If you asked someone 40 years ago if GM would make a 1.6L diesel engine, they would laugh in your face. Well, this became a reality in 2004 when Chevrolet equipped several models with this exact engine, a 1.6L diesel engine with the code name F16D3.
If you’re buying a used Chevrolet with the 1.6L diesel engine, you came to the right place.
Doing your own homework is really important before you decide to purchase a model with a specific engine. Every car is offered with a variety of engines in some cases. Each of these engines performs differently and has certain issues that you need to be aware of. Luckily, that’s why we are here to help you pinpoint these issues for you.
That’s why in this article, first we are going to cover the specs of this 1.6 engine, then we are going to cover the GM 1.6L turbo diesel engine problems and see what troubles this engine, then we are also learning which models have this engine. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the topic.
Basic GM F16D3 1.6L Turbo Diesel Engine Specs
What is worth noting about the GM 1.6 turbo is that there are a few engines that are made by GM with the same displacement. But in this article, we are primarily interested in the F16D3.
This turbo diesel engine was introduced in 2004 and is based on the F14D3. The F14D3 is a copy of an Opel engine known as the X14XE, a gas-powered engine.
What is worth noting about the F16D3 is that this engine has the same engine block as the F14D3. The main difference between engines is the cylinder bore. The F16D3 understandably has a bigger bore to increase the displacement.
In addition to this, the F16D3 has a forged steel crankshaft. The block itself is very durable and made out of cast iron. And the cylinder head uses a DOHC layout like many contemporary engine designs.
What is worth noting about this F16D3 engine is that it uses an EGR valve in order to satisfy the emissions standards. Since diesel engines create a lot of NOx particles.
This engine was slightly redesigned in 2008 and this engine got the new name F16D4. This engine features many improvements. But that’s an engine for a different article.
For this article, we are only interested in the F16D3. This engine comes in the following specs:
- Year Of Introduction: 2004
- Configuration: inline-4
- Displacement: 1.6L
- Cylinder Bore: 79 mm
- Piston Stroke: 81.5 mm
- Block Material: Cast Iron
- Engine Head Material: Aluminum
- Engine Head Design: DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
- Compression ratio: 9.5
- Turbocharger: Yes
- Horsepower: 109 hp
- Torque Output: 110 lb-ft
Common GM 1.6L Turbo Diesel Engine Problems
Common GM 1.6L turbo diesel engine problems include:
- Carbon Deposits In Intake & Valves
- Oil Leaks From Valve Cover
- Fuel Injector Failures
- Turbocharger Failures
- Likes To Overheat
- EGR Clogging
Now that we learned more about the common problems with the F16D3 engine, we can slowly move on and learn more about each of these problems in detail.
Knowing when and how these problems appear is really important in our opinion because you need to have input on the circumstances. This way you can avoid a problematic car or know how to prevent some of these issues from appearing.
Carbon Deposits In Intake & Valves
Big carbon development was noted on these engines. And considering that this is a diesel engine, having issues like these is pretty normal.
Especially if you drive the car only for short distances. The intake can clog up with carbon deposits and the valves can clog up with carbon deposits.
These instances will cause running issues because the operation of the engine will be prevented by these carbon particles.
This is why whenever you experience strange issues and you feel that you lose power and check engine light, it is worth making sure that everything is nice and clean on the intake side, as well as the valves that are clean as well.
If there are deposits that look alarming, manual cleaning is essential in order to bring the engine back to normal.
Now let’s continue with the next GM 1.6L turbo diesel engine problems.
Oil Leaks From Valve Cover
Oil leaks from the valve cover are also a common problem with the F16D3 engine. But what is the valve cover? Where is it located?
Well, the valve cover is the big cover located on top of the engine. This valve cover is covering the valvetrain.
It has a simple purpose and that is to prevent engine oil from escaping the engine and keep the engine top enclosed.
There is a gasket material that is located between this valve cover and the cylinder head. This valve cover gasket has the purpose of creating a tight seal between the engine cylinder head and the valve cover.
And if this seal fails, there will be oil leaks that will develop around this gasket. And honestly, this is a common problem on a lot of these GM engines.
They come with cheap gaskets that tend to fail in the first 50,000 km or so. The solution is to replace the gasket.
Luckily, this is not a very expensive procedure and can be sorted out for less than 50 euros. Also, it is a good DIY job for beginners who want to wrench on their cars.
Now let’s move on to the next GM 1.6L turbo diesel engine problems.
Fuel Injector Failures
Another situation that many owners faced was the case when the car did not like to pull and had problems accelerating the vehicle.
This problem as we noted can be caused by carbon deposits on the intake manifold and valves. And can also be caused because of bad fuel injectors.
This is a direct injection engine and uses special injectors that are very sensitive to bad fuel and also fail more often.
And when they fail, they cause a lot of problems for the owners. There will be check engine light, low engine power, rich or lean air-to-fuel ratio, and many more symptoms.
The solution to this problem will be to either replace the faulty injectors or rebuild them if they are rebuildable.
Both processes can be pretty expensive and can definitely damage your wallet. This is why you need to make sure that the fuel injectors are good before you decide to purchase the car.
Turbocharger Failures
Turbocharger failures at higher miles were also noted on these engines. This engine uses a single turbocharger that has a limited lifespan.
So, during your ownership of the model, you can go through one or two turbochargers. Usually, these components last for around 150,000 km, but they can sometimes last to 200,000+ kilometers.
It really depends on how good maintenance you do to the car. Luckily, the turbocharger is a rebuildable component.
There are many turbo shops across the country that rebuild these units and bring them back to factory spec.
Symptoms of a bad turbo are often low engine power, turbocharger producing whistling noises, and check engine light.
Overheating
Another very common problem is the situation when the engine overheats. And this is a common thing on these low-displacement GM engines, especially on Opel engines like the one in this case.
The reasons behind this can be many, like thermostat failure, and cooling system failure. And sometimes they just like to run hot when overloaded.
The head gasket will blow in this situation and cause coolant loss or coolant mixed with engine oil. The important thing is to fix the problem before it becomes bigger and the engine gets completely totaled.
Now let’s continue with the next GM 1.6L turbo diesel engine problems.
EGR Clogs Up
And last on our list of problems with the GM F16D3 engine is the problem with the EGR valve. This exhaust recirculation valve is a major headache for a lot of these GM engines from this era.
The EGR simply loves to clog up and if it’s not regularly cleaned, these deposits will become so large that they will damage the EGR and the EGR will have to be replaced.
Luckily, replacing this component is not too expensive. Some people simply delete this EGR. But we would not recommend this because your car will pollute more and you can also fail your emissions.
Which Models Have The GM 1.6L Turbo Diesel Engine?
Now let’s see which models have the 1.6 turbo diesel engine.
- Chevrolet Aveo
- Chevrolet Cruze
- Chevrolet Lacetti
- Chevrolet Lanos
- Daewoo Nexia
- Daewoo Lacetti
- Daewoo Lanos
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Common GM 1.6l Turbo Diesel Engine Problems?
Common problems with this engine include carbon deposits on the intake manifold, as well as on the valves. The EGR also tends to clog up with carbon and fail. Other issues include injector failures, turbocharger failures, and overheating. Luckily the block is made out of cast iron and is very durable. So, even if the car overheats, the engine will not have major problems.
Is The GM F16D3 a Reliable Engine?
This engine is very reliable, you can easily push it for more than 300,000 km. This engine will run forever if you give it good maintenance and solve problems on time. If you delay repairs, engine life will suffer and the engine could fail much earlier.
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