Changing your Sonic's oil.

[ColonelPanic]

I picked up an AC Delco PF2257G at the nearest Chevrolet dealer yesterday for $5.75. I see zero incentive to use any other filter when I can get something US-made and OEM quaity at such a great price point.

Still haven't changed out my factory fill yet, but finally I have everything I need to get the job done. Just hoping I can get the car up on my old Rhino 8000 ramps, clearance looks a bit iffy with the air dam but I haven't drug them out to test yet.

 

[Gsrdude]

I picked up an AC Delco PF2257G at the nearest Chevrolet dealer yesterday for $5.75. I see zero incentive to use any other filter when I can get something US-made and OEM quaity at such a great price point.

Still haven't changed out my factory fill yet, but finally I have everything I need to get the job done. Just hoping I can get the car up on my old Rhino 8000 ramps, clearance looks a bit iffy with the air dam but I haven't drug them out to test yet.

Don't even have to get the car in the air to do an Oil Change. I have a shallow drain pan so...

I have ramps but why bother haha. **** filters are about 10 here not that it really matters.

Just did my second change at 6k, First was at 1100. M1 EP

 

[mitdr774]

I stop into my local dealer every time i need a filter. Less than $7 and it appears to come out of the same facility as the $10 Wix. I have compared the two side by side before and they were marked identically.

 

[Luv2xlr8]

Damn, here in Toronto Canada the filter alone comes out to $20.

 

[$ub$onic]

Holy **** man! How much for your normal run of the mill oil ?

 

[Palmaris]

Damn, here in Toronto Canada the filter alone comes out to $20.

^ Say it ain't so! I guess I better order from Rockauto.

 

[ColonelPanic]

I stop into my local dealer every time i need a filter. Less than $7 and it appears to come out of the same facility as the $10 Wix. I have compared the two side by side before and they were marked identically.

Thank you for that input, that was something I was curious about. I was looking at the Wix filter for these cars online and the pics I saw showed the Hengst logo on it, just like the AC Delco. Seems in the pic, the Wix says Made in Germany whereas the AC Delco is made in the US (but it wouldn't surprise me if the ones you'd buy here come from the same US factory that supplies the AC Delcos.) I was wondering how similar the two were.

 

[mitdr774]

Every Wix filter I put in my car was marked "made in USA". If I can find an old one I will try to get some pictures showing the markings on them. That is assuming they were not disposed of yet.

 

[Gsrdude]

When I first bought my old Saturn Astra the Filters (Same as Sonic 1.4/1.8) had Made In Germany on them. After a few oil changes the boxes started showing made in USA

FWIW

 

[poncho167]

When I first bought my old Saturn Astra the Filters (Same as Sonic 1.4/1.8) had Made In Germany on them. After a few oil changes the boxes started showing made in USA

FWIW

How was the Astra? I heard they were nice cars.

 

[Luv2xlr8]

Holy **** man! How much for your normal run of the mill oil ?

Oil change at the dealer is $56 that's including tax using the semi-blend dexos, I asked for full synthetic Mobil 1 and the price rocketed to $120!!!! . I just said no and just bought the filter at the dealer ($20) and oil at the auto parts store 5L of Mobil 1 ($48). $68 total to do it my self. Lol

 

[Gsrdude]

How was the Astra? I heard they were nice cars.

I liked it. I had the XR 3dr. So sport suspension, leather, and 18's. Car def out handled the Sonic stock for stock but the Sonic has more power for sure

Had a couple issue that were fixed under warranty. Wheel sensor, Cam Angle Sensor. Other than that it was a solid car.

I didn't want to deal with trying to source parts down the road. So in looking at cars it was down to the Veloster Turbo or Sonic 1.4t

Got Sonic a couple hundred below invoice, 2000 in trade equity, and 0% 60mo financing. Put nothing down and walked out with a cheaper payment and no interest loan.

Sonic was a no brainer as they wanted nearly 30k here for the Veloster Turbos at the time BS (Adjusted Market Value) :sadbanana:

Never have nor never would pay MSRP for a car in my life let alone some Adjusted Market Value

 

[fatboypup]

Just dropped my car of at the deal for an oil change 14,900 miles I think this will be the 4th change .. anyway I said something about the Dexos1 oil and he said they the service mananger had been telling the techs not to use it unless someone specifically asked for it because people are running it 10k miles and stretching out the timing belts ???????? DAFUQ?!?!?

 

[$ub$onic]

Dafuq is right. I kinda wanna hear what people think on this. I'm calling total bs.

 

[fatboypup]

this is not the first service advisor at this stealer than said pay no mind to the oil life gauge ..... he said get it done every 3k miles. In mind mind as long as they use the semi syn dex1 every 5-6k change should be more than fine.

 

[ColonelPanic]

I said something about the Dexos1 oil and he said they the service mananger had been telling the techs not to use it unless someone specifically asked for it because people are running it 10k miles and stretching out the timing belts ???????? DAFUQ?!?!?

Wow... Can anyone explain to me how an extended OCI can cause a timing belt to stretch? And since when was a timing belt lubricated by engine oil anyway? :banana:

And as a GM dealer, why are they recommending the use of an oil that does NOT comply with GM's requirements for warranty coverage?

I will give them be benefit of the doubt and assume they're talking about timing chains as with the direct injection 4-cylinder fiasco on the Equinox/etc. The OLM was a bit optimistic, so while it said you had life left in the oil, in reality the oil had lost its ability to protect the engine. This resulted in excessive wear (and warranty claims) for things like timing chain components. It isn't a problem with Dexos, it's a problem with worn out oil and GM adjusted the OLM down on those vehicles for that reason.

My recommendation is to find another dealer.

 

[T-BONE]

Wow... Can anyone explain to me how an extended OCI can cause a timing belt to stretch? And since when was a timing belt lubricated by engine oil anyway? :banana:

And as a GM dealer, why are they recommending the use of an oil that does NOT comply with GM's requirements for warranty coverage?

I will give them be benefit of the doubt and assume they're talking about timing chains as with the direct injection 4-cylinder fiasco on the Equinox/etc. The OLM was a bit optimistic, so while it said you had life left in the oil, in reality the oil had lost its ability to protect the engine. This resulted in excessive wear (and warranty claims) for things like timing chain components. It isn't a problem with Dexos, it's a problem with worn out oil and GM adjusted the OLM down on those vehicles for that reason.

My recommendation is to find another dealer.

OK you know what a timing belt does right ? Take off your valve cover. Do you see it? do you see it covered with oil? belt or chain it is the same.

 

[$ub$onic]

I disagree with your chain. Last time time I checked timing chains were oiled

 

[ColonelPanic]

OK you know what a timing belt does right ? Take off your valve cover. Do you see it? do you see it covered with oil? belt or chain it is the same.

Sorry, i can't look. I chose the 1.4 to get away from timing belts, so yes I have experience with them. :banana:

However on my previous car, I would regularly inspect the timing belt. It was on the outside of the engine, not under the valve cover. It was behind a plastic cover shielded from the elements... This was not an item that was bathed in oil, and I suspect a rubber belt coated in oil on an interference engine with that design probably would yield disastrous results.

I disagree with your chain. Last time time I checked timing chains were oiled

Not sure if you're referring to me. If so, you are correct, chains are oiled - I was not saying it wasn't. Which is why I mentioned a chain could be damaged by used up oil that no longer provides adequate protection.

I've never seen an oiled belt. If there are examples of this I'm interested to hear about 'em.

 

[T-BONE]

some cars use belts. some cars use chains for timing all do the same thing and are treated the same way. A timing belt is inside the engine not running your water pump.