Unhappyhhrowner

I have a 2011 hhr.it started out having a lil trouble here and there with some loss of power and was making a weird noise.

went to a local mechanic who told me the tensioner pulley was causing the noise so I changed that with no luck. plus did tune up air filter oil change.

well was running a bit better but still the noise was there. kinda faint like a low sqeal squeak kinda sound. bout a month later I'm having some real issues.starts out I'm in traffic and it stalls out. crank and go bit sluggish and it starts acting like it dont want to crank sometimes but starts up and goes.

then turns for the worse one day on way home from work.in traffic. stop go.it kills out. then again. maybe 10 times in quarter mile. idling bad. usual is 1 but floats to 2 then drops so far stalls out again and again.

finally get out of traffic and after I start going it's doin OK. then on int. cars start slowimg, so do I and it kills out doing 60. omg so finally stop at auto zone cuz engine light is on by now and get em to read code.

it's camshaft positioning solenoid. OK so get both of them. when I pull em out the middle section is completely caked with a silver substance that I think was metal shavings of some kind bit was so fine it kinda resembled glitter. so I change them and rebook battery and light is still on. so I go read code again and says the same thing is wrong.well first I drive thru neighborhood and seems it's doin oh so much better but light is on.

store is five miles down road. I go to get light checked the second time and by the time I go the five miles it's back to same old thing. so they say same code. told them well that's what I just fixed and they had no clue what I should do. I thinkaybe oil is dirty. go to the mechanic and tell him what it's doin so as he changes the oil he catches some for me to see. yea it's a lil dark but I usually don't go to far over mileage and kept changes pretty regular so wasn't real dirty bit had kinda like a metal sheen kinda look to it and the glitter substance was lightly covering the filter.

well since then it will crank up and drive. it idles bad still and sounds like it wants to kill out sometimes but hasn't stalled but it has a feather distinct ticking kinda sound..been having to catch a ride to work for fear of sitting in the traffic lol it's my only car somebody please help.thanks.

firemangeorge

Would love to try and help out but that post is almost impossible to read and understand.
You should include which engine you have and the mileage on the car. Also the code number, not the generic description.
Most auto parts can read the code numbers but are not always good about telling you what part is bad. Remember, parts store employees just sell parts, they don't fix cars.

RJ_RS_SS_350

to the forums, wish it were better circumstances. Taking a guess, I'd say you need a new timing set, but like firemangeorge said, post up the code numbers here and we'll see if we can get you goin' the right direction.

You should call your mechanic, he should have checked for codes when he had the car there, he should be able to tell you the code numbers.

And yeah, if you could clean up your post, that would help us to help you. Use the 'Edit' button at the bottom of your post. Hit the enter key twice every few sentences to break up that mass of letters.

donbrew

I tried to edit some breaks, but stream of consciousness is tough. I feel sorry for James Joyce's editor.

From what I can understand you had a code read, and for some reason, you think it indicated "it's camshaft positioning solenoid." I don't know, because you don't supply the number.

When you replaced both of the VVT valves you noticed a lot of metal shavings.

So, first thing we need is the code NUMBER.

Then you need to check all of the wiring for chafing and connectors for proper contact, particularly the VVT valve connectors and the MAF sensor connector.

Then look at all of the vacuum tubing under the hood.

Then I would suggest a compression and leak down test.

I am taking a wild guess that the code you have is P0016. That code means your timing chain is out of whack, probably causing much metallic damage. That is only a wild guess though.

RJ_RS_SS_350

Not that wild of a guess.

OP, frequently, the source for metal shavings is from the timing chain guides. They wear out, depositing shavings in the crankcase and oil filter. Then the timing chain gets loose and jumps a tooth(or more than one). Then the valves contact the pistons and your engine is junk.

So you were right to not drive the car anymore. If your mechanic can't give you the codes, either have it towed to a competent mechanic, or get someone with a code reader to come over and pull the codes for you.

Usually, if it's so bad that you have metal shavings, the chain is making quite a racket.

whopper

I'll take a stab at trying to create actual sentences out of the original post. I kinda get the feeling that this thread is not going to end well.

update......... edited it the best I could do. I didn't bother correcting what I assume are spelling mistakes.

whopper

Question to op: you mentioned that various people read the code, (and yeah as others have mentioned, you need to let us know what the code is) - but I gotta ask, after the codes were read, were the codes cleared/deleted?

and yeah we also need to know the mileage and what engine are we talking about: 2.0L, 2.2L or 2.4l?

Oldblue

Oh, Randy , the timing chain guides are plastic. But if the chain is loose the chain hitting the cylinder head will sure grind out some filings!

OP please post up the codes, not the guess of the problem the counter jockey gave y'all!
Camshaft position sensor or VVT camshaft actuator solenoid?

Two different things and codes!


This is the position of the camshaft position sensor




These are the two solenoids the grey isintake the black is exhaust



Don't mean to be picky, but don't want to guess at what you mean.

RJ_RS_SS_350

Ok, well same result
Isn't there a metal sleeve in the guide, where the mounting bolt goes through? And of course, the bolt is metal too.

Oldblue

Guide bolts and spacer washer



GM OEM guide bolt



Balance chain and guides



Timing chain installed, the black guide in the right is usually the in that breaks.
The tensioner guide on the left takes a lot of miles to wear down to the metal, I've never seen it but it is possible!