Is my '06 Chevy Cobalts Engine blown?

Asked by Brooke Jun 18, 2016 at 09:15 AM about the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt LS Sedan FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

First off, I WANT TO SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR
THE WAY THAT IM FIXING TO TRY AND EXPLAIN
WHAT MY COBALTS PROBLEMS ARE, PAST AND
PRESENT. Im gonna try the BEST I can bc I
DESPERATELY NEED HELP! Thanks! Ok, here I go
and GOOD LUCK! Approx a year ago, my cobalt
engine suddenly shut off while going 70 on the hwy.
I immediately tried to start it again, but it wouldn't
even click or turn over... Actually NO SOUND AT
ALL... A mechanic ended diagnosing that the oil
was COMPLETELY DRY so the engine was
BLOWN. Ok, i don't know why bc I wasnt terribly
late getting its oil changed so... I went ahead and
decided 9 months ago to replace its engine. My
brothers good buddy said hed take care of me and
indeed he fixed it and It seemed to be working fine
to me, although the engine was WAY louder than
before, but I DIDNT CARE. Ok... So I got my cobalt
back, back in January this year,  and my brother
had to drive it too just for a month or so, but he said
it was fine and o specifically remember him looking
over everything... oil changed, etc... THEN approx 2
months after it being fixed,  as I was getting on the
hwy, I noticed a lil delay in its gaining of speed, then  
about 10 mins in, it suddenly was not being able to
gain or even hold its speed. RPMs were completely
revving up, until I could no longer even MAINTAIN
any kinda speed, let alone GAIN ANY. So as soon
as I let go of the gas, my engine immediately died. I
was ecstatic that when I tried to restart it, IT HAS
NO PROBLEM TURNING OVER, BUT IT SOUNDS
LIKE AN EXTREMELY LOUD, SICK MUFFLER
SOUND WHEN I APPY GAS AND WHEN I DO, the
best way to explain the sound, is its like IM
LEARNING HOW TO DRIVE A STANDARD AND
CANT SHIFT THE GEARS, THEN JUST STUCK
WITH NO ACCELERATION AND CONSTENT LOUD
ANNOYING REVVING OVER AND OVER. That make
sense? Lol  So... A local mechanic came out and at
first said it was just some Plug pack thing that
needed to be replaced, and one other small thing,
but basically an easy fix. After completing that, he
came up and said THAT MY ENGINE WAS
COMPLETELY DRY, therefore blown, AGAIN! He
went ahead and added some oil and checked for
leaks and what not, but ultimately, my NEW
ENGINE, was yet again, BLOWN. It still turns over
and acts like it wants to work, and my precious
mechanics now telling me that the car wouldn't do
what's its currently doing, if it's I fact blown. He no
longer lives anywhere near me but he thinks maybe
checking to see if it's, this isn't the right term but
this is what it sounded like on the phone lol,
"Cadillac Converter" is clogged or even completely
relplaced??? IM HOPING MAYBE YOU ALL CAN
PERHAPS TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK AND THEN
HELP ME OUT ON THE NEXT STEPS THAT I NEED
TO TAKE. If I gotta do the engine replace thing, I
think I'd much rather just sell it! I dunno.... WELL, I
HOPE MY PRAYERS WILL BE ANSWERED SOON
BC THIS NEWLY SINGLE MOMMA OF A LIL 12
MONTH OLD BOY IS ABOUT TO GO PLUM CRAZY
WITH NO TRANSPORTATION! LOL
*** Also, I have NO IDEA what kind of "Trim" to
select so I just said LS, but I'm hoping maybe
someone could help me figure that out.

2 Answers

1,170

Actually the Cobalts are known to have quite a few issues. my mind is somewhat discombobulated all of this however it sounds like one issue is either the Synchro in the transmission or the clutch plate is gone. As far as losing the power and could be that it is very likely could be from the back pressure of a bad catalytic converter. But if it's continued to be driven it is possible to do severe damage to the motor because of the back pressure

2 people found this helpful.
18,645

Cobalts are great cars, but like all things mechanical they all have their strengths and weaknesses. Is it an automatic or a stick shift manual transmission? Check your oil. Is it showing on the dipstick? If it is you're fine, even if its not full, as long as there's oil showing the engine is not starving for oil. Does it start and idle and sound OK when you rev it up a bit? If it does the engine is likely fine. Have it scanned for trouble codes. That will give you and your mechanic something to go on. If he's a real mechanic he will already have done that. If he didn't scan first he shouldn't be working on your car. Find someone else. A catalytic converter will cause problems. Scanning should identify that. if its the problem have it removed and /or replaced. If its revving up when you drive but not accelerating it could be your clutch, if its a standard, or transmission problems if its an automatic. Again scanning should pinpoint a lot of this.

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