Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: otis24
I was under the impression that the Cruze had a decent engine and that the Aveo had a different engine that was not as durable. When i read that the Cruze and the Sonic had the same engine, I had my doubts as to what had taken place. If indeed the Sonic did get the Cruze engine and it is a different animal than the previous Aveo engine, in no way do I consider the Sonic a POS. Quite the contrary, it would be an auto that I would consider owning as I always liked the Aveo's styling and size.
The Aveo has a 1.6 which may have been built by Holden but was probably GM/Korea(ie
aewoo).
IIRC, the country of origin for the 1.4T is Austria. The country of origin for the 1.8 is Hungary. (just look at the part list on the Cruze. From Kazatzkhan
to Lordstown, OH. It's about as global a car as you can get.)
The design of the Cruze/Sonic 1.8 and the Aveo 1.6 are similar...
Flint Engine South was being re-tooled to produce Family 0 and Family 1 Ecotec engines. Starting with the 1.4L in the Volt, then continuing to the 1.4L turbo and 1.8L. I don't know what the intended rollout is for the 1.4L turbo and 1.8L, but the 1.4L in the Volt began production in Dec, 2010. I would expect that sometime in the 2012 model year, if not right from the beginning, you'll start seeing engines built in Flint in the Cruze and Sonic.
As for the engines themselves, the 1.8L in the Cruze/Sonic is the same 1.8L used in the Saturn Astra. It is a Family 1 engine, which is the same family as the 1.6L in the old Aveo. Essentially, the only difference between the 1.8L and the 1.6L is displacement.
The 1.4L turbo is a Family 0. Again, very similar to the Family 1, except Family 0 engines use a timing chain. Family 1 engines use a timing belt. Family 1 engines were also available in both SOHC and DOHC layouts, where Family 0 have always been DOHC. There have also been 3-cylinder Family 0 engines available.
Most development work was done by Opel. Both engine families, Family 0 and Family 1, have seen extensive use by Opel, Vauxhall, Fiat, and Saab in Europe, Chevrolet in Brazil, Chevrolet and Daewoo in Korea, and Holden in Australia. As noted above, they've been produced in engine plants in many different countries. They are about as global as an engine can get.
The other Ecotec, the one the United States is most familiar with, in the Family II. Family II includes the 2.0L turbo in the Cobalt, Solstice, Sky, and Regal, the 2.4L in, well, just about everything, and the older 2.2L. These engine share nothing with the Family 0 or Family 1 engines except the Ecotec name. Development on the modern Family II was a joint effort between Opel, Saab, and GM Powertrain in N. America. The Family II engine has pretty much been limited to use in the United States and as a "premium" upgrade to the Family 0 and Family 1 engine in European markets.
The 1.4T in mine and my dads cruze is from the Flint Engine plant, at least if the Window sticker is to be believed- Says Engine Made in USA" some of the others said Austria.
good information and good to know.
I have nothing against Austrian engines. Certainly a few of those line workers must have been at Rotax previously and know a thing or two, but it makes sense for GM to not have to import engines made by Western European workers with European benefits and wages and bring those jobs here.
As far as the engines from Hungary?
I enjoy a nice goulash and I've had good stuffed cabbbage, but I don't think I've ever owned a Hungarian engine. I don't know how much of the Soviet era still lingers on those production lines. You have to wonder about the quality. (you thought I was going to bring up the Gabor sisters, didn't you?
)
Good to know that they are both here or will be here soon.
