2009 cobalt 2.2L. I just had a question but I can't seem to find a straight reliable answer to online anywhere. Alot of misinformation out there. Now about 90% of what I see are people saying that that stock timing is set at the point where cylinder 1 is at TDC on the compression stroke. But I have also seen numerous other things that say it's actually when cylinder 1 is at TDC on the exhaust stroke (valve overlap phase) meaning cylinder 4 would be at TDC compression. I just performed a timing job replacing all timing components aside from the water pump. My main black intake side guide broke into about 6 pieces when the top bolt backed out, the chain also shaved two other bolts down pretty significantly. I still don't know how I never got any chain noise with it slapping against bolts like that, ANYWAY thats a story for another day. Now before I removed any timing components I rotated the engine by hand until my Cam Phaser timing marks were at the recommended 10 o clock and 2 o clock positions with the crank keyway at the 12 o clock position. Everything I have read or seen has said that that is the correct orientation to set stock timing. So at that point I removed everything. Started with the balance shaft set, aligned everything with their respective timing marks and after it was all installed I rotated it by hand 2 full revolutions and all the timing marks came back to where they started so I moved on to the main chain. Got everything reinstalled, unique colored link matches up on the intake phaser at 2:00, the first blue link lines up with the exhaust phaser timing mark at 10:00 and then the 3rd Blue Link lines up with the crankshaft sprocket timing mark at 5 o clock. Torqued everything down and rotated the engine again by hand 2 full revolutions. All 3 timing marks returned to where they started with no hard stops or binding during rotation. So that SHOULD HAVE verified that it is timed properly, from my understanding. But with all that being said, my cylinder 1 is definitely at TDC exhaust and NOT TDC compression. If I would have turned it another 360° from where it is to put cylinder 1 at top dead center compression than my phaser timing marks would have been at like 4:00 and 8:00, which is obviously not correct. Am I overthinking it and psyching myself out or am I missing something? I have pictures to verify location of all timing marks before I rotated it. Any advice would be much appreciated

 

I could not get through the wall of words.
I assume you are replacing the timing chain.
TDC does not matter as long as you line the marks on the chain to the marks on the sprockets. We go through this every time someone does a chain for the first time.

If the marks line up it is automatically at TDC. That is why the marks are there.
After you start the engine or turn the crankshaft you will never get them to line up again, at least not before you run out of patience.

 

Welcome to the HHR forums!

Your Cobalt has the same engines as our HHRs, there's a lot of good information in this thread https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...s-60394/page3/

 

And pictures! In the tutorial

https://www.ddmworks.com/assets/imag...uild%20Kit.pdf

You really should not turn the crankshaft with out the timing chain in place. Read carefully the #1 piston goes to TDC , then the camshafts are placed into the correct position and they the chain and sprockets are lined up. Did you install the ZZP front guide? A replacement bolt for the front guide upper bolt?

https://zzperformance.com/products/z...ng-chain-guide

https://zzperformance.com/products/e...ain-guide-bolt

Welcome to the forum

 

https://lemon-manuals.la/Chevrolet/2009/HHR%20L4-2.2L/

 

https://lemon-manuals.la/Chevrolet/2...0and%20Repair/

Diagrams , not bad!

 

Think of it this way - valves cause compression and exhaust. Until the chain connects the crank to the valves, there is no compression or exhaust stroke.

Just put the sprocket marks where they're spoda be, then make durn sure the colored links are on the sprocket marks and have faith. Exact TDC is unimportant.

And once the chain is in place, stop rotating stuff! IDK about the balance chain, but the colored links will no longer be on the sprocket marks after a full rotation. They will line up again ONLY after many rotations. I dunno how many.

Watch the Cloyes and Mahle videos on this job.

More likely the front guide shattered and allowed the chain to spin the bolt out. That guide has been the bane of EcoTecs. That and the tensioners. I would not even consider doing a chain job without the ZZP improved front guide. Or similar. Is it OTTP that has one now too?

 

It's all Mitchell. No need to purchase service literature anymore.

 

I got that link from the Lemmon manual you posted and I clicked to engine and timing components

 

The link has been in my sig for months.
The previous link to charm.li still works but only covers up to 2013. Good enuff for us, but 2025 for general consumption.