As George can tell you, back in the day, us geezer types would pull the plug wire on the suspected cylinder.

If the knocking quieted down, then it was a pretty certain confirmation of rod bearing failure.

With the cylinder effectively dead, the loads imposed on the connecting rod are lower, and the knocking/hammering is lessened dramatically.

I can't recommend trying to run your HHR with the coil removed on the suspected cylinder, but your mechanic may use the trick to quickly confirm bad rod bearings.

 

About 20 years ago, my boss at my part time job told me to pull a customers truck inside. Said I had the job to swap out the engines. I ask what was wrong with the old motor. The boss laughed and said, "Oh, you'll hear it."

I cranked it up and it sounded like someone was banging on the truck frame with a hammer. Half way inside the shop the racket suddenly all but quit, but the truck was still running. I parked it on the rack and got out.

A couple of my coworkers were standing behind the truck, looking at the shop floor and laughing. I walked back there and laying on the floor was a beat to heck Chevy small block connecting rod! Yep. Slung that rod right out the block and kept running on 7 cylinders.

 

Drove a Chevy 250 Six around on five cylinders for a weekend until the parts store got the new pushrods in, it sounded a little off, but I didn't really miss the "missing" cylinder either.

Engines can run right up until something like a connecting rod makes a break for freedom, bet you felt like a real celebrity driving that rarely seen Chevy V-7, eh George?

 

Luckily nothing came through the block. I'm gonna take off Valve cover tomorrow to see if I can see what it was. I was told I should be able to see top of timing chain with valve cover off..... ugh not what I needed after losing everything in a flood day b4 Xmas

 

Yeah, you'll be able to see quite a bit with the valve cover off, this is a pic of a 2.4 courtesy of GDZHHR. But the 2.2's are pretty much identical.



Click here for a valve cover removal "How To" thread.....

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-tutorial-library-21/how-remove-valve-cover-2-4-a-8554/

 

did the engine heat up after the noise started, it could be a failed water pump, I have read about that issue on the J-body site. Just a possibility?

 

Nope did not heat up at all.

 

something with the timing chain, you can hear it and feel it, however doesnt explain the oil leak.. unless there is oil inside the timing chain area.

 

yes there is oil in the timing chain area - that is how it is lubricated.

 

Loose timing chain "slap" a hole or crack in the side of the cover?