What Did You Do To Your HHR Today?
10-15-2020, 09:49 PM
Platinum Member
Join Date: 01-09-2007
Location: SE USA
Posts: 15,889
I was on the way to the home center and clutched in for 2nd to 3rd. Heard a funny noise and felt little resistance going into 3rd. Clutch out, hey still in 2nd. Clutch in, nothing happening with the shifter. Ouch.
Pulled into a strip mall and walked home - not bad only 3 miles. Luckily I had bought a few parts based on forum recommendations and had a shifter cable onhand. Got it towed Monday to the local mechanic(yeah, swapping out and adjusting a cable is above me) and dropped off the part. Two days later got the call it was done. What a difference in shift feel. I'll take the 3 mile walk for this upgrade.
Thank you for the suggestion to get one of these. Lead time on it was two weeks if I recall correctly. I don't think I am going to buy another. Now I only have spare L & R control arms, but still considering axles.
So, thats what I did to my HHR today - broke it.
Erik
2010 HHR SS 5sp
Pulled into a strip mall and walked home - not bad only 3 miles. Luckily I had bought a few parts based on forum recommendations and had a shifter cable onhand. Got it towed Monday to the local mechanic(yeah, swapping out and adjusting a cable is above me) and dropped off the part. Two days later got the call it was done. What a difference in shift feel. I'll take the 3 mile walk for this upgrade.
Thank you for the suggestion to get one of these. Lead time on it was two weeks if I recall correctly. I don't think I am going to buy another. Now I only have spare L & R control arms, but still considering axles.
So, thats what I did to my HHR today - broke it.
Erik
2010 HHR SS 5sp
10-16-2020, 07:33 AM
Administrator
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 36,655
Yes, we will be replacing all 16 valves, head gasket and new head bolts , while we have our hands oily , new rad hoses , coolant and assorted gaskets.
Today we have a busy schedule, top soil being dropped at our home, Sweetie is coordinating that, and I’m at the MIL’s awaiting the flooring guys to arrive to install the new tile floor in the downstairs bathroom, after that flood back in July!
after that, Sweetie and I will be driving off somewhere quietto have a coffee and unwind! It’s been a hectic week!
Happy Friday!
Today we have a busy schedule, top soil being dropped at our home, Sweetie is coordinating that, and I’m at the MIL’s awaiting the flooring guys to arrive to install the new tile floor in the downstairs bathroom, after that flood back in July!
after that, Sweetie and I will be driving off somewhere quietto have a coffee and unwind! It’s been a hectic week!
Happy Friday!
Last edited by Oldblue; 10-16-2020 at 08:13 AM.
10-16-2020, 08:57 PM
Platinum Member
Join Date: 01-09-2007
Location: SE USA
Posts: 15,889
Blue- Cool, sounds like a good plan.
Speaking of compression, or lack there of. My vintage B&S Flathead push mower is getting low on compression. Since it does not burn oil & plug is clean, I suspect the valves, in particular the Exhaust.
There is no valve lash adjustment in the conventional sense on this Flathead. Mow season is possibly close to over, So when done, I'll remove the head, rotate crank to .250" past TDC & see if the valves are closed tightly.
Likely not, so I'll have to remove each valve (only 2) & grind / file a few thou off the valve head (tip) & recheck, till I get .005 -.007 for Intake, & .007-.009 for Exhaust. Then close her back up. Flattys use a metal composite head gasket, so it is re-usable in most cases.. The side door to the valve springs & tips gasket will need replaced, & I'll just make a new one.
That's the plan...
Speaking of compression, or lack there of. My vintage B&S Flathead push mower is getting low on compression. Since it does not burn oil & plug is clean, I suspect the valves, in particular the Exhaust.
There is no valve lash adjustment in the conventional sense on this Flathead. Mow season is possibly close to over, So when done, I'll remove the head, rotate crank to .250" past TDC & see if the valves are closed tightly.
Likely not, so I'll have to remove each valve (only 2) & grind / file a few thou off the valve head (tip) & recheck, till I get .005 -.007 for Intake, & .007-.009 for Exhaust. Then close her back up. Flattys use a metal composite head gasket, so it is re-usable in most cases.. The side door to the valve springs & tips gasket will need replaced, & I'll just make a new one.
That's the plan...
10-16-2020, 10:07 PM
Bolted down the new methanol pump and cleaned up the lines. Bolted down the bottle bracket and installed the nitrous filter. Wiring up the bottle heater tomorrow. Ordering the auxiliary tank and pump this winter. Once my tuning is done for everything else, i’m going to get bungs welded to the bottom of my intake runners.
10-17-2020, 07:03 AM
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Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 36,655
Sleeper, you mean your are going to file down the valve stem . While you have the head off inspect the rings, can you wiggle the piston at TDC or BDC?
Today , we’re beat after moving three yards of topsoil and spreading it over our gardens. It rained last night , and I didn’t want the pile of dirt left in the driveway. So, we’ll go for a ride in the country, have a coffee somewhere or a burger for lunch.
Today , we’re beat after moving three yards of topsoil and spreading it over our gardens. It rained last night , and I didn’t want the pile of dirt left in the driveway. So, we’ll go for a ride in the country, have a coffee somewhere or a burger for lunch.
10-17-2020, 09:08 PM
Platinum Member
Join Date: 01-09-2007
Location: SE USA
Posts: 15,889
Sleeper, you mean your are going to file down the valve stem . While you have the head off inspect the rings, can you wiggle the piston at TDC or BDC?
Today , we’re beat after moving three yards of topsoil and spreading it over our gardens. It rained last night , and I didn’t want the pile of dirt left in the driveway. So, we’ll go for a ride in the country, have a coffee somewhere or a burger for lunch.
Today , we’re beat after moving three yards of topsoil and spreading it over our gardens. It rained last night , and I didn’t want the pile of dirt left in the driveway. So, we’ll go for a ride in the country, have a coffee somewhere or a burger for lunch.
Yes precisely, that is how to set lash to spec on these dinosaurs.. Sounds barbaric, but it is a vintage "L" Flathead, that still runs smooth as silk. Just down on compression.
Which new was only 6.5:1
I will of course (after cleaning) "lap the valves" prior to stem adjusting to set spec. But I won't take it apart till mow season is done, it is still needed. & then it can go up on the "No Hurry" side work bench.
Then if all seems well, other than Exhaust valve lash needing to be adjusted, since the valves beat the seats down & over time the valves sit deeper into the seats, thus decreasing lash to at times "0"....
Yes then I will check for piston wiggle, & mic the bore in 3 different places. If all is well, a very thorough cleaning of everything will be done, & might mill off .030" from cylinder head mating surface to bump C/R slightly as well for freshening it up..(& actually for fun)..
If things are bad, I do have an NOS duplicate engine that I fogged & prepped for long term storage squirreled away..
You would not believe the amount of old B&S Flatty engined push mowers that get pitched out because they think they are shot. This is not a disposable engine as the newest ones are.
10-17-2020, 09:28 PM
Platinum Member
Join Date: 01-09-2007
Location: SE USA
Posts: 15,889
Bolted down the new methanol pump and cleaned up the lines. Bolted down the bottle bracket and installed the nitrous filter. Wiring up the bottle heater tomorrow. Ordering the auxiliary tank and pump this winter. Once my tuning is done for everything else, i’m going to get bungs welded to the bottom of my intake runners.
