If it's a miss on just that 1 cylinder probably not going to be TB related. Since it passed the compression test, you should be looking at a fuel or spark issue at the #1 cylinder. (coil, fuel injector or the wiring to those)

 

We have inspected those wires and connectors. We are going to check them again this weekend when it's still daylight and we aren't working under flashlights.

I have to go to get that door lock actuator and it's only $10 at the junkyard compared to $140 at Rock Auto so I figured I'd just grab the other parts and try it. At this point it can't hurt and at least I can check them off the list of possibilities. I've replaced almost everything else.

Was really really hoping that changing that insulator would solve the problem but kind of had a feeling it wouldn't as it was at the wrong end. But I'm glad we found it had a leak and replaced it before finding the true issue and then this kicking the code later. The o-ring on the insulator had a nice chunk taken out of it and that chunk was sitting in the hole. We cleaned it out before putting the new ones on. I had him change all 4 just because. I kept the 3 that were still good, just in case.

I just want my car back to normal.

Oh we are also going to do the smoke test again. Do you have any recommendations of where the smoke should enter the system? We used the throttle body but it wasn't sealed and took a while for the smoke to get through because it wasn't sealed.

Thanks,
Jessica

 

Smoke test is supposed go into the fuel tank. it is testing the EVAP system.

 

Ok but not one video that we watched had the smoke going into the fuel tank. They pulled hoses from under the hood but I don't have the hoses they pulled. We couldn't find one that was actually performed on an HHR. That's why we put it into the throttle body. At least we found the leak at the injector insulator with it.

So even into the fuel tank we are going to fight with it not being sealed. Is there another way that works better so that it's not going everywhere in your face while we are trying to make it go through the system?

Thanks,
Jessica

 

From Mitchell OnDemand:


The "Service Port" is located in the piping around the charcoal canister.

 

Thank you thank you!!! I am going to send this to him so he can figure it out and we can do it Sunday.

Thanks,
Jessica :)

 

Jessica,

code P0301 may mean that one or more of the following has happened:
Faulty spark plug , you changed plugs X
or wire Faulty coil , you swapped coils X
Faulty oxygen sensor , did you change O2 sensor(s) ?
Faulty fuel injector , you changed injectors X
Burned exhaust valve , compression test eliminated it X
Faulty catalytic converter , pretty sure you haven’t changed that!
Running out of fuel , you have fuel in the tank and tested the fuel pump X
Poor compression , you tested it, eliminating this X
Defective computer , I sincerely doubt this one X

Possible Solutions
If there are no symptoms,
the simplest thing to do is to reset the code and see if it comes back.
If there are symptoms such as the engine is stumbling or hesitating, check all wiring and connectors that lead to the cylinders (i.e. spark plugs).
Depending on how long the ignition components have been in the car, it may be a good idea to replace them as part of your regular maintenance schedule.
I would suggest spark plugs, check the coils (a.k.a. coil packs).
In some cases, the catalytic converter has gone bad.
If you smell rotten eggs in the exhaust, your cat converter needs to be replaced.
I've also heard in other cases the problems were faulty fuel injectors.

Read more at: https://www.obd-codes.com/p0301
Copyright OBD-Codes.com

So, does your exhaust smell like rotten eggs?

So, let’s see if the wiring harness is good just test for continuity in the wire from #1 coil and fuel injector connectors to the other end of the harness


Fuel injector harness

and the pigtail for the coil


Just for #1 cylinder, follow the wires by colour back to the other end of the harness and test the wires with the ohm meter

 

Could be a computer / engine mismatch, but nobody else seems to notice. When you order engines by price instead of specs you get what you paid for.

 

Don, that would be possible, I think the injectors in it aren’t for an HHR possibly not a match. But more commonly this problem stems from connections damaged during the swap, a ground wire missed, that sort of thing.
a 2009 thru 2011 2.2 will match up, I also think the OEM sensors should have been used, and injectors.

 

Catalytic converter and O2 sensors are new. The flex pipe blew out and that's when this debacle started. The car ran fine for almost 3 months after the engine was installed.

I didn't buy the engine just by price. I provided the link of where I purchased the engine. You select your information and they provide a cost and how many miles are on it I chose an engine with 21K miles. I assumed I was getting an engine from a vehicle with the VIN's 8th character being a W because that's what I spec'd. It came with a 1 year warranty.

Its not an HHR engine. The fuel injectors from an HHR wouldn't fit. The ends were different. This was the part # I HAD to get - FJ10630.

We're going to inspect everything again this weekend and try whatever parts we can get from the junkyard. Until the government sends us the stimulus I'm tapped. If this doesn't work I give up. I might just start the warranty process and junk the car and eat what I've spent.

Thanks,
Jessica