I've been looking online and I guess there are no turbo kit for the 1.8 (unless I haven't looked hard enough). I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for the best engine mods for the 1.8. I read earlier about some headers that add about 30 hp or so? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.
Best engine mods for the 1.8?
- Thread starter LJ909
- Start date
Chevy2012sonic
New member
There is no turbo kit for the 1.8. I have the 1.8 myself. I have intake trifectia tune (for right not) and exhaust. If u do the header im pretty sure u need to be tune. If you plan on doing that get hp tuner. Thats what im going to get next
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Wub2Dub
New member
*cough* A 1.4T swap. J/k, but tbh there are numerous detailed threads already started on the subject of mods for said engine.
2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ (hatch)
MPFab CAI, Forge BOV, 2.5" SS turbo back, Trifecta Elite Tuned, bypass valve "bypass", MPFab FMIC, Ultra Gauge, ported intake mani
2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ (hatch)
MPFab CAI, Forge BOV, 2.5" SS turbo back, Trifecta Elite Tuned, bypass valve "bypass", MPFab FMIC, Ultra Gauge, ported intake mani
My recommendation: Trifecta Stage 0/1 tune with K&N intake, swap K&N filter for AEM, Mobil 1 Ext Performance or Pennzoil Ultra Platinum oil and Shell Nitro+ fuel
If you want an exhaust, try the SLP Powerflo.
If you want to reduce unsprung weight and reduce rotational mass, pick up a set of Andros SpecD wheels in 15" or 16".
Outside of drivetrain performance:
Springs/shocks/struts - GM Performance Suspension
Rear sway reduction: DDM Works rear brace
This will improve the car to where it will no longer be recognizable.
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If you want an exhaust, try the SLP Powerflo.
If you want to reduce unsprung weight and reduce rotational mass, pick up a set of Andros SpecD wheels in 15" or 16".
Outside of drivetrain performance:
Springs/shocks/struts - GM Performance Suspension
Rear sway reduction: DDM Works rear brace
This will improve the car to where it will no longer be recognizable.
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mitdr774
also a dinner prick
Unless they actually learned how to do what they are being paid to do I would hesitate to run anything other than a SAB with their tune. My car had almost maxed out LTFT with a SAB and their tune.
Honestly, your best bet is to get a decent suspension and tires and have fun.
Honestly, your best bet is to get a decent suspension and tires and have fun.
Hmmm... You must really be hurt over your past experience... Every time I post something positive about Trifecta... You post something negative. I am sorry for your loss. These guys have really stepped up their game. They have multiple fleet vehicles that are constantly being monitored with lots of dyno time. There Stage 1 release had extensive testing on and off the dyno prior to release. I have monitored your experiences on the forum for the past few years and your willingness to create a moving target for a remote based tuner ...makes it very difficult to properly setup a tune to fit your car. I respect your opinion but I do not agree.
For those that are curious about mitdr774 comments, please read an explanation of fuel trim parameters:
http://m.autoserviceprofessional.co...-How-it-works-and-how-to-make-it-work-for-you
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For those that are curious about mitdr774 comments, please read an explanation of fuel trim parameters:
http://m.autoserviceprofessional.co...-How-it-works-and-how-to-make-it-work-for-you
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$ub$onic
The Sticker Guy
Kinda hard to step there game up with some of our experiences happening as early as July/aug.
They don't have a fleet. They are rental cars, leases or a friends car.
It's not that hard for a remote tuner to make a good tune, but KR in the double digits, fuel trims out of spec, and tunes that made the car sluggish along with being told "the tune is fine" is absurd, especially when other remote tunes on the market don't have this issue.
They have been popping motors as long as they have been around.
You really need to look into it more, don't fall for the smoke and mirrors.
Oh and side note, other then maybe a MAF CAL, a intake requires no additional tuning and 9/10 times you end up loosing power in the real world.
They don't have a fleet. They are rental cars, leases or a friends car.
It's not that hard for a remote tuner to make a good tune, but KR in the double digits, fuel trims out of spec, and tunes that made the car sluggish along with being told "the tune is fine" is absurd, especially when other remote tunes on the market don't have this issue.
They have been popping motors as long as they have been around.
You really need to look into it more, don't fall for the smoke and mirrors.
Oh and side note, other then maybe a MAF CAL, a intake requires no additional tuning and 9/10 times you end up loosing power in the real world.
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And $ub$onic follows suit. I really like you and mitdr774 and all of your activity on the site but dang you guys are negative. Can you provide data to back up the popped engines? I have yet to hear of any popped 1.8l engines from Trifecta or any other tuner... due to the tune. Come to think of it... I haven't heard of any. There are definitely folks that have had failures due to the the inferior intake tube or head gaskets.
BTW, most corporations lease their vehicles. It reduces the CoO and provides the ability to be agile with the capital tied to the asset.
BTW, most corporations lease their vehicles. It reduces the CoO and provides the ability to be agile with the capital tied to the asset.
Wub2Dub
New member
Oh, you got the "the tune is fine" response too? I had a two-three month long discussion with them. I begged to just switch to another company and I got a free elite "upgrade." Yay...
2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ (hatch)
MPFab CAI, Forge BOV, 2.5" SS turbo back, Trifecta Elite Tuned, bypass valve "bypass", MPFab FMIC, Ultra Gauge, ported intake mani
$ub$onic
The Sticker Guy
Following suit? Please, I've been in this community long enough to know what's going on.
It's a ****ty tune backed by ok customer service. Were you around this time last year when it would take months to get a update? The only reason they somewhat got their act together is because BNR created a better tune and is taking market share away.
As far as popping motors, it's tricky.
Most of the motors that pop are modified, there for it's hard to pin it on the tune, but I encourage you to go though the cobalt forums, among others and you will see what the results are.
The 1.8 is not the one you normally see fail, look at the 1.4's. There have been several on this forum alone that failed that shouldn't have. You also can not deny the fact that the tunes they are calling "good" are far from it. Hell, my last "all good" tune had pegged +30 fuel trims and a WOT AFR of 15.
Mitdr also has a say about this but I will leave that story to him and if he wants to say it.
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Wub2Dub
New member
I'm all for giving a company the credit they are do. I found that both Trifecta and BNR where rather irresponsible in the handling of my customer service requests. In fact they were bickering with each other like a couple of little kids and brought customers into it. I don't have an obligation to defend either one. They are businesses and their purpose is to make money. Don't you forget it. It's not like one doesn't benefit from the reduced reputation of the other. I have lost all trust in Trifecta and I value my vehicle a great deal. Too much to put it in their hands in the future. I'm sure $ub$onic isn't saying these things for the hell of it. He has nothing to gain.
I thought I was done with the subject, but you reminded how angry I still am months later.
2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ (hatch)
MPFab CAI, Forge BOV, 2.5" SS turbo back, Trifecta Elite Tuned, bypass valve "bypass", MPFab FMIC, Ultra Gauge, ported intake mani
I thought I was done with the subject, but you reminded how angry I still am months later.
2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ (hatch)
MPFab CAI, Forge BOV, 2.5" SS turbo back, Trifecta Elite Tuned, bypass valve "bypass", MPFab FMIC, Ultra Gauge, ported intake mani
$ub$onic
The Sticker Guy
I would really like to take you guys to dinner and discuss this over a beer. You guys really seem like some good hearted fellows. I was around back then. I was on Cruze Talk in March of 2011. I special ordered one of the first 200 - 2012 Cruze RS LT2 6-speed (arguably the best setup for 1.4t in the Cruze until the new drivetrain comes out in the next model). I joined this forum last year after picking up an LT HB. I had been combing the forum long before, however. After 40K miles in the Cruze (no tune), I popped both an underboost and PCV code. GM replaced multiple items. Both problems were new and I was apprehensive of any potential longevity past the 100K powertrain warranty.... so I traded it in on a Silverado. Of course, we now know that both problems are pervasive with the 1.4T. GM was/is not really ready for the tight profit margin small displacement turbos. They have gotten better in the past few years but it was rough in the beginning. I even contacted Trifecta back then to see if we could work out a tune and have them use my car as the pilot. Unfortunately, distance and timing was an issue.
With respect to Trifecta... in the beginning, it was a very tight nit group. Vince would sometimes respond in a hour or two. As their popularity grew and they broadened their scope from J-body's to LNF/L61/LSJ.... then they took on the Cruze and the Sonic. But then they opened up to the Buick and Cadillac market. This is when things changed. They seemed to not be able to keep up with demand. People would contact them and you wouldn't hear from them for weeks and months. Their business model with respect to support had changed very little and they could not keep up with the demand. They also started fiddling with key features like Select-A-Tune. That is when things really fell apart. Now, they have seem to regroup and are headed in a new direction. They have focus and their support is normally less than 24 hours. Select-A-Tune is back and they provide free tune reviews and modifications.
I definitely feel your pain. I am not sure why your tunes are off, but I would not place all of the blame on Trifecta. GM's products have a tendency to hold part of the blame.
By the way, I am old fart... I have been tuning and playing with cars since '97 with my J-Body Z-24. I have been doing this for longer than half of the forums members have been alive.
Salt and pepper hair and all.
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Wub2Dub
New member
I would really like to take you guys to dinner and discuss this over a beer. You guys really seem like some good hearted fellows. I was around back then. I was on Cruze Talk in March of 2011. I special ordered one of the first 200 - 2012 Cruze RS LT2 6-speed (arguably the best setup for 1.4t in the Cruze until the new drivetrain comes out in the next model). I joined this forum last year after picking up an LT HB. I had been combing the forum long before, however. After 40K miles in the Cruze (no tune), I popped both an underboost and PCV code. GM replaced multiply items. Both problems were new and I was apprehensive of any potential longevity past the 100K powertrain warranty.... so I traded it in on a Silverado. Of course, we now know that both problems are pervasive with the 1.4T. GM was/is not really ready for the tight profit margin small displacement turbos. They have gotten better in the past few years but it was rough in the beginning. I even contacted Trifecta back then to see if we could work out a tune and have them use my car as the pilot. Unfortunately, distance and timing was an issue.
With respect to Trifecta... in the beginning, it was a very tight nit group. Vince would sometimes respond in a hour or two. As their popularity grew and they broadened their scope from J-body's to LNF/L61/LSJ.... then they took on the Cruze and the Sonic. But then they opened up to the Buick and Cadillac market. This is when things changed. They seemed to not be able to keep up with demand. People would contact them and you wouldn't hear from them for weeks and months. Their business model with respect to support had changed very little and they could not keep up with the demand. They also started fiddling with key features like Select-A-Tune. That is when things really feel apart. Now, they have seem to regroup and are headed in a new direction. They have focus and their support is normally less than 24 hours. Select-A-Tune is back and they provide free tune reviews and modifications.
I definitely feel your pain. I am not sure why your tunes are off, but I would not place all of the blame on Trifecta. GM's products have a tendency to hold part of the blame.
By the way, I am old fart... I have been tuning and playing with cars since '97 with my J-Body Z-24. I have been doing this for longer than half of the forums members have been alive.
You're buying!
2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ (hatch)
MPFab CAI, Forge BOV, 2.5" SS turbo back, Trifecta Elite Tuned, bypass valve "bypass", MPFab FMIC, Ultra Gauge, ported intake mani
mitdr774
also a dinner prick
Its not GMs fault when one tune leaves the oil heavily diluted with fuel and running like ****, yet another tune runs great and does not wash the cylinders with fuel. (my 1.4T)
Its not GMs fault when a tune that supposedly makes 177 hp results in a car that is slower to 45 MPH than a 1.0L Metro. (my 1.8)
While I can not prove that it was the result of the tune that caused the issue with my 1.4, I can say that the way the engine responded and behaved while bringing it home is directly related to the crap program that was in it. I can also say that even though the tune in it now is running a far better AFR and I dont have fuel contamination in my oil, the damage has already been done and the engine is not long for the world anymore. I will be parking the car for the winter and debating my options for how to repair the car. I can not prove the tune was the main contributing factor, but I am confident that it is. It is hard to prove that a tune was the cause of a failure in the vast majority of cases where it is the cause. T has been contributing to failed engines since the J body days, they have also been denying it since then as well. I hesitated running one of their tunes in my 1.8 for this reason, but it was my only option at the time.
Its not GMs fault when a tune that supposedly makes 177 hp results in a car that is slower to 45 MPH than a 1.0L Metro. (my 1.8)
While I can not prove that it was the result of the tune that caused the issue with my 1.4, I can say that the way the engine responded and behaved while bringing it home is directly related to the crap program that was in it. I can also say that even though the tune in it now is running a far better AFR and I dont have fuel contamination in my oil, the damage has already been done and the engine is not long for the world anymore. I will be parking the car for the winter and debating my options for how to repair the car. I can not prove the tune was the main contributing factor, but I am confident that it is. It is hard to prove that a tune was the cause of a failure in the vast majority of cases where it is the cause. T has been contributing to failed engines since the J body days, they have also been denying it since then as well. I hesitated running one of their tunes in my 1.8 for this reason, but it was my only option at the time.
AERSUPERSTAR
Member
There is a kit available but you have to get the 16 turbo European 1.6 it’s turbo
AERSUPERSTAR
Member
Here’s the exhaust manifold gasket it shows right in the list what all it fits so and they’re on eBay without turbo 90$ ship within 3 weeks
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SuperS13
Sonic86
Right now I run a bnr tune, have a 2.5" Slp exhaust and k&n intake as well as a ported cylinder head, ported tb. In the process of mocking up a turbo build for my 1.8L. But anyways I've run with bnr and they use hp tuners now...and they remote tune from Florida...in my opinion it's nice to have your own obd 2 tuner pack and choose from any tune that suits you from you computer and upload it to your device its handy..I have 6 tunes so far and they provide unlimited tunes. It takes a bit to receive tunes but as long as you do thorough datalogging you receive the tune quicker. I usually send 2 big datalog files so fuel, ignition and timing maps are read and throughly optimized for whatever situation,(autocross, drags, circuit racing, daily driving or gas saving) it's taken 6 tunes to get a good all around performance 93 octane tune. And I already have a drag and circuit ecu tune.