# Boats4Life's 2011 Cruze ECO



## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

This is what I have so far, I will update with more videos/pics of what I do regularly, hopefully with something better than my phone camera, lol.


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## EcoCruzer (Mar 4, 2011)

Good job Boats. Cruze is looking great. I love the 3M carbon and how is it holding up on the dash? Car is a little loud for my liking too so the res will really help. Nicely done!


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

The vinyl is holding up great inside and out of the car, bowties look just as good as the day I did them!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Is there any real benefit to removing the heat shield from the exhaust manifold?


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

Not that I know of, I just left it off. I want to heat wrap the down and mid pipe though to help the turbo's efficiency. For that matter I may put the shield back on...


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Surprisingly video wasn't shaky at all for doing it one handed. 
I would recommend mounting the phone in the useless compartment (unless you have speaker there, can't tell) to keep it clean. 

Looking good though.


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

It doesn't matter where I mount it, it will vibrate too much for good video quality (TTR mount)


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## SlvrECObullet (Feb 21, 2012)

Definently a little loud. haha. I like the 3M carbon fiber vinyl. Cool I'm in the Navy to. Way out here in CA. Good luck to ya and keep us updated.


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## Xlr8machineshop (Jul 17, 2011)

What's the vibrating/ rattling noise the mount shacking the car or the exhaust rattling?


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## jakkaroo (Feb 12, 2011)

Ln001740547cn


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

I'm not sure what Jak is going on about, lol, but yes, the vibration is the Upper engine mount. Instead of absorbing the vibrations like a stock (soft) mount would, the TurboTechRacing mount holds the engine in place better for more usable power and torque. That vibration has to go somewhere, so it ends up everywhere else in the car. Feels kinda nice sometimes, but I know I have to keep double checking all my nuts and bolts to make sure they're in place.


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## Smurfenstein (Nov 16, 2011)

Man, I wish I had your car lol.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

boats4life said:


> I'm not sure what Jak is going on about, lol, but yes, the vibration is the Upper engine mount. Instead of absorbing the vibrations like a stock (soft) mount would, the TurboTechRacing mount holds the engine in place better for more usable power and torque. That vibration has to go somewhere, so it ends up everywhere else in the car. Feels kinda nice sometimes, but I know I have to keep double checking all my nuts and bolts to make sure they're in place.


By "more usable power and torque," don't you mean simply quicker power delivery (no lag time) and firmer shifts? Once you're making power, that mount won't do anything but give you a literal buzz. 

I've tried polyurethane and solid mounts in the past, and even on high torque motors like the my L67 producing well over 350 crank-lb-ft of torque, concluded that the difference was miniscule and mostly a "driving experience" mod.


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

It just helps get the power to the ground faster, doesn't add anything else really. Like you said, mostly driving experience mod. 

Thanks, Smurf, I really appreciate it!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

boats4life said:


> It just helps get the power to the ground faster, doesn't add anything else really. Like you said, mostly driving experience mod.
> 
> Thanks, Smurf, I really appreciate it!


Yeah, it definitely gets power to the ground faster. I remember it was a huge improvement when I first used even a poly dogbone mount and I would break the tires loose all the time because the throttle snapped so quickly. Shifts were much nicer.

Does anyone make a poly mount for these cars, or is solid the only aftermarket part available?


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

So far, no lower mounts at all, and the stockers are plastic, so that's a definite item on my fix list.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

boats4life said:


> So far, no lower mounts at all, and the stockers are plastic, so that's a definite item on my fix list.


Are the lowers seriously plastic mounts??? I thought they were rubber. Are you referring to the mount casing, or the actual inside material? I'm truly baffled.


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

The mount itself is plastic with rubber bushings, if my eyes did not deceive me.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

boats4life said:


> The mount itself is plastic with rubber bushings, if my eyes did not deceive me.


Ah, ok. I'll check it over just to make 100% sure, but I can't imagine engine bay heat and plastic will mix very well over time. I've never seen a plastic motor mount before. 

I'm glad the inside is rubber at least.


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

New Vibrant Performance ultra quiet resonator installed, ordered from ISM!


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## ChevyCruzeLTZ (Apr 7, 2011)

Looks great and sounds better with that resonator, nice car!


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

Thanks! It might not be getting much more done to it until next winter...


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## Pandashh (Apr 27, 2012)

So one thing I do not like about the Cruze community is every one whining MPG this MPG that. If you dont want better miles per gallon dont go to far into changing what the engineers did, But I do have to laugh at how your running the Eco Model without a catalytic converter. Sounds like something a Navy guy would do. Go Army. :moon:


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

Pandashh said:


> So one thing I do not like about the Cruze community is every one whining MPG this MPG that. If you dont want better miles per gallon dont go to far into changing what the engineers did, But I do have to laugh at how your running the Eco Model without a catalytic converter. Sounds like something a Navy guy would do. Go Army. :moon:


Got the eco because it's lighter, not to be green. Im not worried about mileage, my wife is. Btw, how's that decade of losses against the navy going for the army? And I hate officers, but I gotta give the midshipman props for a full ten years of ownage.

Sent from my SGH-I777 using AutoGuide.com App


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

I'm with boats I bought mine because of the chassis and how light it is.

Sent from my Droid using AutoGuide.Com Free App


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

Definitely sounds better with the resonator. Still has that nice grumble to it, which is awesome.

Btw, how are the cutoffs on those headlights? worth it?


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## Pandashh (Apr 27, 2012)

boats4life said:


> Got the eco because it's lighter, not to be green. Im not worried about mileage, my wife is. Btw, how's that decade of losses against the navy going for the army? And I hate officers, but I gotta give the midshipman props for a full ten years of ownage.
> 
> Sent from my SGH-I777 using AutoGuide.com App



No comeback there, are football team sucks!


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

LMAO.
The headlights are great, but I need to se if theres a way to aim the projectors better, they seem to be a little off. The cutoff is ok, I have a few videos on my old youtube channel (search Crankdatsailorboy) I think they were worth it purely for how well they look with black granite, but they've performed well, too.


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## Brischke (Apr 25, 2012)

Hey Boats,

How did you get the instrument display to show instantaneous and average mpg? On my cruze it only shows the average.

Thanks


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

Instantaneous is something they did for the 2011 ECO. I'm not sure if the 2012s have it or not.


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## Smurfenstein (Nov 16, 2011)

boats4life said:


> Instantaneous is something they did for the 2011 ECO. I'm not sure if the 2012s have it or not.


my 2012 LS has instant mpg.


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

My 1LT has instant mpg on the display that also includes miles til empty and mph.


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

I removed my heat shield also, want to heat wrap it + my future zzp downpipe .


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## StephensCruze (Apr 13, 2012)

Can I get the info on that exhaust? I'd love for mine to sound just like that!


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## boats4life (May 28, 2011)

Well, the final product was full catless pipes with the cutout before the resonator towards the forward end of the catback section. A Vibrant performance resonator at the far aft point in the center of the car, and a Flowmaster 80 series in the stock location. I've already removed the catless pipes and the cutout, since the car is going mostly back to stock. For the part number on the resonator, I'd have to get that from Steve at ISM, since he's the one that suggested it.


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## StephensCruze (Apr 13, 2012)

Oh ok. Nice set up I really liked the deep sound on it. My next step is the intake and exhaust for me. I've got my wheel well light kit, and interior glow coming. I've got the underglow and rims on it already. Just seems kinda weird going down the road with a stock engine sound.


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