1.4L Teardown/Modification
- Thread starter Preloader
- Start date
Stew
Sedans Rule!
Yep, shortly before I bought the Sonic. Let the timing belt go longer than I should have on my previous car and lost that little gamble to the tune of about $1100. And that's doing everything except the head work myself. All the intake valves were bent, stupid interference engine. I have to say though, pulling everything apart and putting back together was about as easy as it gets with that car, no special tools required.
It actually would've been a lot less if it didn't happen in the middle of nowhere on I-90, I had to rent a U-Haul with tow dolly and tow it hundreds of miles back to my house getting 8 mpg.
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ChrisJ
Active member
Unfortunately VVT is far from new as well.
Patent US1527456 - Valve-operating means - Google Patents
ecohauler
New member
VVT is an old concept, but it's been gaining popularity in production vehicles since the late '80s/early '90s. Honda introduced VTEC, which is fairly primitive, in 1989. BMW has been using VANOS, which is more like modern VVT systems, since 1992. The technology has only recently become cost effective for use on virtually all cars, due to reduction in manufacturing cost and an increase in demand for both fuel efficiency and power.
Regarding dual cam engines needing special timing tools, that is not the case in my experience. When I rebuilt my dual cam Saturn engine, I needed a special tool (a 2.5" piece of pipe with a hole cut in the side) to replace the valve seals, but timing was very straightforward. The need for a special tool is more likely to arise with VVT engines, but there are likely some that do not require one.
Regarding dual cam engines needing special timing tools, that is not the case in my experience. When I rebuilt my dual cam Saturn engine, I needed a special tool (a 2.5" piece of pipe with a hole cut in the side) to replace the valve seals, but timing was very straightforward. The need for a special tool is more likely to arise with VVT engines, but there are likely some that do not require one.
Blue hedgehog
New member
I forget if its pep boys, auto zone, or some other chain auto parts store, but 1 of them rents/loans out specialty tools. I don't know if they would have the timing tool for the 1.4 but it can't hurt to try.
SuperSonicRS
New member
When I worked at advance, we loaned out speciality tools. But I cannot recall seeing one for timing
christopher.s.terry
New member
I work for autozone i can check if we have such a tool
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ChrisJ
Active member
Best I could find was this description : Crankshaft : Nodular Iron
Connecting rods are forged steel.
$ub$onic
The Sticker Guy
Ya someone said the cranks are not forged in the 2014's or something like that,did not know if they here to start with.
Stew
Sedans Rule!
The cam locking tool was needed in the pic Preloader posted because the guy doing that rebuild had removed the sprockets from the cams and there is nothing to index the sprockets to the cams. When doing a belt change you would not remove the sprockets (obviously) so the tool wouldn't be needed.
And the 1.8 may actually have provisions to key the belt sprockets to the cams, does anyone know for sure? The pic is of the 1.4, not the 1.8 so we're kind of mixing talking about the cam lock tool and timing belts, which could get confusing.
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ChrisJ
Active member
No changes have been made that I can find.
Thinking it's finally time you dump that 1.8?
christopher.s.terry
New member
$ub$onic
The Sticker Guy
No, I was having a conversation with a friend about it.
I am content with my 1.8. No issues, runs good, gets me to A-B with A little fun.
If I ever bought another sonic. It would be a white rs.... Just saying... I love the interior in Karens.
ChrisJ
Active member
christopher.s.terry
New member
Oh? Karen's RS has a nice interior does it?
Lol hey thats not fair sub u saw her interior first lol
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