1.4L Teardown/Modification

[Preloader]

Updated post #2 with teardown pics.

Also here's a pic of the timing cover where it mates to the block and head.

All the pulleys will need to be removed and the timing cover separated for head removal. Pretty standard on 4-bangers.

 

[rdss]

Great work Preload!!

 

[american_tuner]

I spoke to dave this morning about cams. There is an oil passage in them for the VVT system and nobody will make blanks yet.

The conclusion about more displacement is that the cylinder walls are already thin and there isn't much room for boring. Maybe .020".

Here's the exhaust gasket against the head.

You can see the potential for porting. But rumor is the intake ports will provide the most benefit from porting.

There is slot of porting potential

 

[sx sonic]

There is slot of porting potential

Indeed, the stock turbo mani is similary sized. Atleast 8 hours of work for getting the head close to size and a rough finish, double that too rework the stock mani/turbo; that iron is slow porting...


To be honest thou I don't see complete port matching important for along while, like 300hp or more. It looks like the valve size and profile and runners (nearest the combustion chamber) will be the limiting factors in head flow....... After most other options have been exhausted.


Of course this is my amateur opinion, and I could be wrong.

 

[Preloader]

It's oddly satisfying, just knowing where something like the thermostat is. When I'm driving and my coolant temp gets a little high, and I'm waiting for the thermostat to cycle, it's nice to be able to visualize exactly where the event is taking place.

That's what I meant by geeking out on this engine. I feel like a kid in a sandbox when I'm wrenching on it

 

[Eric Smit]

fun fact, with measurements, comp cams will make a blank for you.

 

[Goneau]

wow preloader, nice buy bud, and now i know for a fact my 1.8 will never be faster than you >.<

 

[Preloader]

With the oil passages?

Dave at ddmw says no.

They need GMs blessing to use their design. And that's where the road ends.

He said he's talked to several fabbers that said they could do it, no problem. But once they dug deeper, they declined.

 

[rdss]

Sounds like a set of one off spacers need to made for you.

 

[13TurboLTZ]

It's oddly satisfying, just knowing where something like the thermostat is. When I'm driving and my coolant temp gets a little high, and I'm waiting for the thermostat to cycle, it's nice to be able to visualize exactly where the event is taking place.

Another fun fact - the thermostat doesnt open just by coolant getting hot. Theres also an ECM controlled heater that'll make the t stat open earlier if greater cooling is needed under certain conditions. Normally, it starts to open at 221*F and is fully open at 248*F with no assist. When the electric assist is commanded by the ECM, it'll open as early as 194*F.

 

[RoXXXanne13]

I cant get over those temps.. that's hot as ****kk, new cars are more confusing.. could we run no thermostat like I did on my old car? computer would probably flip ****.. lol and pre.. is it hard to remove timing chain cover?? did u hit any snags? I wanted to try it once but was too intimidated :sadbanana:

 

[ecohauler]

Just realized we have a proper timing cover gasket, not that RTV crap like my Saturn uses. This engine should be durable and last a long time, and then it should be easy to rebuild. I'm gonna have this car for-freaking-ever.

 

[13TurboLTZ]

I cant get over those temps.. that's hot as ****kk, new cars are more confusing.. could we run no thermostat like I did on my old car? computer would probably flip ****.. lol and pre.. is it hard to remove timing chain cover?? did u hit any snags? I wanted to try it once but was too intimidated :sadbanana:

Its for fuel economy and emissions. In reality its not a problem at all for a daily driver. I mean 248* seems high but with a coolant cap rated at 20PSI, coolant wouldn't even start to boil till past 260, maybe even 270*F. Hell my 87 Camaros factory coolant fan switch (the old school on in the pass side head) didn't turn the fans on till 235*F.

To be honest though, I don't think these cars get hot enough to fully open the thermostat very often. Maybe sitting waiting for a train to pass on a hot summer day. I mean the owners manual does say not to idle the engine for longer than 10 minutes (that's also how long the car will stay remote started without the key in the ignition).

 

[RSTURBO]

Ive been waiting for a thread like this to start and will be watching it closely. Ive owned several cars with stroker motors and cutting edge mods. Having a 300+hp sonic would be the ultimate sleeper

 

[RoXXXanne13]

my 70' impala runs 160-170 all day long at the strip it got up to upper 180s but that's cuz I was all like mashhhhhhhhhhhhhh sit n idle... masshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh sit n idle lol so too much electronics to run no thermostat? can we re calibrate when it opens? or are these temps really optimal? I don't wanna hurt it.. and I still wanna know about the timing cover

 

[Preloader]

The temp that it opens can be adjusted thought the tune.

But running cooler doesn't benefit modern 4 and 6 cyl engines. Every component is engineered to operate at higher temp of 195-220F. It's an MPG thing and here to stay.

300whp will be........wait for it.......IMPOSSIBLE with the stock turbo. I don't know why I resisted accepting this for so long. 200whp is close to the limit. And that's about where I'm at.

Turbos don't just make power, they also limit it. The turbine and turbine housing of the stock GT14 will not allow the amount of flow needed to make 300.

Dave at DDMW is working closely with me to make the right turbo selection to put me at the end goal of 300whp. Expect it to happen sometime this summer.opcorn:

 

[Stew]

Another fun fact - the thermostat doesnt open just by coolant getting hot. Theres also an ECM controlled heater that'll make the t stat open earlier if greater cooling is needed under certain conditions. Normally, it starts to open at 221*F and is fully open at 248*F with no assist. When the electric assist is commanded by the ECM, it'll open as early as 194*F.

Wow, that's totally not at all how I imagined an ECM controlled thermostat working. When I learned it was controlled by the ECM I imagined a stepper motor or something opening a valve to allow more or less coolant to flow with no means for it to open without the computer doing it's thing. I'll be darned.

 

[Preloader]

It's almost just like a traditional Thermostat, but with electronic assist.

I took the timing cover off. And updated post #2 with some juicy pics.

Coming soon, head removal.

 

[Preloader]

I got the cylinder head off. This is more fun than I anticipated. I also got the ca shafts off. (Pics soon)

I'll need a valve spring compressor tool to go further.opcorn:

Added pics to post #3.

 

[Stew]

Very interesting! How does the wear on the timing chain tensioner/guides look? The cross hatch in the cylinder still looks good but does that seem like a lot of deposits on the pistons and combustion chamber for 14k miles? Maybe from oil working it's way through the intake system, time for me to put a catch can in!