Hello all, I've been reading on here for the last few weeks. I'm a mechanic, but my job is on airplanes and my love is 60's thru 80's cars/trucks without computers!!!!!!

So, I'm trying to get my neighbors 2008 HHR ls 2.2 running for her. I've done lot's of stuff to it already, from reading on here. Problem is, it still doesn't start on it's own.
The car sat in her driveway for over a year. It was parked because it was running hot. I volunteered to try and get it going again, or see if it could be. I put water in the radiator, and charged battery. With starting fluid it started right up! No coolant leaks were found.... I let it run for a while, temp never got over 210... I turned it off. I've tried to start this car up for weeks, but the ONLY way it will start is with Starting fluid. So, obviously it's not getting fuel to start, but the pump does run when turning the key, and once started with fluid, will run and drive great....

I'm going crazy, CAN SOMEBODY SMARTER THAN ME HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are some things I've done, searching post on this site.

added a couple of gallons of new gas with injector cleaner
Battery is fully charged
heard fuel pump come on during cranking
throttle body removed and cleaned
checked all fuses in both boxes
swapped crank/run relays with same #
passkey light goes out when starting
red light goes out (theft deterrent system?)
remote works locking and unlocking car
cleaned MAF sensor with correct fluid
code reader gives a PO449? EVAP canister vent solenoid ( I will change that whenever it starts)
no other codes
I THINK that is all I've done in no particular order

AGAIN, once this car is started with Starting fluid, it runs and drives very well.....EVERYTHING works as it should

I have a full head of hair, but about to start pulling!
I am not afraid to ask for Help!!!!!
David

 

You should know better than to diagnose cars by the name of a OBD2 test. P0449 means the circuit is bad; this might mean that the solenoid is bad, not necessarily. Could be fuse #64 under hood. Could be a broken wire/bad connection. If you replace it you don't need the part that includes a pigtail; be careful of the sealing gasket.

OK, you can hear the fuel pump; what about fuel pressure? Borrow a tester from advance/zone etc. Should be around 150 psi running and hold some pressure for 5 minutes. The Schraeder valve on the fuel rail is the test point.

There is a check valve in the pump that is supposed to keep the rail primed.

Also check for rusted out fuel and vapor lines under the car driver side, especially around the plastic holder and the insulation.

 

x2 what Donbrew says regarding testing the fuel pressure test.

For the cheap test: with the engine off there should still be fuel in the rail as Don says - so before even starting you can try releasing the pressure via the Schrader valve to see if there is any fuel there. Just be careful of the fuel that may spurt out under pressure - safety first. ps: the amount of fuel that will be discharged won't be that much, but safety is needed.

 

The battery charges but to what voltage, under 12.4 volts isn’t enough.
x3 on the fuel line .
The fuel pressure shows as 57 to 67 psi for the 2.2 in tank pump.
per Alldata
if it sat for a year, check for rodents dining on the wire harness.

 

Why do I keep thinking 150 ps1? Wrong! I guess My feeble brain is mixing compression up with fuel pressure. Oldblue is correct.

 

I was just wondering about that myself - I totally missed it the first go-round. OldBlue must have found my reading glasses.

 

I was corrected with the same error back in 2012 post. Which has since been edited and corrected.
It’s not fun dropping the tank to change the fuel pump, if you were thinking it’s not up to pressure at 60 psi.

 

THANK YOU!!!!! I bought a fuel pressure tester, I needed one anyway. I hooked it up. On start, I get about 30 PSI then goes to zero. It doesn't hold any pressure. I started it with starting fluid and running pressure is 28-29 PSI. The other questions asked, 13.9 volts volts at battery running. The fuel lines under car look good, it's a southern car.

 

I'm guessing it's the $300 fuel pump, correct???????

 

10-4!! I believe there is a set of instructions on how to replace the fuel pump - I'll see if I can find it for you and post it here.

Here you go - there is a video in Post #3 from Oldblue that pretty much covers it - https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/gene...acement-59030/