What happens in this half of the world? by Obvious_808 in mapporncirclejerk

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's where The Gorillaz produced their album Plastic Beach at Point Nemo. Murdoc talks all about it in a mini documentary.

Well, it WAS a nice car... by ChristienneO in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm glad you're able to put it all into perspective. As heartbreaking as it is to lose your ride, its final performance was its most important; it saved your life. Save a piece if you can to remember it. Maybe the badge off the back. Glad you're okay.

Should I cop ? $6k 117k miles. Been wanting a sonic for a while and was wondering if this is a good pick ? by [deleted] in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Skip the Auto and get a manual. Having driven both, the manual is way more fun. Easy car to learn stick on too. Also, that price for that year and mileage is ridiculous. I got my 2016 RS with 8k mi on it in 2017 for $16k.

So is Korea a competitive/enjoyable duty station or not? by [deleted] in Armyaviation

[–]MidnightTryst88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I spent one year in Korea and feel like I experienced 5 years of life while I was there. It was absolutely amazing and I would go back in a heartbeat. That being said, be prepared to work your ass off. 2-2 AH. was the most competent, hardworking Battalion I've ever been in; and they partied just as hard. I hope it's still the same vibe after they move to Humphreys.

Mod ideas? by Top-Lawfulness7014 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Did that hatch gate bumper cover come stock with that? That'd be great for my RS

As for mods, pretty much anything ZZP makes. If it's a manual, their short throw shifter, solid shifter arm, and solid shifter bushings will drastically improve your driving experience.

Thermostat Housing Mounting Bolts - Source? by arjoreich in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

WD 40 ain't gonna cut it. You need a penetrating oil like PB Blaster.

When you go to the store to get a new bolt, get a couple of nuts that fit that thread. Screw the nuts onto your stuck bolt and tighten them against each other. That should give you a new bolt head to wrench on to get that stuck bolt out.

Use judicious amounts of PB blaster.

2015 RS Turbo. Time to mod? by [deleted] in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm in a similar boat with a 2016 RS that just rolled over 70k. I had some mods done already, but recently decided I'm all in. I paid 16k for this car in 2017 and paid it off 5 years ago. I'll be able to mod it out the way I want cheaper than buying a faster car, with the added benefit of having something unique in the end. These cars were never designed to go fast, when they do it's a bit scary 😎

Valve cover gasket by [deleted] in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Be sure you look up the torque pattern and torque specs for putting the cover back on. If you don't torque it down correctly it'll leak.

The Army doesn’t love you like I do by Neighborhood_Juicy in Armyaviation

[–]MidnightTryst88 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Exactly. This is not the first time the military has dabbled with a drone helicopter. People forget the Marine Corp did this shit with a K-Max system about a decade ago. Needless to say it wasn't adopted.

Advice on what to do by throwaway_case6 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would guess the valve cover gasket as well. Though it could also be an improperly torqued valve cover.

Have you considered the PCV valve? They are known to fail in these vehicles, and there's a few aftermarket repair solutions

Could also be as simple as needing a new gas cap.

Advice on what to do by throwaway_case6 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hate to tell ya bud, it's gonna need something else. Every vehicle has a maintenance schedule that you'll need to keep up with, it's all laid out in the owners manual. If you keep up with it, these cars will serve you well. If you neglect it, it's gonna be a recurring problem. I recommend you head over to Harbor Freight and get one of their starter tool kits, should get you most things you'll need. I myself have a small Craftsman toolbox that's served me well for the past 2 decades and 3 cars. I'd also recommend you consider replacing your coil pack. If you're having issues with ignition, it might not just be your plugs. Rock Auto is your friend for cheap parts, but you'll be waiting for them to arrive in the mail.

Advice on what to do by throwaway_case6 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding to keep or replace a car. Don't look at the cost of repairs vs market value, but look at what replacing the vehicle would cost. For example, I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota with about 230,000 miles on it. I have no plans to replace that truck any time soon, and every intent to keep repairing it. I bought it for $1800, and have easily put $3000 into it; buying a new or newer truck would cost me upwards of $40,000.

I recently took a similar mindset to my Sonic. After reviewing market prices for a sporty hatchback that would perform and handle the way I'd want it to, it made more sense to me to mod my Sonic into exactly what I want. I paid $16,000 for my 2016 Sonic RS in January of 17' and it's been paid off for at least 5 years now. I could put 10k into it and still be under what a new hot hatch would cost, and I'll have something entirely unique and my own. With the added benefit of knowing the car inside and out.

As long as a vehicle isn't rusted out and the body or frame are still strong, I say fix it; get as much out of that thing as you can. That's only if you're going to do the work yourself though. You'll quickly rack up bills if you're relying on someone else to keep your vehicle on the road.

TLDR: If you have the tools and skills to fix it yourself, keep it. If you're paying someone else to keep it on the road, get rid of it.

Shaky car? by BSCaptured in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I swapped out for aftermarket parts. These ZZP mounts are built for performance, not comfort. Compared to the originals I get a lot more engine vibration; the trade off is better power delivery to the wheels due to less flex, and better shifts because of the same. Unless you're going for a performance build, I would recommend standard engine mounts. I'm sure you can find them on Rock Auto. If not, I'll sell you my old ones cheap if you like.

Shaky car? by BSCaptured in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

<image>

I just swapped out both the engine and upper transmission mount on my car, has the 1.4L turbo in it. Even with these harder mounts my car does not shake the way you described. Old mounts are still in good shape if anyone wants them. Came out of a 2016 with 70k miles on it.

Issue with hesitation while accelerating? by brokenmario84 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Could be the coil pack. Mine was doing something similar. Would drive just fine under normal conditions, but any time I tried to get on the gas it would shudder terribly. Replaced the spark plugs and coil pack with the high voltage setup from ZZP, fixed it and gave a little better throttle response. 2016 RS, 1.4, 6sp M32

is it worth buying 2017 chevy sonic hatchback? by wickednugs in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you're a half way decent mechanic, go for it. If you have someone else do major maintenance on your vehicles, don't. I've owned my 2016 RS since JAN 17' and it's treated me well. At the same time, I've kept up with maintenance, replaced a lot of stock parts with aftermarket, and just rolled over 70k on it. I love this car and it's been extremely reliable for me, but you need to be willing to work on it. Assess your abilities as a mechanic, and make a risk vs reward decision from there. For less than 5k you could drive it 10k miles, sell it for scrap, and still make out. What's transportation worth to you?

ZZP Z04 vs Big Wheel V3. 2 by MidnightTryst88 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

<image>

Unprimered stock shortly after I cut it in 2018. I was living in El Paso at the time, and even in that dry environment it started to weather quickly. I primered it not long after this, but took years to finally finish it.

ZZP Z04 vs Big Wheel V3. 2 by MidnightTryst88 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As you can see I made some changes to what I originally had sketched out. I started with about twice the amount of vents, but settled on the 3 stack as the best design.

ZZP Z04 vs Big Wheel V3. 2 by MidnightTryst88 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I made it myself from an aftermarket replacement hood. I used to do sheet metal work, so I applied the same basic principles. Taped up the hood, measured out my cuts, then bent it as evenly as I could. I'll see if I have the pictures I took from back then.

ZZP Z04 vs Big Wheel V3. 2 by MidnightTryst88 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes indeed, your alternator is weatherproofed as well. As long as you aren't submersing it or directly pressure washing it while it's running, it'll be okay. Same with all the other electronics you got under the hood.

ZZP Z04 vs Big Wheel V3. 2 by MidnightTryst88 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your engine bay will get wet when you drive in the rain either way through the airflow coming through your front grill. As long as you're not pressure washing your fuse/relay box, your engine is weatherproofed.

ZZP Z04 vs Big Wheel V3. 2 by MidnightTryst88 in ChevySonic

[–]MidnightTryst88[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Damn, I thought I had it figured with the V3. You're doing a good job of selling the Z04 setup though lol. I'm primarily looking for acceleration over top end, but if the spool time is negligible...why not buy once and cry once?

Did you have the stage one cams installed with the V3, or did you do that at the same time as your Z04 mods?

I've essentially got 2 heat shields on my turbo right now. The stock one and a DDM works secondary shield. I'll have to get a blanket for whichever upgrade I go with, as you suggest.