05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav? - Performance Forum

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05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Thursday, April 25, 2013 8:06 AM
So would a L61 head directly bolt to my 04 L61 without any issues?
I know the LSJ requires some work. But there is a guy selling a ported .02" L61 head from his 05 Cobalt LS for a decent price.

Also, would that port make a big difference on my car with a larger tb and ported blower? im guessing it would especially if I get my stage2 cams in


04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.

Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Thursday, April 25, 2013 11:42 AM
You should see a drop in PSI with a ported head and better cams, but this is a good thing. As longs as it is a good port job you should make more power.



Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Thursday, April 25, 2013 11:44 AM
so the first balts were using exactly the same head as our L61s? as in direct bolt on, no mods? I know there were modifications required to run the LSJ heads..but I figure if Im going to be putting in new cams and valve springs, I might as well toss on a ported head while Im at it. I kind of like the idea of flowing a lot more air in there with all my other upgrades, it just makes sense!

course...if im upgrading cams, head, valve springs, i might as well go all out and upgrade my rods/pistols. Oh god help me stop!! lol


04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Thursday, April 25, 2013 2:17 PM
blu04DD wrote:course...if im upgrading cams, head, valve springs, i might as well go all out and upgrade my rods/pistols. Oh god help me stop!! lol

LOL thats the same problem I have man. In seriousness though if you haven't changed your timing set in awhile you may as well just do all of that while its apart.



"In Oldskool we trust"
Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Thursday, April 25, 2013 2:30 PM
Its really not a ton of work to swap to the LSJ head. Id would advise doing it only because its a stronger head in general. Its not lost foam cast so it has less chance to fail due to porosity. The LSJ's are sand cast and are much better overall. Only thing you have to do is plug one oil galley unless you go with LSJ cams. Other than that its a very simple straight forward swap. You also have to run LSJ spark plugs which is not a big deal. You need to modify the coil pack as well to get it to accept the L61 coils. Not hard to do at all. Other option is to put the car in batch fire and do a coil swap. I think PJ has a write up somewhere.



Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Thursday, April 25, 2013 7:29 PM
blu04DD wrote:
course...if im upgrading cams, head, valve springs, i might as well go all out and upgrade my rods/pistols. Oh god help me stop!! lol


What caliber do you think will provide the best gain? I like .40 S&W, but my roommate prefers .45 auto.





Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Thursday, April 25, 2013 10:39 PM
Derek, go with an LSJ head, easy swap like Vince said, and definetly a better head. Contact Jeff Reiland (mongorat on cobaltss.net), he almost always has some lsj heads around and for a good deal.






Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Friday, April 26, 2013 7:29 AM
EVILution (KGMs FrankenCav) wrote:Derek, go with an LSJ head, easy swap like Vince said, and definetly a better head. Contact Jeff Reiland (mongorat on cobaltss.net), he almost always has some lsj heads around and for a good deal.
Ive really gone past the level of modding I intended with this build. I wanted to just get my car properly tuned and set up as is for my daily driver, and I had been waiting to get my other car that would be my new 'weekend bruiser'. But Ive been waiting on a title to be changed over to the sellers name now since the beginning of January and I may just give up on getting that other car. Id love to see what I can do with this cavy on the M62 and properly tuned. If i go any further I might as well just start building a new motor altogether. maybe get an LSJ head for another build or something and plan a nice custom tune down the road. Im sitting at 203k and even though its a healthy engine, it wont stay healthy for long with all these new parts pushing its limits.


Tinkles, lol yeah i saw that today as I read back over it....i figure a double action Colt 1911 would work well for lower end gain




04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Friday, April 26, 2013 7:58 AM
i really would like to just buy a house and have an engine being built on the side. then leave my current set up unmolested for the most part. that would be so much better..for now i just need to keep saving and see what the near future holds for me...i found a kick ass house with 2, 2 car garages! since im single with no kids, i think this would be a great house
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/13907-Brays-Frst-San-Antonio-TX-78217/26369753_zpid/

im in a much nicer house now but im just renting and i dont want to start projects that i have to pick up and move...there is a lot to think about like Vince mentioned. i will check out mongorat427 on CSS.net, ive seen that name plenty. infact i believe he and i are having a conversation right now about regreasing the bearings in my supercharger after swapping out rotors (the ported blower i bought had no teflon coating, my stock m62 had all the coating still on it).


04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Friday, April 26, 2013 8:16 AM
blu04DD wrote:i found a kick ass house with 2, 2 car garages! since im single with no kids, i think this would be a great house

I'm in. I'll move to Texas...bachelor pad status? LOL. I know how you feel though I have no where to go with bigger projects that I'd like to start. I don't want to have to pick up and move my stuff from apartment to apartment. Hell, I can't even polish a valve cover here without getting !@#$ from the condo people.



"In Oldskool we trust"
Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Friday, April 26, 2013 9:34 AM
hopefully soon...until then i just need to figure out what exactly i want to upgrade. i think a ported head would be a great upgrade but i just am worried about getting close to the hp threshold of this stock block. until i have a backup motor ready to drop in, i cant afford it to blow on me. my truck had a freak wiring short a month or two ago and i have yet to troubleshoot it. so the truck isnt a good back up at this time. this is where the 3rd car would be a nice addition!


04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.

Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Friday, April 26, 2013 11:19 AM
I was talking to mongorat about something else just now on css.net and asked about the LSJ heads.
if its not too expensive I may pick one up and have it ported.

Would I be able to utilize the supertech valve springs i got and JBP cams without any issues/clearance issues? Im guessing ill need the LSJ valve cover too since the ignition components have to be modified. this works out though since i have the 'supercharged' decal that goes on the LSJ valve cover, havent figured out how to apply it to the L61 yet.


04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
Re: 05 Cobalt LS head swap to 04 Cav?
Friday, April 26, 2013 11:50 AM
The cams and springs are for an L61? They will work, but you'll need to plug one oil galley on the exhaust side of the LSJ head; its the last one all the way to the driver side. The LSJ exhaust cam is longer and used for a cam position sensor on the 'balt. You'll also need a block off plate for that side since we don't utilize the sensor. As far as I know, the power steering just plugs into the LSJ head(since the 'balts use electric assist) after you remove that plate. May as well upgrade to the LSJ valve cover, they're sexier and I love that the stock PCV nipple is in the back instead of the front. IIRC the only thing you need to do there is modify the ignition cover to accept the L61 icm like you mentioned.

EDIT: and LSJ plugs like Vince mentioned.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Friday, April 26, 2013 11:51 AM


"In Oldskool we trust"
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