Cracked head

[cxmech]

Just wondering if anyone else has had problems with the head cracking on the sonic? I am in the works changing the head due to it cracking through the water jacket and spraying on the spark plugs at cylinder 3 and 4. I installed a refurbed head from autozone and have had nothing but problems. 1. The cams were in backward (exhaust was in the intake and vice versa). 2. After I got it running the oil plugs directly above the thermostat housing were both leaking. Had to pull the plugs and Teflon tape them, that worked. 3. After running for a while I pulled the ignition module and found the #2 spark plug well had antifreeze in it. Sure enough it is cracked at the #2 plug water jacket. I am attaching pics of how I leak checked that.

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[gnonne]

OK, this isn't going to be helpful, but why did you buy a refurb head at Autozone?

Over the years, I've had nothing but trouble with their refurb parts, even simple things like starters and alternators do not work. They rebuild them off-shore and the quality is quite poor.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/chevrolet,2013,sonic,1.8l+l4,1504757,engine,cylinder+head,5304

 

[cxmech]

You're right, not helpful. I guess cause it is right down the street and when I searched for one online rock auto didn't come up. I know about it now.... too late. Autozone is doing me right in the fact that they are giving me all new bolts and gaskets to go with the replacement.

After all of that I am still wondering if this is a common problem or if I am just the lucky one...

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[dannyg]

Just curious what year and how many miles? My own 1.8L has not had this problem, knock on wood, but it only has 42K miles (2015). Thanks.

EDIT: I see from another post your Sonic is a 2012.

 

[cxmech]

2012 LS 5 speed. 133k miles mostly highway.

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[skurtov]

you can return it back to Autozone. I would look at some used heads from car-parts.com

 

[cxmech]

Got the replacement today and installed it. This one leak checks good but niw I am getting a slew of codes. P0016, P0017, P0366 and p0010. I set the timing as I have seen in insructions. Not sure what is going on. Runs like crap at idle.

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[rojoes]

Got the replacement today and installed it. This one leak checks good but niw I am getting a slew of codes. P0016, P0017, P0366 and p0010. I set the timing as I have seen in insructions. Not sure what is going on. Runs like crap at idle.

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check VVT solenoid

 

[cxmech]

I had to shelf this for a while. But finally got back to it. I rechecked the timing and found it off a bit. I reset the timing and motored the engine and checked it again, spot on. Started it up and it went from bad to worse with a bad ticking sound and eventually codes for the knock sensor (which would make sense if it is actually knocking). I do have a new vvt solenoid in it. At this point I am kinda stumped, why is it firing early if the timing is right? Btw, I had the bar holding the cams, the vvt locks in place with the dots lined up to the line on the tool and the crank pointing to the tdc mark. Also I used a cheap boescope to look at pistons and valves and cant see where any of those may have made contact. Valves were a little difficult to see though.

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[RodKnock]

Is it a really bad lifter tick by chance? I've seen (older) cars throw knock sensor codes for mechanical noise before. I can't imagine it having a spark knock issue at idle.