Hey r/MechanicAdvice, I need some guidance. I have a Sliver Chevy Sonic 2012 Turbo that my mom used to drive. I am now faced with a decision to sell it, or to fix it for myself.
WHAT HAPPENED?? P1
So one day while driving, we smelled a strange scent. It smelled battery-egg-machinery. We then saw an engine light go off with tons of beeping. We immediately pulled over, and we saw white smoke from the hood. We got it towed home. Then, we decided to turn it on again. We heard what resembled engine knocking. Following the next time we decided to turn it on again, it wouldn’t crank. The battery would later on die, but we jump started it and it would make a clicking noise but the engine would not start.
Context?? This happened before P1
The engine light beeping happened before. Some guy said it was a coolant problem and fixed it. The problem would later show up again. Another guy put coolant inside of the car. We would drive home from the guy who put coolant in our car only for it to burst into white smoke followed by beeping.
INTENTIONS!!
IM going to college soon, and I think it’ll be cool if I could fix this car. However, I towed it to the same guy who “fixed” the coolant problem initially and he said that he cannot help, costing me 100 bucks. I am debating on fixing it, I have no knowledge on how to fix it. I genuinely think it would be cool to have this car running, but I don’t want to spend 2000 bucks on it. 1000 >= would be considerable. I’ve been stuck on this decision for a few months.
My research
Probably a blown head gasket or engine failure. Since the coolant problem never got solved, im assuming this caused the engine to have loads of friction or something: resulting in the white smoke, and resulting in the engine failure.
What I want
Give me advice please!! I’m willing to fix it. It has a turbo and I think I could have fun with it. But It’s not worth it if it’ll cost me too much. This could give me some engineering experience (im an engineering major) and this car will be super useful in college. Im debating on if fixing it could potentially cost less than a new used car.
Help me get this car running!!!
or give me the harsh reality!!!
Check the oil for water and check the water for oil. Check the oil level when the car had been off for five minutes or more and is on a level surface.
The oil will be milky brown if it has coolant/water in it.
Also make sure engine has oil. These little eco turbos rely on really clean and often changed oil to stay together.
Next up, fill the radiator up with liquid, leave radiator cap off and start the engine.
If you see air bubbles coming up in the radiator cap neck that means a head gasket has a leak and needs to be replaced. Not easy or fun but doable.
If you see oil in the water or water in the oil that’s probably more expensive than you want to deal with.
After you’ve done the air bubbles coming up from radiator neck check put the cap back on and see where its steaming/leaking from.
I don’t know sonic radiators but this type of car has a plastic and aluminum radiator that can easily develop cracks in the plastic top and bottom. If it has a leak that is not on the seam where the aluminum and plastic meet you can JB Weld it as a temporary fix until you can afford a replacement radiator.
Check for fresh liquid drips after you’ve been running the car in place for a while. (good to do after the radiator white smoke check).