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Old 6th August 2020, 18:11   #76
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Lockdown Blues - 3

By the end of 3 months, I had run of ideas to spoil the parked car which was otherwise doing 140+ kms a day. I had finished over 40-50 movies with son and literally we saw the entire MCU twice over, he now knows the entire screen play of **all parts of ** Star Wars, Indiana Jones, ID4, MIB, Harry Potter, I lost memory of what I saw with him.

Idle head is so bad for my poor car that I ended up seeing something about Poly-urethane engine mount bushes for a car. Now that anyways my car was 1.5Lac kms and 2 out of 3 bushes were nearly gone. So I ended up doing this.


DIY-5


Removed the engine mounts by removing the air filter box, battery tray and you need to support both the crankcase and gearbox using two jacks. Then the mounts come off easily.

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-engine-mount.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-engine-mount1.jpg

I was apprehensive about Poly-Urethane and decided to go for Silicone instead. They are a tad bit softer and not hard as a rock like PU.

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-silicone.jpg

Just find all empty spaces in your motor mounts and fill them with silicone (or PU if you want) and let them dry for few days.

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-silicone-diy.jpg

Yes, the engine shake that used to happen due to worn out bushes is gone, but the vibration SUCKS, it is very pronounced and I may just order a set of new mounts after all soon.

The next DIY calls for a seperate thread in itself. I can provide a teaser here...


DIY-6


Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-raw-material.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-raw-material1.jpg

I am yet to recover from this DIY-6, keep watching this space...
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Old 8th August 2020, 21:55   #77
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Lockdown Blues - 4

DIY-7

One more weekend to kill and one more 'long pending' work to be done. This was actually supposed to be my mechanics work, but he threw a fit when I asked him that the Turbo intercooler needed a clean, to which he argued that the whole bumper needed to come off. I was absolutely sure that with just 1 T-spanner and 1 screw driver it will come off, he threw me a challenge saying no.

I struck up a bet with him that I wont pay xx.Rs next time if I pull it out cleanly. And so I did. I picked up some toilet cleaning acid from a nearby shop and let the acid do its work removing the oil inside. And BOY, was there quite a bit of oil inside, indicating a impending turbo overhaul soon. After the acid bath, I hosed it down adequately with water and refit it.

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-img_20200808_132913.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-img_20200808_132933.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-img_20200808_133000.jpg
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Old 24th August 2020, 12:52   #78
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Afterthought, but better late than never

The Intercooler DIY made me think a lot, if the blowby gases are collecting in the IC and eventually going into the inlet manifold and EGR (which was running from KM 0 - 100,000) how bad should the inlet manifold be...??!!

I found a new workshop in my town who took up the job and after 2 days this is the condition and end result of my manifold. The car feels much more lively and spirited and low speed hesitation is gone.

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-img_20200820_110755.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-img_20200820_110812.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-img_20200820_112000.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-cleaning.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-new.jpg

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-new1.jpg
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Old 17th February 2021, 19:05   #79
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re: Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500Km & 7 Yrs

Quote:
Originally Posted by svsantosh View Post

The kit above made by Technix contains 1,6,8 & 9 from the drawing at nearly 1/3rd the cost. OK, lets say the quality may be sub-standard a bit. One of the judgmental error I made was to buy 3 & 7 unnecessarily because by function they can never wear out, I found out the hard way.

I dont have pics of the rear new shocks, but end of the day this job of overhauling the front shocks/struts and replacing rear shocks (only, not springs) would have costed 6,700Rs approx which is fairly inexpensive.

End of the day, the Original suspension feel is back and things are back to normal.

Hi Santosh,

I own a 2013 Sail Sedan Petrol. Recently my rear suspension strut has given up and needs replacement.

I came across the below from Boodmo site.

https://boodmo.com/catalog/part-tech...5600-53655087/

Do you have any experience with the above? I was planning to order the above kit along with OEM struts from Boodmo.

Can you help me with the list of parts that were changed in your case for rear suspension in reference to Boodmo catalogue?

Last edited by geekyengineer : 17th February 2021 at 19:05. Reason: missed details
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Old 19th March 2021, 14:59   #80
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Screeeeeech!!!

Last few months was busy with work and a intermittent 'screeeeech' from the Sail UVA. Diagnosed it down to the drive belt tensioner and got it from Boodmo for 1900~ Rs.

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-tensioner.jpg

Completed 1,70,000Kms last weekend and going strong for now.
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Old 5th April 2021, 13:57   #81
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Injector Nozzles

Car dropped F.E from 19ish KMPL to 16ish KMPL almost immediately over the last 2 tank fulls. I initially attributed it to 100% Ac due to extreme summer in Bangalore this season, but after 1000+ kms of similar results it was a RED Flag to me.

Googled possible causes and finally zeroed down to injector servicing and one injector nozzle was completely choked, 2 more were a bit choked. One was perfectly fine, so decided to change the 3 nozzles and noticeably the idling and running is super smooth now. I had forgotten what a quiet 1.3 Fiat motor sounds like. Costed 10,500Rs and half a days worth of effort.

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-injectors.jpg

Fuel filter, engine oil & filter, air filter changed and gear oil too.

After reading good reviews about STP oil additive decided to get one. I was surprised to see how THICK and VISCOUS that additive was, almost grease+oil combo. Made note to add ~400ml less engine oil to make up the extra quantity of STP.

The new (injectors) & oil and STP has made my 1.7Lac kms, 7 year Sail UVA even more butter smooth and quieter...!

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-stp.jpg

Last edited by svsantosh : 5th April 2021 at 13:58.
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Old 9th August 2021, 16:06   #82
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End of a 7 year Ownership experience

Sold!

Monthly Fuel bills were crossing 25,000Rs and the move from 65rs/Ltr to 75/Ltr to 85Rs to 95Rs (/ltr of diesel) just was the final nail.

Living with a (abandoned by maker) Chevrolet Sail in India | EDIT: Sold at 182,500 km & 7 years-diesel.jpg

Believe me I tried. From talking to scrap dealers to Sail UVA Petrol car owners on OLX, to do a engine swap or retrofit a 4cyl petrol engine into the engine bay. Even a local taxi owner (swift diesel) had struck a deal for my cars diesel engine, but alas, with burdening work and hardly anytime left for family on weekends I didn't want to spend another day at my mechs place to oversee another project. (Read on, as to why?)

I posted the advt on Olx on friday evening at ~1730Hrs, got bugged with 75-80 enquiries and calls and whatsapp till 2AM, by 6:30AM the 1st buyer was outside my home (yes, 630AM). Deal was over and car driven away by 730AM.

182,500Kms on odo, 7 years, this is one Chinese that I will have fond memories of.

It broke down once - ONCE (fuel rail electric wire got cut) This was one car where I had no second doubts about driving overnight across TN, KA or KL (for work) or returning to my remote rural home from bangalore office at 1am or 3am. Why could not GM stay in India. Sigh.

Next is the Maruti Spresso CNG; estd 25kmpl @ 55Rs/Kg was the deal maker.

再见

Last edited by svsantosh : 9th August 2021 at 16:07.
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Old 16th May 2022, 18:24   #83
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Re: End of a 7 year Ownership experience

Quote:
Originally Posted by svsantosh View Post
Sold!

182,500Kms on odo, 7 years, this is one Chinese that I will have fond memories of.

It broke down once - ONCE (fuel rail electric wire got cut) This was one car where I had no second doubts about driving overnight across TN, KA or KL (for work) or returning to my remote rural home from bangalore office at 1am or 3am. Why could not GM stay in India. Sigh.

再见
Santosh, would you still recommend buying a Sail UVA LS TDCi as a beater car to replace an aging Maruti 800? 62k kms on ODO and no major niggles, engine is fine and AC works finesse. Quoted price is in the lower six digit range. Like early 6 figures. 1,2x,000

Would love to hear your feedback. Current cars in my immediate extended family:

1. Maruti 800 - Father's
2. Baleno - Cousin Brother's
3. i10 Nios - Uncle/Mousa (husband of mom's older sister)

While I have access to the 1st and 3rd car mostly, I use a friend's Sail Sedan LS ABS as well. Would love to hear from you.
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