First time poster.....and beyond myself
Took my 11 HHR 2.2 to the mechanic to replace the timing kit he said it needed and the reason for the shaking. After driving it maybe 30 miles all the sudden the cars oil light came on, it made a horrible noise, and shook even worse than before .... there was also a bad smell. My mechanic tows it to the shop and calls me today to tell me its the oil pump...... now how the heck was this not seen before...... or is it something they did....... can someone help me figure this out?

 

The oil pump doesn't really have a wear surface. It is really easy to replace. A bad timing chain causes a reattle not a shake.

Was the CheckEnginLight on, What codes?

 

They didn’t engage the oil pump with the harmonic balancer correctly resulting in the no oil pressure , the flat spots need to be set in properly

 

P0016
P0017
The camshaft position solenoids were just changed over a week prior (as well as an oil change) by myself, it was shaking thats for sure at idle only cause I felt like I was going to be sick from it. My mechanic checked out what the everything was putting out on his machine (don't ask me too much about that cause I never seen one like that that wasn't hooked up to a dyno for racing) and the solenoids were doing well but something was going on with the timing chain, just of course he couldn't see what exactly until taken apart. So he ordered the kit, he said that the chain probably had stretched out but he found it broke. So he changed the guides and chain. After I drove it to work, home, then work again, and as I was just a bout a mile from home slowing down to a stop light the car made a spit like noise, the oil light came on, and I sputtered all the way into the driveway.

 

HYHHR

Google Drive link to mp4 of what I dealt with noise wise ...... oil pump

 

P0016 stretched timing chain

https://www.obd-codes.com/p0016

P0017 timing chain skipped a tooth

https://www.obd-codes.com/p0017

 

Pretty much that is how he explained it and tested to see if it was the other things. My thing is I just put out 2300 on a whole bunch of stuff, timing kit, front hub bearings, and exhaust leak, stuff I know I can't do personally, and I trust my mechanic, Ive known him for 2 decades, and have been friends for that long. Its just now he says the part is 300 and then theres labor....... I just think it odd it went right after....... was it just at the end of its life and decided to go then..... Idk.

 

I see 2 real problems.

First, if the timing chain really was broken, he should have stopped work, and called you, because the valves were most likely bent, which would make any more work on this engine pointless.

Second, you continued to drive it for a mile with the oil light on.

 

I dont think it was entirely broken or he worded it to me incorrectly, I would have known that before I brought it in just having it that long and driving it in. It wouldnt really of been a question at that point that that was an issue. And it wasnt even an mile, it was just around the corner, but I had no choice or Id be in the middle of the road.

 

If the engine was running at all the timing chain was not broken, the balance chain may have broken and reinstalled incorrectly. That would cause rough idle.

Who told you P0016 & P0017 meant to replace the VVT valves?

What part is $300? The oil pump comes with a new chain cover for around $65. A chain kit with both chains and guides and pump is less than $200. If he got the pump from a dealer it might be $241, autozone #130.
Labor for replacing the pump is 3 hours.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Oil-Pump-fi...4AAOSw9jVbMSzc
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Timing-Chai...YAAOSwm5ZdUYgN