other GM offerings.

I can always hope right?

[WopOnTour]

Originally Posted by Cheers

The 07 and 08 ECM stock numbers are different and I thought it was more than just the ECM.

Although the 07 and 08 models are a different part number, they are both still E-69 ECMs, utilize the exact same connectors and pin-outs and for all intents and purposes are identical. However they do utilze different OS's and have slightly different memory segmentation (offsets) This is not really all that unusual for GM to make changes such as this from model year to model year, but for these reasons 07 & 08 ECMs cannot be interchanged.
HTH
WopOnTour

[PearlSky08]

Questions to the experts!

I was going to get an upgrade to my exhaust this spring but now hearing about the ECM upgrade, should I wait for the ECM upgrade first and then upgrade the exhaust? Or does it not matter.

[jnag698]

Why only 30 HP? Can't they offer something more? I'd be wiling to pay more for a 50+ increase, but 30?

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by jnag698

Why only 30 HP? Can't they offer something more? I'd be wiling to pay more for a 50+ increase, but 30?

It does deliver 50 lb-ft more torque.

I don't know what the design margin is on the drive train. Well, the engine can handle close to 400 horses. But when it comes to the transmission and differential...310 lb-ft might be pushing into the margins. Remember, they gotta last 5 yrs...100,000 miles....driven by folks who will definitely drive 'em to the margins.

Edit: To put things in perspective, with our gearing and a 310 lb-ft, our little babies generate more torque out of the differential than a C6 Vette....and we put 93% of what the mighty ZR1 (630HP 595 lb-ft) puts on the rear in first.

[TechnoSky]

Anyone heard anything on this lately from Saturn service techs? I am more than ready to roll on this one.
Thanks

[puggsleyssky]

Originally Posted by Bogie

It does deliver 50 lb-ft more torque.

I don't know what the design margin is on the drive train. Well, the engine can handle close to 400 horses. But when it comes to the transmission and differential...310 lb-ft might be pushing into the margins. Remember, they gotta last 5 yrs...100,000 miles....driven by folks who will definitely drive 'em to the margins.

Edit: To put things in perspective, with our gearing and a 310 lb-ft, our little babies generate more torque out of the differential than a C6 Vette....and we put 93% of what the mighty ZR1 (630HP 595 lb-ft) puts on the rear in first.

I appreciate that being stated. Am I goiung to kill my 2.4 by the installation of a stage III turbo kit?

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by puggsleyssky

I appreciate that being stated. Am I goiung to kill my 2.4 by the installation of a stage III turbo kit?

I do not have any information on the threshold margins for the drive train. I believe those who are producing the upgrades would know the answer. It seems GM sees 290HP and 310 lb-ft as OK, so there will still be a bit beyond the GM upgrade.

Keep in mind you can kill the drive train with stock power and torque if you run stupid. An upgrade in power and torque will reduce the threshold between stupid and failure.

If I had an upgrade offered by a leading vendor, I would ask them about the toleranaces, and perhaps get some advice on what they perceive as the performance limit to include any dos and don'ts.

[mos119]

sorry but i've only skimmed through this thread and my answer is probobly in here sumwhere but.....

When is this going to be available to me so i can get it??????!!!!!!?????

[ParrotHeadNation]

Originally Posted by ChgoBlues

Thats not including labor to do all the work though. I had the Stage 2 kit installed on my Ion Red Line and with the labor to change the pulley, fuel injectors and reflash the ECM, came to just under a grand.

plus its a cobalt, you have to be lacking in size somewhere, to drive on of those

[clif]

How certain is this GM release? I have not heard of GM ever doing a re-tune for performance for any other cars, even the 'Vette. If I am wrong, please correct me! I would love to get the extra ponies and keep the warranty!

Clif

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by clif

How certain is this GM release? I have not heard of GM ever doing a re-tune for performance for any other cars, even the 'Vette. If I am wrong, please correct me! I would love to get the extra ponies and keep the warranty!

Clif

I'm not sure GM has ever had a 4 banger production engine capable of 400HP, with an initial "tune" at 260 HP. There are loads of design margin in the Ecotec.

As for the certainty of the release, nothing is certain. However, having the kappa chief engineer stand in front of hundreds of diehard kappa faithful and announce the tune carries a lot of weight that GM will see this through.