It’s complex system so there are many things that can go wrong, but if the car is not run hard, it may easily go another 100K and beyond. Most of the things that fail tend to be a bit random and aren’t too expensive to fix. Two exceptions are the turbo, the timing chains, and the automatic. Those are happier if not worked too hard. My turbo was replace twice under the normal warranty (before I owned it.) The timing chains don’t like high RPM but the nice thing about a turbo is that you can make pretty good passing power well away from the redline. Still, don’t let you foot be too heavy. I think turbo Ecotecs have a shorter life on average, only because they are asked to work a lot harder. Among other considerations, high torque will cost the bottom end and cylinder walls a little life.

Yes. But what do you do when you find coked valves? The fixes are so-so or expensive.

Valve coking is mostly due to oil mist hitting hot valves. This happens when under boost, cylinder blow-by pressurizes the crankcase and oil mist get pushed into the intake air stream. Less time and intensity of boost, less ring, piston, and cylinder wall wear all help. So frequent oil changes with the best oil that won’t easily oxidize and stick when it hits the hot valves will help. The performance guys use a catch can to try to collect the oil before it gets to the valves. A few just vent the crankcase to the atmosphere. And that light foot again means cooler intake valves. That the LNF has those cool sodium-filled intakes doesn’t hurt.

Wow! Pretty good tire mileage. What tires do you buy?

I ask a salesperson at a local dealer what was replacing the HHR and he pointed to a Spark, lol. That was probably the official line. I think the only respect Cobalt and HHR got within GM was at Performance. Remember that when it came out it was at the low end of the line. Cobalt replaced the Cadaverlier.

I think maybe the closest you can come to the function and value of the HHR is an Equinox.

 

The Orlando or Trax / Captiva was the GM replacement for our beloved HHRs

 

Unfortunately, the HIPPO is currently down with a cracked oil pan after driving over a chunk of concrete. I'm still looking for the location of the bolt securing the dipstick tube to the engine block!

 

There isn’t one




The SS is the same

 

Once you get the dipstick tube out of the pan, I used small visegrip pliers to hold it and a hammer and drift to drive it up and out of tge pan, the oring should be replaced

 

That would definitely explain why I couldn't find it!

Thanks for the help.

 

You’re welcome!