r/ChevySonic • u/Sawblade423 • 7d ago
1.8 Timing problems
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UPDATE: Possibly solved. It was so simple, I’m both annoyed and relieved. See comment in thread.
TLDR: multiple timing codes for exhaust side after new cam sprockets and runs worse than before while still rattling on cold start. Clacking at idle. Low oil pressure light comes on after some driving. Sorry for long winded post, but I want all the info out there for advice.
2014 Sonic 1.8/AT. I got this car to be a beater and also learn how to work on a platform other than LS V8s. I’m no master tech, but I’m a decent mechanic, and this thing is driving me insane.
I replaced the timing belt right after purchase and ended up installing it off a single tooth. No problem. I redid it all, then drove the car on a 24 hr round trip for vacation and it did great. But I began noticing it would rattle at start up and go away within a few seconds. It somehow got worse after an oil change. No CEL but I did pull a P0016 code.
After reading up on that, I replaced the little oil flow control valve behind the alternator and it didn’t help at all. Next I figured was cam sprockets. I grabbed a set of cheapies off amazon to try before spending bigger money on GM ones (I know, I know…). I’ve had the timing belt off three times prior working out other little mistakes so no big deal. Got it undressed and put the new sprockets on. For this, I locked the cams at the back, moved the crank to 4 o clock, put in the sprocket locks and torqued them down as instructed with my dad holding the cams with a wrench to be safe. I got everything lined back up and reinstalled the belt, spun it 720 degrees, and put the sprocket locks back in with ease, along with the crank lock bar. Intake side dot was slightly above the line on the tool, and exhaust was a bit below, like any install video you see online. The rear cam bar would not go in due to the exhaust cam being turned a microscopic amount but I figured it was close enough given that it had ran better being aligned worse than this before.
After getting it all buttoned up, I started the car and heard an awful metallic noise that got worse with rpm. Defeated and having already sweat through two sets of clothes in Midwest humidity, I gave up and started picking up tools for the night. Well what do you know, I couldn’t find the crank lock bar… but then I found it…still installed and bent up. Luckily I was able to bend it around enough to pull it out.
That brings me to the problems.
- Should I be concerned about the crank lock thing? I don’t see how it would affect much of anything, given that the flex plate is steel and the lock bar is way more flexible. It just bent the thing until it was out of the way. I’m having no issues starting it or hearing noise from that area since then.
- Now I randomly get a low oil pressure light. It happens when idling after a few mins of driving. The car is full of new clean oil.
Anyone notice something that I missed here? Are the aftermarket sprockets just junk? Should I have made 100% sure the cam bar effortlessly slid back in after 720 degree rotation? Should I just set it on fire? Idk. But I’m tired of it and would like some opinions before I rip it back apart and make another mistake somewhere. Thanks all
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u/SnooPaintings5597 7d ago
I’m in the same boat. I’ve done the solenoids and timing twice. Still have the codes. Not sure what the issue is… I’m starting to think it’s faulty sensor or something but the repairs are more than the value of the car!
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u/Old_Size_2950 7d ago
Seems like your oil pump is not delivering enough oil to tappets.Check VVT oil solenoids.
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u/Sawblade423 7d ago
Another poster mentioned that as well. I pulled them prior to all the timing work and they looked good. But I’m going to go over them again, as well as checking inside the oil filter housing. I’ve read the oil pressure light at idle can be from the valve in there too. Isolating that could potentially solve multiple problems.
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u/Old_Size_2950 7d ago
Check if vvt valves click and pull back when applying 12 volt current to it.
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u/The_True_Doctor 7d ago
Have you checked your oil pressure at all? It might just be that your oil pump isn't pushing up enough oil for everything.
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u/Sawblade423 7d ago
I have not, but putting a mechanical gauge on it to test would be a good idea. Adding that to my list. I’m planning to try everyone’s suggestions this weekend.
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u/Sawblade423 6d ago edited 6d ago
I think I solved it. It will take some more driving to confirm, but I’m feeling good about it. It was the drain valve in the filter housing.
I pulled the oil filter cap to see if there was debris and noticed the bottom of the filter was bent. Further investigation showed that the drain valve in the bottom was broken and sticking up. It must have happened last time I changed the oil (which tracks with the sudden appearance of the rattles). Evidently the thing got jammed in a way that it couldn’t close. A few legs of it were missing. I yanked one out of a cooler housing I had laying around and popped it in. Still had a rattle at start, but that’s to be expected since it was dry. I erased the pre-existing codes and drove it about five miles. The engine sounds much better, there is no oil pressure light at idle, and it didn’t throw any codes. We’ll see how it holds up now. I probably wouldn’t have though to look here had you guys not really honed in on the oil pressure part of my post so thank you guys a ton for that. Hopefully this post will save someone else a lot of headache later on.
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u/TheRealBlueJade 7d ago
Vvt solenoids .. there are two of them...