2010 HHR 2.2 flexfuel 167,000 mi
First question: is there a relearn procedure for replacing the camshaft sensors and or/ crankshaft position sensor? Ive replaced all of these and now have a crank no start issue.
Car ran fine a week ago with CEL on for sometime. Parts store ran code for camshaft solenoids, both of them.
Brought car home and flushed oil and replaced only the intake solenoid because store only had one in stock. When removing, I notice a lot of metal shavings. Got curious and pulled the valve cover to discover that the upper timing chain guide had been eaten completely off save for the vertical part. UGLY! However, the chain was still very tight and I checked down inside to find the other guides were still intact. So I replaced the upper guide and the old tensioner, which was the newer model. Reassembled everything and tried to start, but the battery was dead.
With a fully charged battery installed, it was hard to start, and sometimes the starter would stay engaged for a few seconds after i let off the key.Strange, never did that before. After it did finally start, i drove it to find much reduced power. So I parked and on the next day replaced the exhaust camshaft actuator solenoid and the check engine light went away.
The car started and idled fine, but lacking in power, even though it did get up to 65mph. Drove total of 50 miles, died once and restared, but engine light came on again.
New codes were for camshaft sensor and crankshaft sensor so I replaced the cam sensors and it started after much cranking and gas pedal pushing, but still little power and idled rough after warm up. Finally, I put in a new crankshaft sensor and now it wont fire at all.
I check the spark and its there.
Fuel pressure checked with gage is good.
New codes are P0016 and P0017. I really dont see how this thing could have jumped timing, since it was running when I parked it, but I guess its possible. Any advice is surely appreciated.

 

Hi rebel, to the forums!!

I believe the new crank sensor needs a relearn.

When the guide disintegrated, it probably jumped out of time from that. Sometimes it doesn't set codes right away. Don't crank it anymore, hopefully the valves are not bent.

You'll need to remove the valve cover and the timing cover. It would be wise to get kit(s) for the timing set, as well as the balance shaft set. Probably a good idea to replace the water pump too. Release the timing tensioner before you button it up.

Once you get it back together, I would suggest giving the old crank sensor a try. The problem may not have been the sensors, but the timing.

Oh, and the engine will continue cranking after you release the key, you probably never tried before.

 

I don't know how the chain could ever touch the upper guide.

To start the engine turn the key momentarily then the starter will turn until either it times out or starts. No need to hold the key. Normal behavior.

There is a relearn procedure for the crankshaft sensor, but it wouldn't cause a no start.

P0016 means the timing is off P0017 means the exhaust solenoid is bad.


There never was a reason to replace the crankshaft sensor. Just because a sensor is mentioned in the title of a OBD2 test does not mean the part is bad. ?You probably disturbed something else.

 

The upper guide gets beaten to death with the slack in the chain when the front guide breaks.