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Retired old Gearhead

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Everything posted by Retired old Gearhead

  1. Retired old Gearhead
    Yup...The new all aluminum 1.4 engine also has a very wide torque band..meaning good torque at at a greater range of RPM's. The 2013 w/4sp auto tranny does about 2,700+ at 60mph. I agree the body is very stiff and solid making for a good handling little unit...I put music on a little USB stick and just have a few in the car..labelled as to music type and plug that into the USB slot..works well with the steering column buttons to go up or down the selections and automatically mutes during a phone call via Bluetooth.
  2. Retired old Gearhead
    Maybe someone who has a 2014 CVT can give you the # and name of that recall as I don't have that, but it does look as though it was not performed for some reason maybe that is something to look into since most users who had it done were happy with the improvement to the CVT operation..mostly in the first gear to second response as well as getting rid of the lag at stop between giving gas and first gear engaging to actually move the car quickly.
  3. Retired old Gearhead
    Did you get the CVT software recall/update done?..that may help.
  4. Retired old Gearhead
    Thanks for the nice words Bobby...As you said the Spark is solid on the road and handles well..That is the main reason we got this as well as the ease of parking and moving around in tight traffic..OK..well, actually I got the car since my wife wanted something smaller to drive than my big, hard to park v8 chevy and after a while I found it a fun and easy car to drive as well..drive it more than the big V8 Rover..Rover is used on highway longer trips but is just a comfy but boring land cruiser. I didn't think we'd get 100Kmi from the spark as it was new on the market..but turned out rock solid
  5. Retired old Gearhead
    Ya, seems us older guys are better at financial management and squeezing out a deal whenever we can, always been that way and it's paid off in retirement ... I'm fairly sure that by now they have figured out and remedied Jatco-7 CVT issues that plagued the earlier versions of both hardware and control software. Nice work on the GM card redemption..I'm older but still like to do some DIY on my boat..not so much the car..get oil changes done the garage I use, both Spark and Rover, but still like to work on my older boat with an easy to work on engine, generator and fittings..but that's pretty w
  6. Retired old Gearhead
    Although I think this is the best location and application for sound proofing..a nice clean job as well, I'm pretty sure Confucius was not only not around before photography was invented, but he was not familiar with the English language let alone that there was an England, in fact...well, you get my drift...Anyways.. a picture is darn swell when describing anything tech..specially on the site! I've seen a page worth of issue or mod descriptions that could have been better understood with just one line and a pix...
  7. Retired old Gearhead
    Sounds more like a CVT issue to me.
  8. Retired old Gearhead
    Looks like all the recalls have been done..("no outstanding")..Only important recall was for the PCV unit...I think you have a winner there..well serviced..but don't let on about that when negotiating a price..Since you seem to know mechanics and cars fairly well (clutch info descriptor) .. next step is to do a drive & visual..Body work? Tracks straight..brakes and A/C..Underside check for loose components..power windows up and down ok without binding and interior visual. Check that overflow tank for leaks (common issue..but cheap DIY repair if needed) Check for heat from interior heater t
  9. Retired old Gearhead
    I think that the 2013 will go the distance (mine has about 120Kmi with conventional 4spAuto tranny and no issues) I know a pizza driver with a 2013 that has well over 150Kmi and no major issues..drives it hard. Seems the 2013 with the auto tranny have the higher resale value since many don't want the 2014+ when the CVT auto tranny was introduced...so Ya..I think if you can get a price of around $5-$6K or less your going the right route with this car. Parts can be found here: https://www.iamgmparts.com/auto-parts/2013/chevrolet/spark/lt-trim/1-2l-l4-gas-engine/?search_str=KL8CD6S93DC559460
  10. Retired old Gearhead
    I think the short story on the Jatco-7 CVT in all Sparks from 2014-17 is that the engines just don't have the torque needed to properly run the CVT without some very tight programming tolerances that just don't seem to be in set properly out the factory door. Maybe the stock programming is for units without the A/C...thus the extra power/torque drain the tiny A/C compressor put to the engine upsets that tiny tolerance that is programmed into the one of the control modules...That's my take on that.
  11. Retired old Gearhead
    Users manual has a darn swell section on fuses and their location and function...No user manual..you can download one from GM.
  12. Retired old Gearhead
    Excellent price..and lifetime oil changes etc are smart bonus. If you like to use Synthetic oil (I recommend that) you may have to pay the difference and ask for it..but still..very nice deal! From my not too great memory, I recall older posts from 2012-14 of some members having used that dealer with a $9,999 offer they had back then.
  13. Retired old Gearhead
    Good deal on that Finkler!..Seems the prices for Korean cars are always cheaper in WA..Must be the lower shipping cost..Port to Port without a long carrier trip inland. Great commuter car with all the electronics and stuff you won't find on a car even close to that price..new...Manual tranny is a wise choice..CVT is wise to avoid due to...well you get my drift..
  14. Retired old Gearhead
    Unless you live in a area like the NE Congo or some very remote area with more bikes than cars, then there are garages who can order this for you through their local auto supply they normally deal with. Although most garages keep a limited inventory of commonly used parts, fasteners, fliters etc..there are some cars like the Spark that need an oil filter that is not interchangeable with many other cars..so no sense for them to keep inventory on items like that...that being said, you can order one online, but should not have to..find a good garage/mechanic and they will order the part..usually
  15. Retired old Gearhead
    +1 on that!
  16. Retired old Gearhead
    There are vastly more conventional auto tranny's out there..that is why more are being worked on..that's the math. The 2014-2016 Jatco-7 trannys never worked properly mostly due to a programming issue but also due to a defective belt and material design...After over 120Kmi on my 2013 conventional 4sp auto tranny..still very responsive and solid connection while going through the gears..kickdown works better than some larger cars I have has..2-3 levels depending on how fast and far you do the gas kick-down..non of that "computer trying to find the right gear" as that Jatco-7 CVT experiences in
  17. Retired old Gearhead
    Yup..that one is OEM and will fit..I know Walmart has a variety of batteries that will also fit..$79 with same specs as OEM and some a bit more $$ for more Crank amps.. I have use the Walmart batteries..both conventional and deep cycle for my boat and cars..Deep Cycle gel batteries for accessories like TV and lighting etc when the generator is not running and they charge up again when under running conditions..very long lasting on a single charge ...so almost all their units are OK and priced well.. IMO.
  18. Retired old Gearhead
    What's wrong with the stock turn signal bulbs? Mine are bright front and back..easy to replace and no electrical issues...
  19. Retired old Gearhead
    Really?...A dyno app?...I know there are apps for almost everything...but a dyno app reading from the OBD cannot be accurate for reading the true HP and torque on a mechanical engine...Only a bench test with a true Dyno physically attached to the output shaft can read that accurately. Lets get real here..Dyno?? apps are handy but, well, you get my drift here...what can I say..hard not to scratch my head and wonder what kind of apps are or will be out there..Maybe we need an app to tell people to turn the smarty fone off and use our brain ...Ha!
  20. Retired old Gearhead
    The "ticking" you hear is from the valve train tappets/cam contact with the valve stem assembly. Fuel has no bearing on that..oil type (synthetic/conventional) and viscosity, volume and thickness eg: 5/20 10/30 etc, does.. A cold engine when first starting to run will be louder with lower performance than an engine at operating temp...I'll spare you the details on that but fuel that is higher octane (eg:91) will require a higher flash point (temp) than lower octane like 89..Higher Octane is not more combustible..in fact it is less combustible at lower temps..you can research that and why there
  21. Retired old Gearhead
    What's a "Brain Fart"? Is that sort of like a temporary 'air-head' moment? If so, I could have a useful term to use around the home...
  22. Retired old Gearhead
    Yup..Got it. Car was OK at purchase..needed the PCV recall..dealer did not replace the PCV unit as per recall..THEN you started using oil...OK..My apologies for misreading all your data..not all the clear on the above details..Still the research bit spoken about applies, but that's a whole different subject as it your specific problem could have been avoided had the dealer done the PCV part replacement. And...I do agree with "Hence Chevrolet's fault for allowing one of their dealers to do this kind of thing to people, then washing their hands from it". Now you need to explain that very clearly
  23. Retired old Gearhead
    Oh for God's sake....If you had no struts or shocks you'd be bouncing....alot..the spark has coils when you view from the underside rear and the coil over shocks can be viewed inside the rear wheel-well by looking above the tire area...
  24. Retired old Gearhead
    Issue is not about having the recall done after you bought the car...should have been done long before you got the car or immediately after since the PCV failure usually occurred around the 20-30Kmi. point. By the time you got possession, it was only a few miles away from the failure point or already starting to fail. Had you done the research you could have found this issue and had it (PCV recall) done before the engine started drinking all that oil (the common PCV failure symptom)...Just in the nick of time, but all would be good. Many Sparks that had the PCV unit fail before the replacement
  25. Retired old Gearhead
    Not sure what that is..never seen that before as we don't have the version of the Spark in the US..possibly some kind of 'breather tube' to expel excess condensation etc. BTW: For a car that's got that many miles and is 6-7 years old..Engine compartment looks brand new..very clean..no rust on bolts and aluminum, rubber all look like new..nice job maintaining that!
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