Well, I got some great input from a few of you via PMs (thanks again), but it turns out that the lower cold-side charge pipe by itself was just not possible to find (as Oldblue said earlier - I even called a few places just in case). So I sprung for a new GM piece ($115 shipped from GMOutletParts.com).


The shop who diagnosed this for me (I still feel like an EEEJIT for missing the cracks, though the mechanic said it wasn't obvious) put on a couple of hose clamps as a Band-Aid to keep it from flexing open. Diagnosing and test driving and talking with me about parts (he was happy to let ME provide the part) had to have taken him 90 minutes at the least - but they only charged me $44. I got them a case of Coke and a couple bags of nice European caramels with my payment. Since there was not a single hose in St. Louis, shipping would've required several days so I figured I'd take it home and wait for the part.


WOW - what a difference 12 more pounds of boost makes!! hahahaha - I really had to hold on to that steering wheel when I had her in 2nd gear and let it spool up. FUN! Looked like the boost hit 14lbs, and later the RPD showed a peak of 304lb/ft of torque (I would highly doubt that this is as accurate as a dyno, of course).


I'm just gently letting the boost increase (rolling acceleration) since I only have Band Aids on that cool-side pipe, but I HAD to feel what it could do to some extent!


Now I just hope that I can install that cool-side pipe without too much trouble. The wife has hit her limit (I bought this car a month ago, and it's had the hood up ever since). I don't have to remove the front bumper just to replace the pipe, do I? ...more to search tonight while at work...


Will update y'all with a definitive "yes, this problem was solved by this part" as soon as I get it installed.

 

Cleaned up the double post!

 

Mini-update:
Got the part at the end of last week, (it INCLUDES a MAP sensor!) and spent 2 hours trying to remove the old one on Sunday afternoon. I was close, but since I couldn't guarantee to management (wife) the time remaining, "we" decided to put her back together and let the shop do it for me.


I'll also have them replace a leaking passenger-side axle seal and change the tranny fluid to Redline (any other recommendations on tranny fluid?) at the same time.


Will drop off on March 29th (busy shop, and we're going to Peru for 10 days mid-march).


By the time the car's complete, maybe I'll be ready for a new tank of gas with a proper E22 mix of E85 and be able to push her to her limit.

 

Don't use Redline trans fluid, use the GM fluid.

read this Finally: Organized F35 transmission fluid thread - Cobalt SS Network.

 

Hey - thanks very much DrLoch! --great thread over there. I had planned on adding a friction additive as well, but they explained very clearly why we should NOT use any friction additives in our 5-speed transmissions (F35).


(in a nutshell: our synchronizers need to be a little sticky to work properly. friction reducers interfere with proper function)

 

I did a lot of research on that myself and I'm guilty of over engineering things myself but in this case it's best to use what GM used.

 

For $67 EcoTech (in St. Louis) installed my $97 GM OEM cold-side intercooler charge pipe (it included a MAP sensor!) and WOW does that car feel different now!

15lbs of boost and hold on to that steering wheel - my lands, it pulls HARD to the left and right and left when pulling from a stop!!

But I digress: the verdict really was the cracked intercooler pipe. Many thanks to you all for your support on this over the last 2 months! (wish I had just taken it to Ecotech the first week I had it - didn't realize such an honest and competent shop was available)