Timing Chain Tensioner
New Member
Joined: 03-09-2019
Posts: 29
From: Florida
It is this one. See post #110
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/prob...11/#post417434
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/prob...11/#post417434
Moderator
Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 26,532
From: Fredericksburg,VA
According to the thread referenced in post #19 the belt tensioner was to blame.
I guess you could test by removing the belt and start the motor, 2-5 seconds without the alternator or AC won't hurt anything.
I guess you could test by removing the belt and start the motor, 2-5 seconds without the alternator or AC won't hurt anything.
New Member
Joined: 03-09-2019
Posts: 29
From: Florida
I got all of my parts together and decided to jump in to the project this past weekend. I ordered the Cloyes Timing chain kit(Made in Taiwan), my Mehle gasket kit(Made in Vietnam), my MOCA Cam Phasers and control solenoids (Made in China) and a new Balance chain tensioner(Made in Germany). There were also new GM crankshaft bolts and cam phaser bolts(Made in Mexico). I also installed the one piece bolt assembly to hold the black chain guide. I'm not sure where it was made.
The replacement of these parts is about a 6 hour job and is best done by someone with tiny arms and small hands, which I do not have. Naturally I had to pull of the serpentine belt and tensioner that I install a week or so ago. I did have to place a scissors jack and block of wood under the engine to support it when I removed the front engine mount. I used the jack that came with the HHR. Since I did not reassemble and test the engine after adding each one of the various parts, I cannot say exactly what part stopped the cold start clattering. Suffice it to say that it is gone. Getting the timing marks aligned is a pretty straight forward operation as long as you make sure that all of the slack is out of the chain between the intake cam and the crank. The hardest part of the entire job was to properly torque the new crankshaft bolt. Unless you have the vehicle on a lift, it is difficult to swing a torque wrench and breaker bar to get the proper torque. I had previously changed the timing belt tensioner with no success so I had to take it out, remove the spring clip and reset it before installation. No big deal but I found that a small pair of needle nose pliers worked better at removing the spring clip than my actual spring clip pliers. All things considered, the job is done and the rattle at start up is gone.
I wish I could say if there was a single part that cured the problem but I can't do that. At 51,000 original miles I probably took out some perfectly good parts but since it is a little difficult to take things apart, I changed any item I suspected MAY cause a start up rattle. Thanks to everyone for your help.
The replacement of these parts is about a 6 hour job and is best done by someone with tiny arms and small hands, which I do not have. Naturally I had to pull of the serpentine belt and tensioner that I install a week or so ago. I did have to place a scissors jack and block of wood under the engine to support it when I removed the front engine mount. I used the jack that came with the HHR. Since I did not reassemble and test the engine after adding each one of the various parts, I cannot say exactly what part stopped the cold start clattering. Suffice it to say that it is gone. Getting the timing marks aligned is a pretty straight forward operation as long as you make sure that all of the slack is out of the chain between the intake cam and the crank. The hardest part of the entire job was to properly torque the new crankshaft bolt. Unless you have the vehicle on a lift, it is difficult to swing a torque wrench and breaker bar to get the proper torque. I had previously changed the timing belt tensioner with no success so I had to take it out, remove the spring clip and reset it before installation. No big deal but I found that a small pair of needle nose pliers worked better at removing the spring clip than my actual spring clip pliers. All things considered, the job is done and the rattle at start up is gone.
I wish I could say if there was a single part that cured the problem but I can't do that. At 51,000 original miles I probably took out some perfectly good parts but since it is a little difficult to take things apart, I changed any item I suspected MAY cause a start up rattle. Thanks to everyone for your help.