Chevy OPTRA Engine Temp

[Genie47]

No point. Best is to get a higher CFM fan. Using the same ECU controls but such a fan will cool faster and harder.

[Atlantis_boi]

I agree wif u Bro. When I parked my car, I put my hand @ the front grill area & the air is v.hot. The engine bay oso feels hot upon popping the bonnet. As we r already in a all round summer country with no freezing weather, we can try 2 lower the operating temp. of Optra, guess it will b better for our cars & wallet oso (lower FC ma)

 

Cheers.

[Kklee]

Again I stumbled on something in the manual!

 

1.6L/1.8L DOHC main fan size and auxiliary fan size has the same diameter of 300mm

 

Main fan has a bigger motor i.e. higher CFM? Wonder if they aux can be replaced by a main fan?

 

Bro Tann, you wanna try?

[Genie47]

Depends. Some Chevies have the 2 fan system (like mine) and some have only 1 fan (new Aveos). The old Vivant has a single fan system which caused much of the overheating. Yes, in this case, main fan should draw more current and hence is a higher CFM fan.

 

I tell you what, check if the old Nubira or Lanos got the same diameter fan. If yes, go junkyard and grab one or in any case, grab any 300mm fan that can be screwed on. BMW, VW or MB fan should be prime beef.

 

Skali A/C become freezing cold.

[Kklee]

Need to gather more information then. Should apply to other makes as well? Probably send a stream of people to the junk yards!

[Genie47]

As long as the mounting screws match, can install.

[Tann]

At less u see the same point as me (hot air in the engine compartment petrol and water evaporate fatser, so FC higher and water have to top up regularly n if you miss it $$$$$ for the repair, as for AVEO car they have enough ventilation from the grill to the engine compartment n their heat in from the bonnet is normal) and to all OPTRA owner if we voice out to GM or SA maybe they have to do something about it (maybe reprogram the ECU or .....).

[Tann]

If OPTRA Oowner voice out to GM or SA about 2 issue (aircon sensor and engine heat) they might to do something otherwise those new buyer red this forum turn bad and buy other car and so do we (not choosing CHEVY for our next car). We OPTRA owner really need to voice out. There are some of them already facing so many problem in CHEVY car out there and if there still not doing anything .......

 

I m keeping option for my next car HYUNDAI Tucson.

[Tann]

I m all ready to try (die die must try type) for option to improve the heat and the FC.

You wan to try too, lets seat down and brainstorm together who ever wish to join in.

[Tann]

Bro, pls check with the SA about me. Moreover one of my friend is a Ex-GM engineer which i have discuss with not just by book. If all racer go on track with stock engine n not modifying their car then there must be asking fr trouble (how to win the race and facing with many problem like overheating the engine ans so on....). Well i can arrange you to meet up with my other group of friends who ex-racer in pasir gudang for discussion.

[Kklee]

Voice out is not an issue.... to who? how to? But first..must gather data!

 

I'm not to the extend of "die die must try". Maybe not enuf poison!

Yours is the Optra 1.6A right? May I check what's your mileage and FC like now?

Sure, can brainstorm together, we shall see how it goes.

[Tann]

Mostly FC is Full tank to 3/4 114km / 1/2 280-300km / 1/4 mark 400-420km (just pump & try out new petrol on Tue 29/11 Full tank to 3/4 125km and still monitoring).

Full tank to empty ever hit 525km (10% highway 90%/city, mostly every morning n evening must go through queensway- farrer-adam-lornie- upp thomson)

 

My car already enhance with some stuff and rear boot also heavy daily with stuff.

[Kklee]

Your full tank is 60 litres? Engine oil type? Petrol brand and RON? 15" or 14" ?

 

My mileage is is about 10k with cxxxxxe 5W40 fully synthetic. Going for the 10k servicing soon. When the low fuel indicator light up, I pump in 60 litres which will last about 600-630km which translate to about 10.5 km/litre. Don't think my ride has run-in fully yet. Driving characteristics, 50% light / 50 % heavy... bad for FC!

 

You might also want to consider whether are there alternative route to your destination. Sometimes it might be further, but due to less traffic, FC might be better!

[Tann]

OPTRA 1.6A

Full Tank > 60L (but never run until light come up)

Engine Oil > Castro GTX

Remove RON 95 socket

15" sport rim

petrol > shell 98 25L and Caltex 98

BOOT LOad > heavy

Total Run-in > 10.1km

Destination > Office Science Park Drive (Upper Thomson to Lornie to Adam to Farrer to Queensway to Portsdown to AYE to Science Park Drive

[Cbx750p]

OPTRA 1.6 MT

Full Tank > 72L until over flowing out ( 3/4 tank must top up )

Engine Oil > Super Syn 10w/30

Using RON 95 socket

15" sport rim with 185/65/R15 Michelin

petrol > Mobil, Esso, Caltex, SPC anything but SHELL

BOOT LOad > Okay considered empty

Total Run-in > 12 km

Destination > Bukit Panjang, Tuas, Eunos, Town all over the place. 50%highway !

[Cbx750p]

Never had a problem with the engine temperature. Very stable and always staying around 92 to 95 deg even when I climb Gentings. Of course I switch off the aircon for better power. Very Shiok to drive my MT Optra.

 

In my experience, all engine would work around 95 to 100 deg C..... anything higher, you got a overheated engine and any lower, you got an inefficient engine.

 

Drove my Chevy for 2 years now but battery still okay. Oh yeah....I did not like the maintenance battery they provided and changed to the AC Delco maintenance free battery from new. I did a deal with the workshop. Traded in my original for $30 and top up $50 for the new maintenance free battery. So, topping up battery water is not in my "TO DO" list !

 

CBX

[Cracker]

Optra 1.6MT

 

Mileage ~ 16K

 

Engine oil : tried cxxxxxe, now on SA's Mobil One ?

 

Destination : Jurong West ext to Tuas via PIE (20 km to and fro but wont consider it as highway from 745 onward !); weekend (west to east; abt 100~200 km )

 

Petrol : Shell 92 since day 1; but tried Mobil F1 in JB during a return trip from Malacca.

 

FC : if pump from appearance of refuel indicator to the first click; 50 litres can get me ard 600 ~ 620 which is abt 12 km/l. If pump till can see petrol on the brim, amt will be abt 60 litres which can travel for ard 720 to 750 which is still abt 12 km/l.

So pump more, travel more also mean pay more !!!

[Kklee]

Castrol GTX, the rating is it 30, 40 or 50? While I was on Mobil mineral 15w50 previously, my engine bay seems a litter hotter compare with cxxxxxe 5w40.

 

Does removal of RON95 socket = RON98? I'm running with the RON95 socket using Caltex 95 which gives me slighly better mileage and more power compared with Mobil 5000.

 

I did some research off the interent, apparently, higher octane fuel like RON98 would be suited for engine with higher compression ratio and higher temperature which allows it burn completely. Optra's compression is 9.5 which is not exactly in the high range. So the question is, what happens to the petrol when it is not fully burnt? I'm analysing my engine oil visually, my cxxxxxe 5w40 is slightly "golden" after using for 5000 km. Intend to get back my spark plug for visual check too. For me, just worried about the engine being contamination by excessive carbon.

 

As your BOOT is heavy, need to take note of your back wheels tire pressure. Mine is 32 psi all around. If you refer to the owner's manual, the tire pressure stated for 14" or 15" is 30 psi. There is a label in the glove compartment, they state the pressure should be 32 psi for normal load and HIGHER for heavy load. You might want to check that out.

 

Cbx750p's comment regarding changing to a MF battery seems to be a good bet to solving the battery top-up issue. I actually rethink about this issue, could it be also caused by over-charging? I've an older generation of Z-Stab which suppose to give better FC by stablizing the charging. I work at Clementi, maybe you might like to drop by during lunch?