In this post I wanna talk about the Chevrolet EcoTec line of 4 cylinder engines. The Ecotec can be found in everything from small SUVs like the Equinox and Terrain to turbo versions in sedans such as the Chevy Cruze and Sonic. The topic I wanna cover today is how much of a piece of crap these engines are.
Problems with the Ecotec engines may be known to mechanics, but what about the consumer?
Any mechanic that specializes in GM, Chevy, Pontiac or any of the other General Motors brands has had a run in with the Ecotec. How is the unsuspecting consumer to know that these things are complete turds though if people like me don’t tell them? In the next part of this post I’m going to give you a reasonably short list of just some of the problems with the EcoTec engine.
- Common timing issues. P0014, P0017 and other similar timing codes will present themselves. Not IF, but WILL. And it will generally be under 100k miles.
- Head gaskets will fail. Guess what? You will be lucky to get 100k out of the head gasket on an EcoTec as well.
- The 1.4L turbo version especially, will need a new valve cover before it hits 150k. The reason? A ripped diaphragm in the built in PCV valve will fail and leak air. Your Cruze or Sonic will run like dog poop.
- This list is getting a little long but there are a couple more common problems with the EcoTec.
- Possibly the most common problem with the Ecotec-especially the 2.4 in the Equinox- is massive oil consumption due to poorly designed pistons and rings. Expect to add 1-2 quarts every 1,000 miles.
- Excessive carbon build up can also be a major issue with the Chevrolet EcoTec engine as well as untimely and random oil leaks. This is problem on many GDI engines, but these take the cake.
As you see, mechanical problems are common with the EcoTec engines.
If that list doesn’t convince you not to buy a vehicle fitted with the 2.4, 1.4 or 1.8 EcoTec engine, I would consider you a glutton for punishment. Although some of these issues are routine fixes for seasoned mechanics, they are going to be costly fixes. Timing jobs specifically on the 2.4L EcoTec generally run upwards of $1000 at an Indy shop and far more if done at a Chevrolet dealer.
Earlier this week I did a timing belt and head gasket on a Chevy Sonic with the 1.8L dual overhead cam engine. I’ll be honest, replacing the head gasket and the timing belt were very straightforward. The problem with this engine is that everything has to be touched delicately because components will break with the slightest amount of recklessness. Just another problem with the Ecotec. They are built with some of the weakest Chinesium components that I’ve ever seen run on an engine.
On a side note, this 13 Chevy Sonic also killed my Snap On cordless 3/8 ratchet. It literally let the smoke out! Watch the video of that below!
It was so bad that somehow I was able to snap a tooth off the cam reluctor just inserting the 1.8L ecotec timing tool kit. That led to a hunt for an exhaust cam that would fit the 2013 Sonic. I found one at gmpartsdirect.com that fit and was priced around $200 but the timing job was now held up for several days waiting for parts. COVID has not made it easy to get auto parts in a hurry.
If you’re mechanically inclined, an EcoTec may be okay for you.
If you’re not mechanically inclined, I promise you will sink more money into the engine than it is ultimately worth. The common problems with the ecotec far outweigh any benefits in fuel consumption, HP, vehicle features etc. My professional advice is avoid the Ecotec line of engines used in dozens of General Motors models.