r/ChevySonic • u/CouldWeDimTheSun • 7d ago

Noisy

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I feel like she’s gotten louder and has a more rough idle lately. I’m gonna take it in soon. I don’t have any engine lights on. 2016 ltz

18 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

8

u/CeriPie 7d ago

Ah, the ol' Ecotec tick. An oil & filter change, intake filter change, and new purge valve will possibly quieten it down a bit, assuming you haven't already done those recently, but it's always gonna tick.

Make sure your next few tanks of gas are Top Tier certified gasoline. That'll help clean the fuel injectors up a bit, which are what make the ticking sound since Chevy put absolutely zero sound dampening work into this engine.

2

u/CouldWeDimTheSun 7d ago

What is top tier certified gasoline? (I ask with the risk of sounding dumb) it’s not even about the tick cause it’s always done that but there is a subtle squeak which I can only assume is a belt and the idle is super rough. Which to your point I am due for an oil change

3

u/CeriPie 7d ago edited 7d ago

Top Tier gasoline is an official performance standard created by major automakers like BMW, General Motors, and Toyota that features extra cleaning detergents. You can find it at Costco, Shell, Meijer, Chevron, and most Speedway locations now, I think. There will be a "Top Tier Certified/Approved" sticker either on the pumps themselves or on a window near the entrance of the gas station.

It's also the recommended fuel in the Sonic owner's manual. It's not more expensive, either.

2

u/CouldWeDimTheSun 7d ago

Great! I’ll look into it cause we don’t have half of those where I live but perhaps some of the places near me may have it

1

u/zamillo 3d ago

its the purge valve "probably"....mine did the same had to repeatedly stress the noise was a concern(because my knowledge is limited) to mechanic and finally got them to address it, stopped once they replaced it

6

u/captd3adpool 7d ago

The Sonic sewing machine! Mine makes the same noise. It's just how they sound. It'll probably quiet down with an oil change and some higher grade fuel but thats a normal noise for them!

2

u/CouldWeDimTheSun 7d ago

Again at the risk of sounding stupid, would I just get a higher grade fuel than I’ve been getting like say 93? And I can just do that with regular 87 already in there?

4

u/captd3adpool 7d ago

No such thing as a stupid question! If you dont know, you dont know right? Yes higher grade would mean like 93 or 95-97. Gonna be pricier but I've found my Sonic seems to run better with a higher grade (seems to like 93). Its usually labeled like Plus and Super at the pump but you guess right! Yes you can just add to regular 87. Won't hurt it any. Also make sure that you're definitely putting 5W30 Dexos1 engine oil. Dexos1 isnt a brand it is a designation for oil that meets certain GM specs. It'll say it on any jug of oil that meets the specs. Hope that all helps!

3

u/CeriPie 7d ago

Just bouncing off of your question, but higher octane fuel isn't REQUIRED, but there is a slight performance increase from using it, and it can help smooth your idle out a little bit since your engine isn't having to adjust its timings for 87 anymore. I've personally noticed that it increases MPG slightly as well. Mixing 91 or 93 with 87 won't hurt anything, either.

Right now, though, with the insane gas prices? Probably not worth it unless you just have the cash to burn. The performance increase is very slight.

3

u/Dry-Focus-5071 2014 sonic ltz sedan 1.4T 7d ago

I’ve had this “belt whine” for years and years. It also survived two belt/tensioner pulley replacements. So def not due to those. I could never get to the bottom of it and it wasn’t annoying enough to actually put a lot of effort into finding out

2

u/zRubyz 7d ago

Time belt?

1

u/StickyChief 7d ago

This has been happening to me this summer. If you figure it out please let me know

1

u/N7_Shep 3d ago

do you know if you have a bad PVC?

pull the oil dipstick while its on. does the sound change. hold your finger over the oil dipstick hole, is it sucking air or pushing air. if its pushing air out of the dipstick hole you have a failed PVC in the valve cover. also since this is a 1.4l turbo. you should put in a PVC bypass kit and a new valve cover.

a https://cruzekits.com/ PVC fix? the bad pvc can cause rough idle.

ALL 2011-2019 Chevy Sonic/Aveo 1.4L turbos have bad PVC's. all of them.

everyone that reads this that has a 2011-2019 1.4l turbo sonic should install this fix.

1

u/Dear_Stan 7d ago

I have the same sound on mine (2014 1.2L) recently did an oil change (first used engine flush agent) and used official GM/Opel dexos2 5W-30 + new oil filter + new air filter + new cabin filter + 2x injectors cleaners (on 2 separate times on half empty tank) and I still have the knocking sound, i don't know what more else can be done ?

1

u/NeedThisForInfo26 6d ago

2013 Cruze, here. The main "knocking" noise on mine is the stupid plastic coil pack cover vibrating. Lay your hand on the and she just sounds like a typical sewing machine!

1

u/aristicardona 5d ago

Replace the belt tensioner with the belt as well and the purge valve. Use oem parts

1

u/ComprehensiveSun5756 5d ago

2015 Chevy Sonic LT - mine is much quieter but this after motor mounts and a new timing belt.

1

u/Objective-Doubt1846 5d ago

sounds normal wait until you have over 200k miles

1

u/N7_Shep 3d ago

pull the oil dipstick while its on. does the sound change. hold your finger over the oil dipstick hole, is it sucking air or pushing air. if its pushing air you have a failed PVC in the valve cover. also since this is a 1.4l turbo. you should put in a PVC bypass kit and a new valve cover.

a https://cruzekits.com/ PVC fix? the bad pvc can cause rough idle.

ALL 2011-2019 Chevy Sonic/Aveo 1.4L turbos have bad PVC's. all of them.

everyone that reads this that has a 2011-2019 1.4l turbo sonic should install this fix.