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I´m Jon from Barcelona, new happy owner of an HHR! My model is a 2.4 LT blue one, is super practical and fun car, perfect for family and carrying my motorcycle stuff.
I would like to fix and improve some areas of the car, but there is a ton of information here and I feel a bit lost in some points. I would really appreciate if you can help me.
The fist thing that I realise is that the cool air intake hose is broken, and I can´t find a replacement part in Spain. I could fix it with some standard air intake from Amazon but I realise that the original one has thermal isolation “foam”. Do you recommend using the original one or an aftermarket one? Cold air intake as K&N ones are illegal here in Spain, well, mostly everything that is not original is illegal. Maybe the original GM performance kit but I can´t find anywhere. How nice It would be to supercharge it…
Also, I realise that the airbox has one rubber support just on top of the cylinder head. This is right or should be another support holding this rubber?
I need to replace the front control arms; the rubbers are gone. Put to it, I would like to improve the handling of the car, but here I feel completely lost. I read some changes the front and rear rods, also entire suspensions, others change the bushing to PU, etc. Here the roads are quite twisty, so I would like something that feels a bit more stable, fun and sportier, but without feeling I´m going to lose one of my teeth in the next bump (For that I have my custom Bultaco). Even if its not original or a bit lower (but must be practical), suspension mods can be legalised in Spain if you pay for It.
What do you suggest?
Other point is the engine performance. Like a told you before, Spain is a hell to modify them, but I was thinking to use a K&N filter and remap the engine. Like is a natural aspirated engine I know that there is not too much to do without a turbo or a compressor, but I drove some NAE VVT car before and after the remap and it changed a lot the character of them. Is not very comon engine here, Opel use it in some models, I think. What t for it?Can be done something?
Last, radio upgrade. There are a lot of options also here…
I want an Android, with rear camera, something with nice sound and that looks lice, not like a patchwork on the dash. I found a Chinese brand Xtrons that makes a nice one for that car. Any suggestion?
The other little details I found a way to fix them thanks the info in around the forum, thanks for sharing!
Welcome to the site.
The foam on the orig air intake is mostly for sound suppression.
Some here have used dryer duct hose as an alternative and it works.
Just make sure to route it into the fender opening where the orig is.
For handling, I installed a rear sway bar and it made a big difference.
As for performance, I'n not into that so I have no advice but there are plenty here that will give you good info
Welcome!
The air intake is not "special"; Any hose will do. Air conditioning duct from the hardware store is fine.
The airbox mounts to a bracket in the back of the engine to 2 post and one in the front. The rubber grommets are hard to find, be inventive.
New ball joints and bushings on the control arms will make a huge difference. Not much can be done to improve ride and handling beyond lowering springs and rear sway bar.
Opel, Saab, Vauxhall and several other GM platforms use the Ecotec engine.
This is a photo of it installed The GMPP air intake kit is no longer available, and if you find one , they are either incomplete or damaged and north of $350.00 USD
As for suspension, replace the lower control arm rear bushings with Moog problem solver bushings
