Well I think it's toast. 2006 2.2L with 250,700 miles on it. Been running Mobil 1 since about 50K miles and changing like clockwork at 5K miles. Yesterday the wife drove it to the store, came back and said it is running really rough and sounds like its knocking. Barely started for her when she came out of the store to head home.

No trouble codes, but it has been sucking coolant at the rate of 1/2 gallon a day for about 2 weeks. I thought is was the heater core but not I'm thinking it was a bad head gasket and that lead to the spun bearing sound i now hear.

Thinking of a used 2.2 to drop in. I assume a 2.4 will drop in but ECM and others would have to been recalibrated.

Thoughts from those that have had to replace the engine before welcome.

Thanks.

 

Sorry to here this. 250,000 miles not too shabby.

A used engine would probably be the least expensive way to go.

 

Don't bet on a 2.4 "dropping in". In 2006 they were entirely different motors.

 

Thanks for the tip on the 2.4, I didn't know that. I found a 2.2 with 125K for $600. First one I've come across. Need to figure labor hours and if it will be worth it or not.

 

Plan on $1000 labor.

 

And make sure this 2.2 is for the 2006 model year per vin number, best of luck with the engine swap out! I would consider a low mileage trans swap at the same time with that many miles!

 

Yes be sure to get a 2006 2.2l engine. The crank position sensor and reluctor ring as well as other ignition items are different for the 2006 then for any other year HHR.

 

H'mmm, now I'm thinking. If you changed out the ECM and the entire wiring harness with the engine, why not? The BCM doesn't connect to the ECM, does it? The only connection I can think of that may cause a problem is the accelerator pedal, everything else is ECM to engine; it would run on a bench, right?

ECMs are cheapish, but they need to have the right VIN in them. Maybe somebody that knows about the firmware could do it.

 

Sounds like a bag of worms to me.. May just be easier to remove, replace, re-plug.