Hi everyone, Im new here, and a relatively new cobalt owner, I purchased a 2007 Cobalt SS sedan 2.4L and have had it for about 9 months, no problems up until about 2-3months after installing a Injen CAI system. I have noticed my car slightly (and I mean slighly chugging) while idle at lights a few weeks ago. and just assumed it was regular engine behavior as it was not extremely noticeable.

Now the last 4 days the weather here has been very abnormally low, talking -25f to -30f at its worst.
The first day of this cold snap I was driving my car like normal, no issues at all. Now I work midnights so when I got up that same day for work, 12 midnight, I could not get my car to start at all.. All it seemed to want to do was basically struggle to start.. start for half a second to a second and chug/shake and die out.
I had full power to lights,radio, etc. Tried jumping with still no success. I started to think starter.. but then thought it couldnt be the starter as it was making normal starting sounds and not just clicking.
I got fed up with my car after 3 days of not getting it to start/troubleshooting myself. I brought my car in and the mechanic basically started it no problem by pushing the gas pedal down first and then turning it over.
then they tested my battery, turned out to be fine. starter, fine. alternator fine. So basically after all these tests, the mechanic told me my car is running way to rich and that my engine was flooded (im assuming this is from me trying to start it so many times with no avail.) and told me to change my spark plugs, and go floor my car on the expressway to get the extra fuel out of my engine. and fill my tank after with fresh gas.

Basically im just looking for some advice/tips etc as to what I should do.
Im going to be replacing the spark plugs either way as my car is at 120k kms and I dont know if/when the previous owner had them replaced at all.
I also know that after installing a CAI a tune is recommended to reconfigure the air/fuel ratio, that leads me to my next question, if anyone can help me tune my cobalt??? or give me a push in the right direction to get my cobalt tuned? I live in Windsor Ontario, it would be awesome if someone local could get in contact with me.

Feel free to ask any more questions I will check back often!
Thank you very much
Rob

Put your stock airbox back on for the winter. Or make it a short ram for the winter. Your problem is the air coming in is so cold and its putting so much fuel in during start up. Yes replace your plugs. No you do not need a tune for an intake and youd be wasting your money to even do that.

Bankerbalt is correct. The air is colder=denser. You can pull out your spark plugs to examine the wear condition, but that's what I would point my fingers as well. They tell you everything about what goes on inside your engine. If you tried starting it multiple times, then you probably flooded the engine...not horrible, just need to get it out. I would disconnect your fuel injectors, try cranking it a few times, then reconnect them before you put in the new spark plugs. It will push some leftover fuel out of the combustion chamber.

And you do not need a tune for an intake, the PCM has a learn ability with just an intake slapped on there. We call it "Adaptive Strategy"

Awesome guys, thank you for your advice! But I just read your post 5t3alth after I just changed my plugs now :( could I theoretically disconnect the fuel injectors and try cranking it a few times with the new plugs in? Or would you recommend taking them back out? Basically starting over

I have a injen cai on my ss/sc. It has been freezing cold here lately and 0 problems. Could possibly be a fuel pump issue as well.