well i took it to the car wash waxed had the driver side head light replaced and few weeks ago had a mechman 240 amp alt put in

 

They stayed parked, no way would I expose them to the loonies roaming the parking lots on Black Friday.

It's online shopping only for me, why risk your sheetmetal and sanity when the world is at your fingertips, and UPS/Priority Mail will bring your goodies to your door.

 

Opened my OEM headlights. Didn't bother trying to cook them in the oven. Just got out the Dremel tool and worked my way around. Opened up nicely.

HID projector retrofit (Mini H1) pending!!

 

Hope you can post pics! Haven't decided on headlight mods yet, and have seen some really cool mods done.

 

Double post... haven't started a thread for this build.

Installed the new head, old rockers, and old lifers, and new cams. Hybrid of rockers and cams, we'll see how it works for now. Something to tinker with later too.


Installed new timing chain




The green dot next to the black link has me scratching my head, and going WTF...

Now I have to put it all back together, and thankfully the Haynes manual for the GF's car is the same engine as this. I just need to take some time to figure it out. like WTF does this go to?


And where the funk is the 8 pin connector that goes to the throttle body here?

And this 4 pin connector? Where on earth does he go?

I knew this was going to happen... But a little research will get her done. Old cars are so much easier. This is the newest thing I've done major work on other than converting a classic rover body and doing a 3 inch stretch, widen, and chop to sit on a CTS-V frame, and I had a kid do the electronics in that for me.

The base of the old timing chain tensioner is still in the head, and I can't get the bugger out. I soaked it in penetrating oil last night, hit it with my cheapy impact today because my Matco one won't fit, and still couldn't get her out. Soaked it again, and tried a socket with an extension on it... Nothing. A big piece of tubing bent in half, and so did some left over square tubing. So my neighbor (shade tree mechanic for 30 years) said he is going to bring over a 1/2 in drive 4 foot breaker bar tomorrow, and we'll get it out... Might have to removed the hood, and the plastic, but it should be fun. I want to get all this done so I can work on finalizing the body work and start painting the jambs.

I'm still hurting a bit, so my progress has been at a snail's pace, but making progress none the less, and feeling better every day.

(I'm not a forum guy, and don't know the etiquette 100 percent. Should this be posted somewhere else?)

 

not if its what you did with your HHR today , but a thread would be better to follow, I just chilled again today, the old noggin was spinning earlier so it is just a rest day. yesterday I ordered new 11.65 rotors and pads for the SS brake conversion I'll be doing in a few weeks,
they worked out cheaper thanks to Black Friday sale, than Wagners up here and free shipping to boot.
I believe I have all I need for the conversion for 10.86 LS/LT rotors. I wanted to do a few stop distance test with stock brakes and compare any improvements.

 

Gee victweezy,

The all black one on the oil filter looks like the MAP connector off of the manifold. Maybe to the Intake Cam Position Sensor.
That other blue one with purple rubber might go to #4 injector. I can't tell for sure, but the throttle body connector looks like a 4 pin from here.

Your throttle body is not the same as mine. It looks like it's mounted backwards compared to my 2011 2.2L. Come to think, the old 2008 2.2L was the same as the 2011. Meaning the electrical connection is on the oil filter side.

I'm guessing the dot indicates the release link.

 

what did I do today? lol.. New lower control arms, sway bar links, inner tie rods, outer tie rods. drilled/slotted rotors with pads all on both sides. then later today got brand new tires w/ alignment. so i didnt do much today

finally had time off of work had to catch up on all of it.

 

What a day... I found where almost all of the loose connectors go with a few exploded diagrams. There is still one that seems a to be just floating in the breeze though. It goes to the brake booster, with a white connector and looks like it is the vacuum line (pictured above) for the brake booster. It runs under a connections coming out of the fuse box, and just ends. I would think with it being a vacuum line it would go to the intake manifold somewhere but it seems to come up just short... I'll have to do a bit more digging.

The chain tensioner is STILL stuck in the head. Pulled the wipers off, and the plastic trim to get on it better. I tried a better impact, nothing, ratchet with piece of square stock and a jack... Nothing. POS torque wrench that is waaaay out to get on it better and a different jack... Still nothing. Didn't want to use heat because of the soft aluminum, but I'm going to have to. This is of course after I had to give it another go with just me pulling on it with a few extensions on the ratchet handle and busted myself up rather nicely on the sharp edge of the head. Sigh... Taking a brake, heading to walmart for more propane for my torch, and I'm going to get this funker out.

Pictures of jack and breaker bars coming when I get on the other computer in my office. They are kind of funny to me.

 

With Black Friday outta the way, I unplugged the battery tender from mine.. It was sleeping so peacefully too..