Chevrolet SGE (1.0–1.5 turbo)
inline-4 · turbocharged · petrol · 2013–present
Also known as: sge, lfv, l3a, 1.4 turbo, 1.5 turbo gm, b14, small gasoline engine, b14net, 552t, 652t, b10xft, 325t, lv7
General Motors' small turbocharged petrol family — 1.0 to 1.5 litres, three and four cylinders — fitted to the Cruze, Malibu, Equinox, Trax, Onix and their Buick and Opel equivalents, replacing the older Ecotec fours in the volume range.
The recurring items are those of any modern downsized turbo: intake-valve carbon on the direct-injected versions, turbocharger life tied closely to oil condition, and the plastic components of the cooling system and PCV. The PCV is worth naming specifically — a failed diaphragm in the valve cover produces a large vacuum leak that reads as a lean code and a rough idle, and the whole cover is usually the replacement part.
These engines went into cars sold heavily in markets with variable fuel quality and long service intervals, and both show up as knock and carbon complaints rather than as component failures. Fuel and oil history explain more faults here than mileage does.
Cars fitted with this engine
19 generations, across 3 makes. From the authored catalogue — an absent car means the catalogue has not reached it, not that the engine was never fitted.
Buick
Chevrolet
- Cruze J300 2008–2016
- Malibu Eighth generation 2012–2016
- Onix First generation 2012–2019
- Trax First generation 2012–2022
- Spark M400 2015–2022
- Cruze 2nd gen 2016–2019
- Malibu Ninth generation 2016–present
- Equinox Third generation 2017–present
- Onix Second generation 2019–present
- Trax Second generation 2023–present
Information, not instruction
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