My Sonic is too slow, any suggestions

[Driver86]

I got the 1.8 sedan when it first came out in 2012. Is going to be a couple of years before it's paid off enough to trade in on my next car (used Boxster or 370Z).

Car has 26K miles on it and it's just painfully slow, my girlfriend's Corolla looks like a Camaro compared to this thing. It has no power below 3K RPM and runs out of breath and power at 5K RPM. Using manual mode in shifting helps.

The other thing is that if I drive like a grandpa (shift under 2k RPM), I can get 30-31mpg on my 8 mile drive in traffic to work. If I drive like a normal person or get in the gas a little bit (shift at 3-3.5K RPM) then it drops like a rock to 26.5MPG.

I've replaced the air filter with a K&N and I can't really tell too much difference. Anybody got any other non-extreme ideas on how to wrangle more performance out of this for a couple more years until I get an actual sports car? I'm not looking to track it or drag race anybody but it shouldn't be shamed by a damned 2011 Corolla that has nearly identical specs.

 

[Insanika]

T
U
N
E
it

 

[Stew]

Regrettably you just aren't going to see any significant power gains without $$$, and I'm interpreting non-extreme as not expensive. As the old adage goes: speed cost money, how fast do you want to go?

I hear Trifecta does a tune for the 1.8, that may help some.

 

[Driver86]

Two votes already for tune. Has anybody posted what differences they've seen with MPG and accelleration with the Trifecta on the 1.8?

I wouldn't consider the trifecta extreme. Adding a supercharger or turbo to it and having to redo a bunch of plumbing and change sensors and manifold etc... I consider extreme.

 

[$ub$onic]

Tune, intake, exhaust and it really wakes up. The 1.8 it's pretty smothered with emissions crap.
The tune really does help the drivability.
Went from 34-35 mpg stock and now I
can pull 40 pretty easy

 

[rdss]

Dig through $ub$onic's build thread. He's tuned and talked about performance gain and mileage. You're going to see better drivability come from the tune more so than all out performance. BNR has a cat less header and mid pipe, add that to DDM intake, test pipe and a good 2 1/4" cat back with it custom tuned and you're going to get the most out of the car without going inside the motor or paying for a turbo install.

 

[$ub$onic]

Another thing I wanna add is I never had the power drop offs some people claim the 1.8 has. Of Course it didn't really start making power till like 2k rpm but that was stock. Now I can pull hills in 5th at 1900 rpm.


With that said, I'm not exactly sure how to solve that problem. But the tune makes it so much better to drive

 

[Insanika]

Dig through $ub$onic's build thread. He's tuned and talked about performance gain and mileage. You're going to see better drivability come from the tune more so than all out performance. BNR has a cat less header and mid pipe, add that to DDM intake, test pipe and a good 2 1/4" cat back with it custom tuned and you're going to get the most out of the car without going inside the motor or paying for a turbo install.

You're describing straight bolt-on swaps right? I don't recall any retrofitting needed for any of those, eh?

I wouldn't consider any of that extreme myself considering what seems to be gained from it.

 

[xsonicLTZx]

pulling hills in 5th gear......i so need the tune.....the 1.8 is so wtf right now....

 

[TheFallenAngel12]

I think my 1.8 does fine for itself right now. I have a K&N Air Filter and a 2.25" Exhaust system from the 2nd CAT Back for the moment and with just those 2 changes my 1.8 really opened up. not tuned yet. YET... Its in my plans to do so. and get a DDM Intake system. along with the Headers and downpipe, and a high flow CAT. Then it should really drive great. But for stock tuned and what ive done so far my 1.8 moves pretty darn good. Night time it pulls the best. Yeah there are moments it doesnt want to move but oh well. It will get resolved in the future.

The one thing i hate more than anything is the damn Traction Control and Stability Control Features!! Damn things have almost caused an accident too many times. Every time i punch it hard it will revv up and then cut out because of those nanny's kicking in. Wish i could perminately disable them without loosing the ABS Feature. it dont bother me. just the other 2 features!

 

[rdss]

You're describing straight bolt-on swaps right? I don't recall any retrofitting needed for any of those, eh?

I wouldn't consider any of that extreme myself considering what seems to be gained from it.

Yes, that's all bolt on for the 1.8 I'd recommend starting with the tune then doing the mods and updating as the mods progress.

 

[Luv2xlr8]

The one thing i hate more than anything is the damn Traction Control and Stability Control Features!! Damn things have almost caused an accident too many times. Every time i punch it hard it will revv up and then cut out because of those nanny's kicking in. Wish i could perminately disable them without loosing the ABS Feature. it dont bother me. just the other 2 features!

I usually have both turned off, or at least I try every time I get into my car.

For the new ppl that don't know, you need to hold down the TCS button down for like 7 seconds and it turns off STS. This will actually help out a bit at the drag strip it you ever decide to take it down the track.

 

[TheFallenAngel12]

Thanks for the information to the others that may know. i myself know of this feature, its just a pain remembering to turn it off every time i get in is all. would be nice to just perminately disable it so not have to do that lol. With it off it allows you to actually run the car and not get stopped by the engine police as i like to call those features. All "Eh Eh Eh i dont think so". Annoying at best. But yes, holding that button down by the child safety lock does indeed help!

 

[mitdr774]

TCS blows. I have almost been in a few accidents due to TCS shutting me down.

 

[firstorbit84]

You all need to learn better throttle modulation. I know when mine are going to kick in and I just let up slightly before that. Also, once they kick in, I think taking your foot all the way off the gas will give you control back sooner. Plus, even with both tcs and stability control "off" the stability control will still kick in.

I agree they do suck as far as nannies go, tho. Some other cars are a lot more forgiving.

 

[mitdr774]

I dont even need to have a wheel slip for TCS to kick in. It is an overly agressive system that in not predictable. I prefer a car without the electronic nannies. Yes, If you take your foot completely off the throttle and then get back on the TCS will ease up. This does not help when you need to move right now.

 

[sx sonic]

OP your 2 best bets are the tune and the header
I can't recall the gains for the trifecta tune but I think it was around 10-15hp on the 1.8.

The headers appear to be showing a consistent 20 hp gain.
I couldn't find the header thread here on the forum but here's a link for BNR's website:2012+ Chevrolet Sonic 1.8L Stainless Steel 4-1 Header/Downpipe Combo

And here's a link for the two 1.8s that have posted some engine hp/tq numbers and their mods. :http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/general-discussion/8024-sonic-dyno-thread.html

 

[cndctrdj]

Also the tune will fix the transmission.

 

[Swordsmith]

If you want to permanently turn off the nannies, and turn them completely off not just mostly off, then all you have to do is pull the ABS fuse. Of course this will also kill your ABS, but if you think TCS and SC are intrusive, wait until the ABS smacks you in the asterisk.

Personally, unless I'm really trying for a serious racing start, I only tap my TCS off, I don't find SC sufficiently intrusive to want to kill it, and I got used to ABS last winter and don't mind it either.

TCS, though, I really feel jeopardizes my life, if I forget to turn it off I'm sure I will die pulling out to merge in front of an oncoming truck, when the nannies see fit to kill my car.

 

[TheFallenAngel12]

If you want to permanently turn off the nannies, and turn them completely off not just mostly off, then all you have to do is pull the ABS fuse. Of course this will also kill your ABS, but if you think TCS and SC are intrusive, wait until the ABS smacks you in the asterisk.

Personally, unless I'm really trying for a serious racing start, I only tap my TCS off, I don't find SC sufficiently intrusive to want to kill it, and I got used to ABS last winter and don't mind it either.

TCS, though, I really feel jeopardizes my life, if I forget to turn it off I'm sure I will die pulling out to merge in front of an oncoming truck, when the nannies see fit to kill my car.

That Sir is why i want to perminately disable those features because of just that. I dont always mash the gas but if i need to hit it hard to merge out of a driveway or street into traffic because of heavy traffic and only getting a small window to go and needing to get up to speed pretty damn quick with those on its impossible. TCS and SC will kill the engines power instantly leaving you trying to move and not being able to because it killed the power and leaving you wide open to be slammed because of it. The other day i had this very thing happen.

Was sitting in a lot waiting to get out. car after car after car kept going by. traffic each way was heavy. spread out just right. the only way to get out was to just punch it and go hard. I wasnt even thinking about those damn nannys and i laid into it to go and the damn thing cutout on me and luckily i got it to snap out of it and go again before the vehicle came up onto me. I just hate those damn features, like i said ABS is not a problem. just the other 2. Thats what i loved about my previous car. That whole setup was Disabled!! No TCS, No SC, and No ABS! Might have to just pull that fuse then i guess...