When I tried it was just coming off in small pieces, so I just kept taking it apart and now it looks clean but the new seal won't go in cause the old seal is stuck in the rim.
I will probably have to go to the junk yard and get a new cover

 

Could you post a photo of it front and back please.

 

here is the front

 

I looked at it from another angle and realized what I'm looking at. I got it out I just needed to have a freakout lol

 

Good you got the old one out. The new one should go in rather easy a little tap with a hammer to seat it.



Most seals come with this green protector, just tap on that to seat the seal while you have the front cover off the engine.

 

The crankshaft seal came with the new gasket. Got everything back together and started it up and she is running! Thanks so much again for all your help guys you are amazing. Installed a new motor mount while I was in there and put new oil in it, in filter has less than 100 miles on it but because of the contaminates in the system I'ma change the oil and filter again soon.

 

Good idea, now, it’s up to you to control the ear to ear grin you’ll have driving your HHR, knowing you fixed yourself and there was no major damage to the engine, keep it clean and drive it often! Cheers on a job well done!

 

That was a really close call. Let's hope that you dodged that bullet, time will tell.

 

Yep, 10-4 on that one.

 

I'm back! I would like to add a few things for anyone reading this looking for help in the future and also ask another question.
When following the guides on youtube and in the pdf on the timing chain replacement I was having a difficult time because I was combining all of them together thinking it would all work out the same which was not the case, especially when it came to putting the final sprocket on. One video (cloyes) wasn't for my VVT sprockets, the other (guy who dropped the engine for a better view).. I dunno how he got that chain on the way he did but it didn't work for me. I used the method on the pdf. All the info was extremely helpful tho thanks to all who helped.
Question:
Now that I got the new chain on immediately my water pump started leaking. I did not replace it with the chain as recommend because I had already replaced it in 12/2019 and didn't think it necessary to replace a relatively new pump. Could it really need to be replaced so early in it's life or could I have done something to cause a leak when installing the chain?