The potential energy surface for the CoC3H8+ system is examined in studies using a guided-ion beam tandem mass spectrometer in conjunction with a de discharge/flow tube ion source. Bimolecular reactions of Co+ + C3H8, Co+(C3H6) + H-2 (D-2), Co+(C2H4) + CH4 (CD4), and CoCH2+ + C2H6 are examined, as well as threshold collisional activation of Co+(C3H8). The results allow details of the [CoC3H8](+) potential energy surface to be elucidated. A key feature of the potential energy surface is a rate limiting transition state for C-H bond activation processes, measured as 0.29 +/- 0.10 eV below the Co+ + C3H8 asymptote. For C-C bond activation, experiments are interpreted to yield two rate-limiting transition states lying 0.08 +/- 0.08 eV below and 0.05 +/- 0.04 eV above this asymptote. From the threshold collision activation study, we determine a 0 K bond dissociation energy for D-0(Co+-C3H8) of 1.34 +/- 0.06 eV. We also determine a lower limit for D-0(Co+-C2H5) of 1.76 +/- 0.09 eV (estimated as 2.00 +/- 0.11 eV), and D-0(DCo+-C2H4) = 0.95 +/- 0.18 eV. On the basis of recent theoretical studies, we assign the rate-limiting TSs to multicenter elimination structures and show that this reaction scheme can explain both the present and previous experimental observations.