what did you do to your Sonic today?

[logandsawman]

I had a big weekend for working on my sonic, just put in new plugs, first set at 173,000

Pic of the original plug at that mileage:



Also oil and filter change,

Thursday replaced the right control arm, ball joint assembly

Last week replaced the sway bar on right side

rotated the tires last week as well.

Sonic runs great!

Dave

 

[Mike1955]

This was a tough one.

Decided to take on the oil cooler yesterday.
Parts needed was a complete replacement oil cooler bought on Amazon, 5L of 5W30 oil and some anti freeze.
Needed some special tools as well, mainly an oxygen sensor socket and an E-Torx set.

Getting the heatshield and exhaust manifold out is such a pain. There's just enough space so its do-able.

Got the old unit out and looks like the previous owner attempted a repair by using RTV gasket maker rather than just replacing the gaskets. Thats what caused the leak.

Fitted the new unit with new o-rings on all fittings because if those leak, its stripping everything down again to get there, so might as well replace it now.

Reassembled everything, dropped 5L of oil (1.32 gallons), ran coolant flush to get any oil out the system, drained and topped up with coolant.

Engine is running fine so far

saw the you tube video of the oil cooler replacement. tucked way back in behind a mountain of metal, manifolds, shielding (i prefer metal shears - faster), muffler pipe disconnect, O2 socket needed or chances are breaking the existing one trying to take it out other ways, then my favorite - the water collant pipe to the oil cooler. For a turbo, i can understand, but for a simple oil filter? What is the reason that is needed to 'cool down the oil' in a non turbo. Extra pieces to fail. Extra pieces held in place with a press fir tube using a little o ring gasket on the filter end to hold back all that hot water under pressure. (idiot design)

Placing the oil filter right next to the hot exhaust manifold? - pure genius.

 

[Mudflap]

Oil change last weekend and oem LTZ fog lights on my LT! I've got drilled Enkei RPF-1s on deck, but am waiting for tires to get mounted

 

[Rhinoish]

Lower coolant hose split. and engine overheated. new hose, did lower temp thermostat mod, 15 PSI cap. filled with lots of distilled water and some "all vehicle" coolant. System pressure tested ok, hydrocarbon test for head gasket leaks was fine. bled system and took it for drive with my scan tablet showing live data on coolant temp. got on freeway - 9 pm, no traffic at all- stomped on it and got up to 88 to do a stress test. glanced to the shoulder and spotted CHP hiding in bushes. He pulls me over and asks if I have any idea how fast I was going. I said (because the digits are right there on our cars) "yes sir, 88", he says "what are you, Marty McFly?" I say, "if I were, I would go back in time 3 minutes and slow down".

do you have a part number for the 15 PSI cap???

 

[Lucky4597]

Drove it around in wet road conditions trying to figure out when and where I'd ever want traction control.

Verdict thus far, no really, never.

But it is snowing now so in a while I'll go play some more, prediction, still never.

Yes - the correct answer is "never" - and imo especially in snow. I actually believe it's there so they can have it throw a "service Stabilitrack" code and get you into a dealer.

 

[TurboSnail73]

Had to stop for gas before work...$4.82 for 93. Probably burn almost half a tank on my deliveries tonight. I sure do miss those $2 gas days.

 

[wildgeese2076]

Fixed one more coolant leak. Changed the coolant reservoir. Hopefully, I'll get a month before something else springs a leak. I swear he coolling system was designed by Rube Goldberg. I also swear at it, a lot actually.

 

[TurboSnail73]

Fixed one more coolant leak. Changed the coolant reservoir. Hopefully, I'll get a month before something else springs a leak. I swear he coolling system was designed by Rube Goldberg. I also swear at it, a lot actually.

All that plastic garbage GM uses drives me insane!!! I got the thermostat/housing and the coolant outlet in aluminum from ZZP. So much better than the plastic junk. I'm getting the aluminum reservoir next.

 

[Amish_Country_Sonic]

All that plastic garbage GM uses drives me insane!!! I got the thermostat/housing and the coolant outlet in aluminum from ZZP. So much better than the plastic junk. I'm getting the aluminum reservoir next.

I thought that the aluminum thermostat with housing is the coolant housing?

 

[TurboSnail73]

I thought that the aluminum thermostat with housing is the coolant housing?

The thermostat housing is on the passenger side and the outlet is on the driver's side. You're definitely better off just getting these...they'll last way longer.

ZZP 1.4T Aluminum Thermostat Housing

Upgrade your 1.4T's cooling system with our ZZPerformance aluminum thermostat housing and thermostat. The 1.4T engine suffers from the cheap plastic accessories that GM used during initial assembly, both in reliability and cooling performance; our thermostat housing addresses both of those...

zzperformance.com

ZZP 1.4L Aluminum Coolant Outlet Kit

This is a replacement aluminum coolant outlet for your 1.4L powered vehicle. The stock coolant outlet is made of plastic, which after time can get brittle and crack. This coolant elbow is the first part to fail in the 1.4's cooling system and can lead to coolant leaking out and possibly an...

zzperformance.com

 

[ozonetrooper]

Just changed out the radiator on my 2016 LTZ, (drivers side upper tank engine side cracked), replaced all the hoses and connectors. (spoiler for thoses who want to do this, the front clip must come off and if you do not know how to release the locking tabs you will break them off)

This connector was brittle and broke first thing in when I removed the coolant tank here are some places to get it :

https://www.google.com/search?q=ACD...EC-AEBmAIBoAJamAMAkgcBMaAH-AI&sclient=gws-wiz


Thnkx for the ZZP links TurboSnail73

 

[Amish_Country_Sonic]

The thermostat housing is on the passenger side and the outlet is on the driver's side. You're definitely better off just getting these...they'll last way longer.

ZZP 1.4T Aluminum Thermostat Housing

Upgrade your 1.4T's cooling system with our ZZPerformance aluminum thermostat housing and thermostat. The 1.4T engine suffers from the cheap plastic accessories that GM used during initial assembly, both in reliability and cooling performance; our thermostat housing addresses both of those...

zzperformance.com

ZZP 1.4L Aluminum Coolant Outlet Kit

This is a replacement aluminum coolant outlet for your 1.4L powered vehicle. The stock coolant outlet is made of plastic, which after time can get brittle and crack. This coolant elbow is the first part to fail in the 1.4's cooling system and can lead to coolant leaking out and possibly an...

zzperformance.com

Thanks, I should have said that I have the 1.8 non turbo engine, does this still apply with the 1.8

 

[TurboSnail73]

Thanks, I should have said that I have the 1.8 non turbo engine, does this still apply with the 1.8

I don't think so...I'm pretty sure it's only for the 1.4L

 

[macdiesel]

The thermostat housing is on the passenger side and the outlet is on the driver's side. You're definitely better off just getting these...they'll last way longer.

http://[URL]https://zzperformance.c...-1-4t-aluminum-thermostat-housing?zCountry=US

[/URL]

http://[URL]https://zzperformance.c...uze/products/1-4l-aluminum-coolant-outlet-kit

[/URL]

A properly maintained coolant system will yield better results than rebranded MitZonian aluminum pieces.

 

[TurboSnail73]

A properly maintained coolant system will yield better results than rebranded MitZonian aluminum pieces.

I would never choose a plastic part over aluminum when it comes to engine parts...never. Plastic doesn't stand up to the heat cycling of the cooling system.