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Turns out the front guide can be slipped out and in again with just the engine cover off, no need to remove the valve cover or re-time. So now I have the peace of mind of the ZZP upgraded front timing chain guide. (The Dorman upper bolt went in with the recent chain job.)
The transmission (automatic) failed in my daughter's 2011 HHR 1LT 2.2L.
She lives 4 hours away and luckily was visiting us when it failed 5 miles from my house.
She called and said the car was barely moving and she limped into a parking lot. I checked it out and there was a loud knocking from the torque converter area. Then it refused to move at all in forward or reverse, acting as though it was in neutral. Had it towed to my house. Located a replacement transmission at a local scrapyard ("automotive recycler").
My son and I replaced the transmission. From picking up the first tool to putting the tools away it was 7 hours. Here are some pics:
If you're wondering what happened to the transmission, after removing the torque converter I noticed the innermost splined shaft from the transmission to the torque converter had sheared off at the splines. There are 3 concentric splined shafts extending into the torque converter, this was the thinnest one inside the other two.
One of these days I need to replace the thing that makes the turn indicators turn off by themselves after making a turn. Im not very mechanically inclined though.
One of these days I need to replace the thing that makes the turn indicators turn off by themselves after making a turn. Im not very mechanically inclined though.
On the HHRs, it's usually the turn signal stalk. Its about $30 for a new stalk switch and pretty easy to replace. Remove the plastic shroud around the steering column (2 screws), unplug a connector, slide out the old stalk. Reverse the above to install new switch. Shouldn't take more than an hour.
So transmission is good but the torque converter is toast?
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The shaft coming out of the transmission broke at the splines that go into the torque converter. I suppose if you replaced the shaft (have to take transmission apart) it's probably OK.
The broken splines are probably somewhere inside the torque converter.
