Good day,
I have a HHR with the 2.2L Ecotec with ~130,000 miles. I have found I spun at least 1 rod bearing (may or may not be from inadvertent oil starvation). After ordering a standard set of rod bearings and Plastigauging the clearances, I find I need undersized bearings. The problem is, my Plastigauge came out to 0.102 in.
By my math, if I place a pair of 0.030 shells in, my clearance will become 0.036, minus the 0.0011-0.0027 shows I still have 0.0349-0.0333 to go.
Is this too great of a clearance?
Are there larger rod bearings somewhere, like a 0.040 or 0.050, I can use?
Is it time to sell this car to the junkman?

I do not have tools, space, or equipment to pull the motor and do a crankshaft swap; a full engine swap neither.

 

This is all I could find, hope it helps.
2007 2.2L

 

If the crankshaft has worn down that much, I doubt it is still smooth and perfectly round at the rod connection point.
Even if you find thick bearings to take up the clearance, they may not last long.
Engine replacement or a complete rebuild is what I would advise.

 

X2 what FMG says.

If you spun a bearing, you have damaged the surface of the crankshaft journals that the bearing shells rotate against. This means that the crankshaft has to be reground/resurfaced to match the specs for the new undersized bearings. You cannot just throw in new bearing shells even if you can get the clearances right - the bearings will get eaten up in no time, if not immediately on starting the engine.

Best option if the car is in otherwise good shape is to have someone swap the engine.

 

X3, what they said. If you're doing the plastigage right, there is significant damage to the crankshaft.

I like how you worded that - inadvertent oil starvation. Not like the intentional oil starvation that usually happens

 

Yeah, I had that sneaking suspicion that was the case. I was hoping against hope that I could MacGyver it and get it running again. I have really come to love the little bastard. Thanks all.

 

FWIW; Several members have replaced engines from the top.

 

A spun bearing and damaged crank journal would require you to pull the engine and split the block to get the crank out, so that’s an option, but then there’s the rings and pistons and new cams, gaskets, timing chain, water pump, oil pump....
Might as well either get a new long block or a used engine.

Nobody use a come a long or chain fall and a tree any more?
Here in this area the darned Ash beetle has chewed up most of our good engine pulling trees