I am new in here.


My English is maybe not very good,because I live in Europe country called Estonia.
I bought my HHR LT 2,4 back in late 2007 from US to my wife. It was 5 monts used in US. So I shipped it to Estonia. And in february 2008 it was arrived. Wife was used it untill 2017 when I bought him other car. Car runs fine. No problems. Just maintens. Brake rotors and 2 coils I think. And a fuel pump. So it was a good car. All stock. So it was standing on my workshop yard for almost a year. It hard to sell this kind of car in here. We have totally 8 HHR(4 2,2L and 2 2,4L and 2 SS) cars in here. I have a small workshop where we restoring old cars. I do the welding and assembling work. I also have two painters in work. So I was looking the HHR and thinking what I will do with it. Unfortunately :) my pinstriping friend was also there and he told,lets make it look like some sort of woody wagon. And that we did. After paint,it got four times of clear coat. After each time we sanding it down. So it is nice and smooth. Put some lowering springs as well. Continued....

Here is the Google link where you can see the work.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2XLXBPrkjhDu73vg6

 

Welcome to the site!

 

Thanks.
So I was using the car as my daily driver. Untill some time ago the engine light game on. Because I dont work the newer cars I dont have the diagnostic equipment. So I went a lokal carshop and they put the computer on it. And it shows that the cylinder 1 and 4 is misfire. Cleaned the codes and some time was ok. Then again. When hit the gas peadal to the floor and revs go hi,the engine light together with the TC game on. Again was the misfire n 1 and 4.After cleaning the codes it was fine untill for the first heavy acceleration. And again same lights. So I ordered a new coils from rockauto. Swap them and hope its ok now. Put again,after heavy acceleration teh light was on. Then somebody(mechanic) from our Opel dealership told,that its not the coils problem. It is the injectors problem. So I order the injectors from rockauto. But unfortunately I drive the car in that time,when I was waiting the injectors. So.long story short. I broke the engine. Cylinder nr.1 is no compression. And looking inside with the sparkplug hole,I saw the damaged cylinder wall and broken piston edge. And again I had to deside what next. Rebuild the engine or find a new one? We have some junkyards who is dealing with the US cars. And I find,that one of them was HHR. So I went there. Unfortunaetely they didnt have the 2,4L engine. Was only 2,2L with water damaged. So no luck.
Next day they called me back and told that someone was ordering HHR SS engine 4 month ago. Paid some advance and newer game to pick it up when it arrived.
So I went there again. It was the complete engine or complete front end. Together with the automatic gearbox axles and everything else. Only thing was missing was the ECU. Now I have the 2.0L SS engine. And I will somehow put it in my car. I know there will be lot of wiring work to do. Before I do this,I will replace all the chains and guides. Also the water pump. Also like to raplace the front axels.

So all the information or ideas are welcome. I hope somebody have done this already :)

 

Welcome
That is a very difficult swap. You will need the entire wiring harness from the SS car to replace the one in your LT. You will also need ALL the modules from the SS car for it to work. ECM, PCM etc.
Haven't heard of anyone being able to do this swap because it is so complicated.

 

Welcome to the forums...

 

Welcome Aboard ! I like the "Woodie look" you did there. Haven't seen any like that in many years..

 

Thanks all.
Some how I was thinking,that I am not the first one :)
The 2,0L turbo engine is a very good engine. So it have lot of potential. It is light and internals are good.

Ok. Seems it will have to do the hard way :)
May plan is.
1. Get the waterpump/timing/ engine chain and guides changed. (all parts are ordered from Rockauto including new ECU)
2. Do all the mechanicals works on the car. Put the new engine,front end and axels/springs to the place. Look how to install the intercooler. I want to keep the normal HHR look.
3. Start figuring out the wiring problems.
4. And if we can get it running.I want to start some performance modifications. Is 400 hp realistic goal with stock internals? Or it is to clouse for braking point?
Sorry for lots of dumb questions :)

I live far in Europe,but somehow lots of US cars in the shop at the time. PS! The yellow one is mine.

 

There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done! Take your time and research your work.
In the photo I do not see any lower control arms, you have to use SS specific GM control arms because the SS ball joints have a larger diameter stub , and that causes problems if you use the LS/LT ball joints.

 

I have the lower controlarms as well. Thanks to pointing this out. I did find this out and ordered them. Just every time when I order something from US,it will take some 2+ weeks to get them :)

 

About a week to get parts here in Canada from RockAuto on average, still less money than other sites!