2012 - 2020 GM Ecotec 1.4L Turbo Engine 60K Mile Maintenance (Replace Plugs & Coil Pack) Sonic Cruze

[@DrShock]

In the case of this video, the vehicle owner wanted to replace the coil pack entirely rather than repair the damaged boot. This is what I would recommend if an aftermarket coil pack is involved as those are inherently inferior to genuine GM parts. But here is a link to a alternative approach, where just the individual boot and/or spring can be replaced with an OEM to GM kit: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIapfqSXaZmDntU

[@DrShock]

Yep, but that's not what the vehicle owner wanted here. But I've shown this less expensive route also - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIapfqSXaZmDntU

[@Snownutz]

Thanks for giving a fantastically detailed description of the WHOLE process instead of assuming that everybody just knows things . I’m 65 so plastic covers aren’t normally part of the early history for me … so I jumped in here to find out that the cover on top was as it looked in how it just lifts off . But sometimes you assume that and end up ripping up a plastic piece that has a different way of coming off ! THANKS FOR A PERFECT SHARE OF THE WHOLE JOB !

[@gohunting13]

Excellent video !!! Thanks for posting

[@tyronesanders843]

Great video, because of it I will be changing the plugs on my daughter's and granddaughters 2019 and 2013 cruze

[@Xfundamentalist]

I'm very pleased with this. Thanks to you, preparing to replace the coil pack and the plugs at once makes good sense.

[@roberthein2156]

Ruthenium Plugs N.G.K.- used in Newer models of 1.4 L Turbo.

[@markkeinz9730]

That motor was spotless! I'd guess water seeped into that side of the coil pack and caused all that corrosion on only one cylinder. The end cylinder. I've go 381,000 miles on my 2012 Cruze LTZ RS between two motors. Stock coil pack and boots. I'm very careful washing the engine. Great video!

[@DrShock]

Thanks. Yep, just water from wet weather driving/condensation causes that. That particular end cylinder is prone to this kind of water intrusion/corrosion on the GM Ecotec 1.4L turbo engine unfortunately.

[@garysmith3731]

@@DrShock where can i gonto buy the coilpack Chevrolet sonic 2016

[@DrShock]

Should be links in the description.

[@donstewart368]

I put an Excel coil pack on mine. It sure runs so much smoother now.

[@roberthein2156]

😊 !

[@Delta3111]

Excellent video professional,the best information on this sonic1.4

[@craig380]

Very good video. Here in the UK, those 1.2 & 1.4 engines were used across a range of popular GM cars, and the coil packs are pretty much a consumable item, in our climate they seem to last 30 - 40,000 miles before failing as a result of the kind of corrosion you showed. The coil pack is obviously designed for ease and speed of assembly on the production line rather than long-term reliability.

[@jimgrazulis3542]

I replaced the Boot Kit. $13 . No need to replace the entire coil pack.

[@us3804]

@@jimgrazulis3542 is there any video about doing it?

[@leo-ub6nb]

@@us3804 give the rubber boot a slight, yet firm, twist. You’ll break the seal between it and the plastic and you’ll be able to remove it with ease. Before you do that, make sure your local shop has one in stock (if you need the vehicle right away) or if you’re able to let your vehicle sit for a few days, you can get one online. I say this because as craig380 mentioned, it’s more of a consumable part. The plastic is VERY cheap and can become brittle from all of the heat cycling from the engine. So, in case yours does break, you won’t be stranded entirely and you’ll be prepared with a backup plan. Replacing the boot would be great, if only GM didn’t use cheap plastics. You’re almost forced to replace the whole coil pack.

[@roberthein2156]

@@leo-ub6nbG.M.Coil Packs crack from the heat, miss fire 🔥. JUNK !

[@358trucking]

Love the idea of cleaning the rust from the spark plug bore with a Q-Tip but won’t the rust then get stuck in my ears? 😅Great Video. Very thorough!👍

[@roberthein2156]

I reuse my cats Q-Tips, never had meow problem !

[@sjojyfrdxhkht]

I have 130k miles on my 1.4L. Coil is looking good.

[@rockytop4]

Mine has 280,000 same nkg coil 4 th set of nkg laser iridium runs like a beast

[@roberthein2156]

@@rockytop4N.G.K.: RUTHINIUM. Used in 2019,2020.

[@Rancid_Ninja]

Did the plugs and coil pack on my 2015 Cruze at 92k and none of the plugs looked all rusted like that. Coil pack looked fine too so I put the original in the new ones box as a backup

[@johncollins8304]

Liked! Yeah, I should have done the routine maintenance😢😢😢. Thank you for posting. Ill check out your vid mentioned in comments (about PVR, or something like that.) Thanks again.

[@Zeek800]

Our 2019 Buick Encore with this engine ( 1.4 litre Luv ) had the check engine light come on when the car was less than 2 months old. We were passing another vehicle on a heavy rain day on the highway. The engine power dropped a bit ( not much hp to spare ) but was good again for the next 40 miles until we came to a steep long uphill stretch. The transmission kicked down some gears and the check engine light came back on with a reduced power situation again. That hill is normally done with a 1 one 2 gear drop and the tach at 3000 rpm. This time it was at over 4700. I took it to the dealership the next day and they pulled some codes and other info. It showed that the first spark plug on the drivers side harped misfired 114 times. The next plug misfired 47 times, the next one 12 times and the last one 2 times. Their “ best” mechanic was on a week off so they said to bring it back in a week and a half. I’m pretty sure they replaced the coil pack as the one on there now is black rather than the tan colour I see on yours and several others. I’m pretty sure that when you are on a particularly wet road at speed the mist from the tires or maybe just water entering from the front end is getting under the engine cover and into the first spark plug and lesser so on the next one. This could be “fixed” by having a rubber boot with a flared top that covers the spark plug hole. There are so many issues that can and usually will go wrong with these engines. That’s why there are kits for the valve cover and the intake. Luckily those two fixes are relatively cheap but the issue with the turbo is more costly. The cost of a new turbo can be prevented by doing oil changes at 50-40% oil life left, and by changing the oil line that feeds the turbo. That line runs under the exhaust manifold and the high heat as well as “ old oil “ will plug that oil line. Luckily that is relatively cheap to fix and easy to do. Before we bought this car I spoke to a half dozen owners of 2-5 year old Encores and Traxs and they all love their cars and said they never had any issues. One that was a 2016 I spoke to the owner a few weeks ago and she still hasn’t had any problems.

[@TingtaTongg]

Excellent comment

[@xboxbml]

I have a 2016 Encore-60177mi. I just changed oil/filter. I do it every 5000mi or less. Basically twice a year. I've never had any engine issues. Just the canister purge valve which is common on these. Just replaced all 4 brakes for the first time too. Tomorrow I'm going to get a new belt, turbo oil feed line and check the coil pack/plugs.

[@chrisdabrowski449]

No issues that you mention on my 2017, 100000 miles. These engines are solid , as usual, with regular maintenace.

[@roberthein2156]

At my oil change. I drain 1- quart of old oil. Replace it with 50%(1/2 qt.) mystery oil and 50% (1/2 qt.) kerosene. Run it for 10-20 minutes at idle. 30-seconds at 2,000 RPM’s. Drain it all. 5w-30 Royal Purple + New (wet) Filter.

[@ItchyKneeSon]

TIP: A piece of rubber hose on the end of the plug is great for threading them back in prior to torquing them down. 1 foot of 1/4" or 3/8"rubber fuel hose should do it. I actually don't remember which fits. lol

[@drewvisual]

thank you! learned a life skill👍🏽

[@charlesforte6473]

Excellent Video. Thank you sir ! 👍👍👍

[@chrismanning217]

Excellent video

[@timrisch4540]

Nice video. But two things; 1) Chevrolet claims with platinum plugs you are supposed to get 100K miles between replacement. 2) Originally, you couldn't buy the boots and electrodes separately. Now you can buy them aftermarket. There is no reason now to buy a new coil since you can just replace the boots and electrodes.

[@DrShock]

Thanks. Actually Chevrolet does *not* claim that for a turbocharged engine using OE plugs. ;-) In this vid we used an iridium plug, which actually should last _longer_ than platinum ones and is the OE replacement. There is a double platinum plug ACDelco makes for this engine, 41-829, but I am not familiar with any published mileage claims on that particular platinum plug in a turbocharged engine application. I believe ACDelco makes a _generic_ claim of 100K, but there's always fine print on such general claims. Nothing for the 1.4L turbo is published by GM that is different than 60K tho. The 60K service interval in the vehicle owners manual, and factory service manual, _always_ supersedes anything else you may read or hear about as different engines have different wear characteristics. And there were definitely multiple engines installed originally with these same cars, and each may have different spark plug service intervals which can cause some confusion. In this vids case, we're only going over the 1.4L turbocharged engine which is 60K. And yes, you can get an NGK repair kit (there is a link to the particular part number for this engine in the description) who as I mentioned in the video is the OEM supplier to ACDelco for these parts. With that you can rebuild a single electrode or boot. But as I mentioned in the video, in this vid the owner just purchased this Sonic and they wanted the whole pack replaced for piece of mind due to the corrosion encountered. I do have a video in the publish queue for a Cruze where this more economical rebuild approach was taken that should pop in a month or so.

[@timrisch4540]

Correction. Yes you are correct. My mistake, I meant Iridium.

[@roberthein2156]

@@timrisch4540Newer engines use Ruthenium , ask. Run better, BUT.. 15-20 K is all there good for. I know, I run them, basically for GAS MILEAGE. 40-43 MPG @ 70-73 MPH, 6- gear on cruise.

[@orkoto6057]

Thanks! Where can I get the service manual for these engines???

[@DrShock]

GM organizes the service manuals by vehicle year and model, not engine. So you would look for your year and model GM vehicle for that at www.acdelcotds.com and pay the subscription fee for access.

[@samipetkannen2226]

Where is graphite paste on the threads of new plugs for future ease of removal?

[@DrShock]

There is no recommendation, or requirement, to apply such material on the spark plugs of this particular Ecotec engine model. Doing so can interfere with achieving the GM engineering specified correct torque rating, so it's not done. If you use a torque wrench, and follow the recommended GM service maintenance intervals, there will not be difficulty removing these parts.

[@SeanWMODonnell]

2016 Buick Encore. I checked mine just now for fun. Lucky for me I watched the video for the loud solenoid, and found this one. I thought it was running a little rough, I'm surprised it was running at all. I assume its water getting inside, for that amount of rust it would have to be.

[@DrShock]

Yep, water intrusion into this particular bank is a problem with these engines. You could rebuild this one ignition boot and spring, but the owner wanted the whole coil replaced as they had just bought the car.

[@us3804]

Great video. Which oil ist best? Dexos1 gen2 or dexos1 gen3 or dexos2?

[@DrShock]

You are supposed to stick with the type GM specified for your engine, and you can use the latest gen of that type (though using up stock of the earlier gen is of course np). For DexOS1, gen3 would be the latest there. DexOS2 is typically a diesel engine spec GM owners manual wise.

[@us3804]

@@DrShock that info was gold, thnx a lot

[@coolshipvids]

I didn’t change the ones in my Sonic until 100k….40k overdue…but better late than never? All boots were stuck but only one had really bad corrosion

[@roberthein2156]

Check 2019,2020 :1.4 L Turbo the use Ruthenium Plugs , heat up, spread out more than iridium plugs. Same engine over 8,9 -years . But a better plug. Dielectric grease, on booths - stop the stickies. 4-coil packs….. SUCK ! I’m on # 4. 169,000. Miles. Get heat cracks, miss fire .🔥 Thanks G.M. for not UPGRADING YOUR POOR DESIGN !

[@CarlosGuzman-bq8fr]

Great video 📹

[@omersert84]

THANK YOU!

[@wmill7239]

thanks man

[@_Schisko_]

Thank you for showing the maintenance work in your video! I am from Germany and own a Opel Corsa E built 2017 with the exact same engine (1,4 Turbo I4 with 101 HP, Engine Code B14NEJ). Current mileage is about 49000 miles or 79000 km. The recommended service intervall for the sparkplugs in my manual is every 60000 km or about 37000 miles. I did it myself without any problems, engine runs spotless and the plugs such as the ignition pack were without flaw. Do you know any serious problems regarding this type of GM engine? I heard about the oil pumps quitting or poor lubrication starting at 60000 miles. Would be nice to hear about your experience with those issues. Greetings from Bavaria :)

[@DrShock]

Thanks. These Ecotec 1.4L turbos tend to suffer from leaks at the oil pan and timing cover over time. Also from the front crankshaft seal. They often have the belt tensioner break as well. These are all rather inexpensive repairs to do yourself and I have videos on most of them. Another weak point is the turbo itself, they can give out after 8 years or so, I have a video on that overhaul as well.

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

In the USA this engine produces 137 HP.

[@dirkulrich4657]

@@scrambler69-xk3kv In Deutschland gibt es den mit 101PS, 120 PS, 140 PS oder 150 PS, je nach Modell.

[@melissamcallister2867]

No antiseize on the sparkplugs I thought Iridium plugs lated 100000 miles but the coils only last 50000 not going to you

[@DrShock]

I showed the official GM maintenance schedule, it's 60K on this turbocharged Ecotec 1.4L engine. There is no one size fits all maintenance schedule, you have to read the GM service information and perform it on a _per vehicle_ basis following the GM manufacturing engineers guidance. Some folks get misinformation out there, but I'm here to give the OEM facts. And no, you do *not* use antiseize on this particular engines plug threads, per GM. Use a torque wrench instead.

[@Greg-il3lq]

Did you have to buy your service manual from the dealership? The auto stores here stop selling them. Thought about buying one online, but they wanted over $600 other than that you have to pay a monthly or yearly fee to access the vehicle information, torque specs, etc.

[@DrShock]

There should be a search link in the description for hard copy versions. A subscription to SI at www.acdelcotds.com is another option.

[@idahodad1]

Would it be good to put any anti-seize on the threads of the spark plug?

[@DrShock]

Not something recommended in the GM service manual for this engine. The only reason being the material interferes with getting the correct torque value on the spark plug. Still, for vehicles in a heavy corrosion environment, it can be worth using anyway if done sparingly. But I wouldn't use it outside of the salt belt states.

[@idahodad1]

@@DrShock Thank you!

[@alexwill3722]

I might have some information that may help diagnose that corrosion. I was driving home from the next town up the highway and the 2019 Buick Encore we bought new was somewhere around 16,000 kms or 10,000 miles as the first oil change had been done a short while before this. It was raining heavily but newish tires and AWD the small car was doing pretty good even where a bit of water was ""pooling". I came up behind an Audi that was going about 25 mph under the speed limit so I waited until long straight stretch came up ( lane road) I started to accelerate to pass. As soon as I got beside the guy he tried to speed up but backed off because I guess he slipped a bit but we were so close to the next curve and running out of the passing area so I put the pedal to the metal and the engine hiccuped a bit and a warning came up on the dash. I got home again and it ran smoothly until we hit a long steep uphill where the transmission kicked down a couple gears to maintain the speed and the engine hiccuped again and the warning came on again. The vehicle was fine the rest of the way home. I took it into the local GM dealership and they put it on the computer and one thing it mentioned was a misfire 104 times on cylinder 1 and 20 something on 2, 3 and 4 times on cylinder 4. I'm not sure what they did but they fixed it on a subsequent visit as their top mechanic was away that week. I'm guessing that there is a problem with water entering on the end where the coil pak has the plug in???? That would explain the corrosion on that first plug and a tiny bit on the next one ( looking at the 2nd plug, the 3ed one you looked at The rubber boot probably got boiled onto the plug hole because some water entered that hole and took at least a half hour or so to completely boil away.

[@slelliott14]

Always use anti seize on plug threads…dissimilar metals and aluminum threads…and dielectric as the oe part already had

[@DrShock]

GM does *not* recommend the use of anti seize with ACDelco spark plugs on this particular Ecotec engine. It will interfere with the correct OE torque value being achieved.

[@codygentry9472]

Thats why you under torque to 14lbs

[@nizo6673]

@@codygentry9472 I’m about to do my spark plugs I’m confused am I supposed to torque to 14 pounds or 18?? I will not be coating the threads as it is not recommended and they come with some kind of coating from factory

[@customdetailer0078]

Thank you for this video upload. I’d like to ask your opinion. I have a 2014 Cruze 1.4 turbo and love the car. I’m sitting at around 58,000 miles. I did the spark plugs a few thousand miles ago. The coil pack looked okay. Would you recommend upgrading the stock coil pack? The one specifically I’m referring to is made by MSD ignition. Part number 8236 blaster direct ignition coil. Just was wondering what your thoughts would be on this coil pack. Thank you

[@DrShock]

MSD is a reputable aftermarket supplier. I've used their products in the past, but not this particular one. The Ecotec 1.4L is not a performance engine per say and the stock programming is geared for fuel economy and emissions reduction, so you're not going to get any significant difference with this part over OEM. It's a fine replacement, preferable to low quality import packs for sure. The MSD 8236 comes in a red color option too. ;-)

[@customdetailer0078]

@@DrShock thank you for your honest reply. I do enjoy all your videos. Have a great Forth of July upcoming weekend.

[@codygentry9472]

Except you will see a gas mileage gain with the msd coil! The better coil allows you to run the largest gap possible which is probably .026” on a stock car. My tuned bigger turbo car is .022” to avoid blowout. I strongly believe the car being factory tuned will benefit from running premium fuel and better spark.

[@chuckyounger7298]

What would cause the rust in the 4th plug... ? Water leak?

[@DrShock]

Some form of condensation or external water intrusion (e.g., rain, snow). The design in this area allows water in, but prevents it from escaping leading to corrosion.

[@jgjays6525]

Great video, I have a 2017 Chevy Cruze 1.4 turbo eco and when I come to a complete stop and when I accelerate to begin driving it shuts off then starts going slowly ,is it a misfire?

[@DrShock]

Thanks. A misfire alone would typically be noticed as a shudder or vibration, not a stalling. Though you may have multiple faults involved. I'd start first with pulling the diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) using a scan tool. Let the codes guide the next steps. If there are no codes, then this sort of problem will require a more detailed diagnosis to track down, typically with a combination of multimeter and an oscilloscope.

[@songsjj]

My 2019 cruze hatchback 1.4T looks a bit different. Oil fill cap is on the passenger rear of engine and factory oil specs are for 0w20w oil. I wonder what else is different

[@DrShock]

There's an additional flavor of the Ecotec 1.4L that started around 2016 that is different in several areas which is likely what your 2019 Cruze would have had. This vid is aimed at the GM vehicles that still came equipped with the RPO LUJ and RPO LUV and other RPOs of the earlier type Gen III engine.

[@us3804]

Another guy said spark plug torque value is 19Nm and coil pack value is 11Nm.. i am really confused..

[@DrShock]

It varies by GM engine year and type (RPO code). There’s no one value for all on such specifications. In this videos case I’m quoting the GM factory service manual only for the 1.4L Ecotec with the RPO codes in the video description.

[@renedelafuente123]

Man and that was at 60 thousand miles? I have a 2014 Chevy Cruze Lt and I have 86 thousand miles on it. Haven't changed mine manual says at 95 thous. Any other problems you experienced on Cruze? Thanks for the video any feedback appreciated

[@DrShock]

Maintenance schedules can vary by model year, and engine options with GM vehicles. There is no one size fits all and you should verify your particular schedule in your owners manual. This particular 2015 Chevy Sonic with the 1.4L turbocharged engine requires an every 60K maintenance schedule as I showed. Several other GM models with this same engine share this same maintenance schedule though. I have had customers with the Cruze as well, you can find some videos about that model in my channel. They all have their share of problems. ;-)

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

Why is he spraying down inside the boot? The problem is between the outside of the boot and the engine. I would have sprayed in the right place and went down alongside with a very small flathead screwdriver to gently separate the boot from the engine.

[@DrShock]

You see this technique applied because that's where the problem is. The plug boot has adhesion to the plug due to corrosion (inside not outside). And as well the boot has heat damage causing a loss of material strength. Very common on this particular GM engine model RPO LUV or LUJ. There is _no adhesion_ between the boot or the tube (no corrosion on this part). In most cases, like this one, the boot unfortunately cannot be saved. Though, it's always worth a try using a silicone based lubricant as I showed (not petroleum based as these may attack the boot material). The need to replace an individual boot in such situations is why NGK makes OEM boot kits (linked in the description). The owner of this vehicle wanted the entire coil pack replaced instead though, so we went that OEM route (customer gets what they want as they are paying but I could recommend either repair approach for this particular situation).

[@Steve-l9v]

I just got NGK iridium spark plugs for my 2018 Trax LT the guy at Auto Zone recommended them are they ok? So I don’t have a torque wrench if I just lightly snug them down would that be ok for the plugs and coil pack?

[@DrShock]

NGK are an OEM for ACDelco, so that's a fine brand. If you don't have a torque wrench, aim to insure the sealing washer of the spark plug is making a correct seal. You don't want to over tighten these as the head is made of aluminum and its threads are easily stripped. But its got to seal.

[@Steve-l9v]

@ I can probably get a cheap torque wrench to do the 18 foot ponds for the plugs. 71 inch pounds for the coil pack does that matter? As I don’t know if a cheap twerk wrench will do booth foot pounds and inch pounds. I’m not a mechanic so I don’t know much about tools I just know I got just under 63K on my Trax it runs great but I’m sure they need to be replaced soon and I do got the plugs just not a twerk wrench but like I said if I can get one for around $20 I can do that money is a little tight so I’m doing the best I can

[@DrShock]

Plugs are the more important, you can just snug the coil in a pinch.

[@Steve-l9v]

@ thank you for the help

[@DrShock]

And don't worry about whether your borrowed wrench is only in one measurement system. You can manually convert from inch pounds and foot pounds or even newton meters and make use of what you have available.

[@blue04mx53]

Thanks for posting. On my 2018 Sonic the clips on the 'decorative cover' snapped at the back. It now rattles. Plus, the purge valve rattles. Which I'm told neccesitates its replacement. However, the wiring clips and the clips that hold the valve in the are brittle and do not release. So, I'll likely end up snapping them off when I try to replace it. So far, this is not a fun experience. Any advice anyone has on those damn clips would be appreciated.

[@DrShock]

I'd suggest a trip to a local LKQ salvage yard. It would afford both an opportunity to practice on removing aged brittle plastics like this, as well as provide some spares for when you try the repair on your own vehicle.

[@blue04mx53]

@@DrShock Thanks, I'll see if I can work a deal with them.

[@chrisdabrowski449]

To clairify, the cover is not decorative. It helps keep out a majority of the road dirt and spray.

[@sancheztorres35]

At rockauto u can buy only the boots for the coilpack that coil packs looks good to reuse it👍🏻

[@DrShock]

Yep, use only the NGK brand ones though. In this videos case, the owner wanted a brand new coil module rather than to rebuild the old one.

[@sancheztorres35]

Ok i got it so i use ngk spark plugs for my rs is this good or not?

[@DrShock]

NGK is an OEM supplier to ACDelco, so yeah they are good.

[@sancheztorres35]

@@DrShock ok thanks so much

[@juniorr.8062]

@@DrShock how come only ngk boots?

[@Mechone11]

You can buy the springs and boots and not replace the pack , they are cheap standard makes them and they seem better than OEM I would change the turbo oil feed line at 60k known to plug and take out turbo

[@DrShock]

I covered that in a different video already linked from this one and mentioned in the description here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIapfqSXaZmDntU In this case the vehicle owner wanted the entire pack replaced, so we didn't go down the single boot repair. But there is *nothing* better than genuine OEM parts so only go OEM which ever way you go.

[@chuckyounger7298]

I enjoyed your video on this 1.4 ECOTEC engine...have you done a video on the PVC system?

[@DrShock]

Thanks, I did a short on routine maintenance/inspection for that here - kzbin.infoqGBt5skZWLI

[@kalanbays2]

Great video.. Any advice on relieving pressure in the crank case on this engine. Been to dealer 5 times they have replaced main crank seal (squeaking) and valve cover twice (leaking oil). Also replaced PCV part Appears the main crank may have blown again a day after the last repair. Also oil pan gasket now leaking. Thanks!

[@stevem2757]

Sounds stupid but I had same problem. Check oil dipstick with engine running pull up on oil dipstick see if noise changes? I could not believe I had to by a new oil dipstick sound went away

[@CarlosGarcia-ls4hn]

Check the pcv valve that is built into the intake manifold. Also check the diaphragm at the valve cover. It is sometimes referred to as a pcv valve, but it is not. There is also a pcv valve in the hose that goes into the turbo.

[@joevignolor4u949]

These engines are notorious for PCV system failures. Carlos Garcia has accurately described the problem in his post. If you have a dealer fix it they will just put more stock parts back in and it will fail again. The problem is the basic design of the PVC system. There are several companies selling parts kits that modify the PCV system to make the problem go away permanently.

[@chuckyounger7298]

Joe Vignolo... would you Post the name and or part numbers of the kits to modify the PVC system, please I’m on my second repair job using OEM parts because of vacuum leaks

[@StevenAwsomeYoda]

What cause the corrosion coolant leak

[@DrShock]

There's no coolant in this area, it's just condensation from wet weather driving on the plug. The oxidation on the coil spring is a common problem from the normal effect on the metal used. The dielectric grease in the replacement coil boots is intended to prevent the plug corrosion from happening. Unfortunately for the coil spring, you just have to replace them. We could have rebuilt this using the NGK kit linked in this videos description. But the owner wanted a complete new ignition coil installed instead.

[@ScottHBrown]

Should've put some anti seize on those threads.

[@DrShock]

Nah not for this engine, head is aluminum and GM does _not_ recommend it.

[@brarautorepairs]

Smaller fasteners, I don't torque down. Unless you have cleaned the threads, there is a risk that the fastener will break or pull the threads. You should always go by feel. Torque values are an estimate by the engineer how much clamping force is being applied rather than an exact measurement.

[@geraldpodaima4465]

good video. too bad on gm's extortion to replace the coil pack is 700 cad, and $20 per plug. especially if you are going to do it at every 60 K. I did mine at 80K. not to mention the issues with their turbo freezing.

[@blue04mx53]

holly mother. the engine isn't worth 780 bucks. Have you had issues with your turbo ? Mine seems fine. But, the damn Fuel Purge Valve rattles and is miserable to replace as well.

[@RogainFromFabyanAirsoft]

I’ve also had my turbo freeze up multiple times. Very annoying

[@chrisdabrowski449]

GM does not own your local dealership. Go to an independent, for better prices and service.

[@boydlittou9446]

I have found that ac Delco coil packs are the only ones that last in these engines. Don't waste your money on aftermarket junk.

[@roberthein2156]

G.M.Coil Packs are JUNK ! I know, try 4, so far !

[@twofeathers6540]

thanks

[@orlandominichiello]

Is this same as a Trax 18

[@DrShock]

Same as Trax 1.4L Ecotec only. The 1.8L will be similar, but not the same.

[@Deweydew100]

Always check the gap on new plugs, I can't tell you how many times a new plug can come from factory not gapped to your cars factory specs....5min will save you ton of heartaches, if you do it Right the 1st time you'll never have to worry about it....

[@DrShock]

Encountering an incorrect spark plug gap is an _extremely_ rare occurrence with genuine GM ACDelco plugs. A loop gauge is the _only_ tool that can safely _check_ the gap, but if they are off you have to return them and get replacements rather than re-gap. OEMs advise _against_ attempting to re-gap modern iridium coated plugs. The iridium coating on the plugs electrode is very brittle and will crack or flake off if you attempt to perform this old school approach resulting in premature failure.

[@johncollins8304]

1;40 "Just wiggle it out." Yeah, right, as they say. I screwed bolts in the top holes through which those long torx t30 bolts go, and the was able to pull it out (it involved a certain, limited amount of wiggling. I nearly came a cropper the first time cos i was gingerly levering it with upholstery (some plastic) levers. Apparently that is a big dangerous NO-NO! Anyone know what those top threaded holes are actually for?

[@johncollins8304]

12:00 What I said above about there being a bigger, threaded hole at the top through which the torx bolts PASS THROUGH to screw into a hole down below obviously doesn't apply to your version!!😮

[@M70ACARRY]

Need to do this soon. Sure hope my coil pack behaves. Don't have the $ to replace it.

[@DrShock]

In the description text for this video, there's some links for parts including a rebuild kit for just one coil boot/spring rather than the whole pack if you need to go that route.

[@Ronick-Q-46]

I just bought a £10 rubber Ignition Coil Pack Repair Kit with springs.

[@shril5794]

Should’ve used some silicone lube around to take the boot apart

[@DrShock]

Watch at 6:35 and you'd see that was attempted, but as usual is the case in these plug corrosion + heat adhesion situations - silicone is ineffective (I'm not the owner of this vehicle just performing the service on it). I consider these boots disposable. If you're not swapping out the coil pack, you can purchase them individually as replacements.

[@jimgrazulis3542]

I replaced the Boot Kit. $13 . No need to replace the entire coil pack

[@DrShock]

Yep, there's a link to another video for that in the upper right of this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIapfqSXaZmDntU, as well as a link in this videos description for the OEM kit. However, for the vehicle in this video, the owner wanted the whole pack replaced, which is recommended if you find an aftermarket pack installed, or do not know the prior history on the vehicle.

[@gregprice7562]

shouldn't he be putting anti seize on the threads ?

[@DrShock]

No, the GM factory service manual does not recommend using that on plug threads for this engine as it interferes with setting the correct torque value.

[@frederickbradley8255]

Grease? Geez as rusted as it was i definitely would have put grease on those plugs.

[@DrShock]

GM only recommends dielectric grease, nothing more. Changing the plugs out on the GM engineers regular maintenance schedule in the owners manual is fine for dealing with normal corrosion of the steel base of the plug.

[@frederickbradley8255]

@@DrShock i put put grease on the threads of every plug i change. I know it probably doesn't make a huge difference but I've dealt with plugs that have broken off...thats a nightmare.

[@NaztyNapkinz]

How many miles did this one have

[@Mr_Meowingtons]

I got a 2016 Trax 2 years ago after just 6 months it got a miss fire they told me the coil pack was bad and it needed new spark plugs wile they where in there. well they never turned off my dash cam and they just change the sparkplugs! i lost my shit on that dealers and summited the video to the warranty compare for fraud

[@JohnDoe-ml8ru]

You didn't lube the threads and you didnt add more grease to the plugs/boots. The same problem will just happen again.

[@DrShock]

Wrong. New genuine GM coil assemblies come *pre-lubed* with dielectric stripes as shown. Plug threads on this engine do *not* get any grease applied to them. Follow the what GM says in their service manual, not what's done on other car models, and you'll be gtg.

[@JohnDoe-ml8ru]

@@DrShock Yes, you are wrong. That's why it will corrode again. Always lube the threads and add grease to the ends of the plugs, or in the boots. Also remember that these manufacturers are the same ones that say you can go 10,000 miles between oil changes. Oh! Lets not forget life-long transmission fluid or OAT antifreeze that eats aluminum and gaskets!

[@DrShock]

We're just going to disagree here John about anti-seize, or grease, on the threads. It interferes with achieving the correct torque value on the spark plugs. As I've already mentioned, genuine GM coil assemblies already come pre-lubed out of the box so adding more is a waste of $$. You only need to add your own dielectric when its an used coil assembly, or if you're using lower quality aftermarket parts.

[@darrellday3310]

My wife's car is a Buick Encore, I replaced the valve cover. And thought while I have this apart, ill do spark plugs and then boots. My neighbor told me the spark plugs were rated at a 10,000. So I almost wasn't gonna replace them. But again wanted to be thorough. And its a good thing I did. When I pulled the plugs, what was left of the diode was something that looked like a needle. So replace your plugs

[@DagarothBlackrose]

EE-Ko-tek, not ECHO-tek :P Yes, I'm anal, but your vids are great!

[@DrShock]

Thanks. I believe the original GM Ecotec branding was an acronym of sorts derived from their _Emissions Control Optimization Technology_ phrasing. Though the GM marketing department may just as well have tossed around deriving it from _Economy technology_ or some such instead. Tomayto, Tahmato right? ;-)

[@robertolson7304]

The maintenance plan is only based on constant driving. Not stop and go. Not hard acceleration. The RPM are not counted. Why? So they can make money

[@rockytop4]

Gm buys nkg...at .027 why not just buy them thy last longer I get almost 100,000 in laser's nkg

[@DrShock]

I'd use a tier one supplier like NGK as a second choice, but only if ACDelco discontinued the plug for the particular engine I'm doing service on. Otherwise, whenever I work on a customers car (or my own) I keep it all genuine OEM. Fords only get Motorcraft parts. Toyotas only get Toyota parts. GMs only get ACDelco parts. Personal preference, and warranty coverage.

[@iceblade7727]

I had alot of problems with those boots on my friend's cruze. I found that lightly pushing it down while twisting really helped me. Chevy seems to like that Chinese finger trap technology haha jk jk

[@JeredtheShy]

Yuck, one piece coil packs for a 4 cylinder, the Quad4 all over again, with less displacement and more turbo problems. Replace the whole pack for one problem cylinder, and no diagnosis through moving coil packs to see if the problem follows the cylinder or the coil. Expensive scan tool required, maybe even a scope, for proper diagnosis. Of course the pack does a poor job of sealing out moisture, something that can be forgiven if you just need to replace one coil pack out of 4. KZbin algo really does get me, and it keeps telling me I don't want an Ecotec 4. Good to know, thanks bud.

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Chinese counterfitters! Holy smokes!

[@YN-wi7tm]

Garbage Made(GM)