My beloved hhr 2007 started blowing smoke, its grayish blue, i noticed it when the car is idle, and when i step on the accelator it blows a big cloud of smoke, engine oil is still full, no smoke coming out of oil dip, and car performance is still the same, its a manual transmission car, what could this be? Im hoping to hear something that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to fix!

 

Welcome to the site! Check to see if oil is being sucked from the hose from the valve cover to the throttle body.

 

Mine was ingesting oil through this hose, I simply replaced the hose and made a loop using 2 feet of 3/8 ID fuel hose. This may look different from your engine as we have different air filter housings

 

Listing the mileage and which motor would also help (ie: confirm it actually is the 2.2L motor) - please post it if you can.

 

I believe the 2.4 has the same hose as the 2.2, simply disconnecting the hose at the throttle body end wil tell the tale, of oil getting into the intake elbow!

 

I will have to take a look. That hose looks unfamiliar and I have a 2.4. There was never a hose on the intake ducting for my HHR

 

Then you should have at least a P0171 code! The standard air box pretty much covers that area.

 

I have the regular / stock air filter box and got some 1/2" clear plastic hose / tubing and ran it out the front of the air box from the value cover... and looped it up and side ways as I could... and then ran it over to the TB.


If you get 3' of hose you can come out the front, from under the air box. Loop it to the passenger side and run it up and tape it high as you can to the top of the air box. Run it across and then down to the TB.


I don't see any oil in the line... but it is still surging at times... but it's better than before. I know I have oil in the intake manifold so will pull the TB and clean out all I can.


I think the real fix is to use an oil catch can or use an inline air/ oil separator that can be drained.

I measured the value cover end and the TB end for the size of the hose to use and got 1/2".
I could get the 3/8 hose on the value cover end BUT NOT THE TB end, so I went to a 1/2" hose.

For sure these engines suck oil and mess up the running and performance... BUT so do others. You need this system to vent the upper and lower ends of the engine BUT it has to be modified to keep the oil out of the intake.


Please show other fixes that you have done that corrected the problem. Oldblue found a fast quick fix but has an after market intake box. Show us what others did as lots of knowledge on this site and if it works it's not wrong!. THANKS JC

 

I found this about the 2.4 Ecotec and a GM oil separator!

What to do if your 2.4 loses oil often... - Maintenance and Repair Forum - j-body.org - The J-Body Organization

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-24574...art/B010GIO5C4

Perhaps one of these will help!

The problem with an oil catch can is it needs to be emptied, often!

 

I still haven't gone to look for the hose maybe I will take a minute and go look in there. I swear I never saw it before although I never really was looking for it. Luckily I do not have any oil loss issue