Take a look at my fuel pressure test?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 08-29-2018
Posts: 43
From: Arkansas
Do you happen to know the exact torque for 2.4 valve cover bolts? I wasn't able to drudge it from the internet, only 2.2 at 89 ft lbs which seems like too much.
It's possible that a shop I paid to get rid of a mysterious engine code the dealer "couldn't decode" when my gma owned it, opened my valve cover bc they dropped metal shavings inside. It turned out I had a leak in my oil sending unit and a bad solenoid. They came to me all serious and handed me shavings from my broken solenoid, and said they "found some metal in a hole and it could be something serious." They were just trying to scam me, but they probably really did drop it in the hole. :)
I don't know if it's my fuel tank popping, just because my fuel tank is way in the back and the clang is coming from the front. Not to say my evap is working correctly though, or that "that's not it." I watched some videos of ecotecs with bad purge solenoids, and yeah I have that ticking sound too, coming from the same area (near the timing chain. I replaced my idler tensioner once, but i'm still ticking). Tomorrow morning, I will try unplugging it :) I would be SO HAPPY to get that ticking to go away, and that would probably solve my mysterious vacuum leak that I was investigating in the first place!
Coolant level cold check: Normal. Right on the hump. I want to pop the reserve cap and have someone start it up so I can double check for swirling action.
Oil level following the exact procedure in the book (just to be SURE): Good level, halfway between max and min. Almost time for oil change.
I let my car sit for 12 hours, but no clunk. I brought it home. Here's the vid I got anyway :/ At 3 seconds I think I have a timing chain rattle (what do you think?) At 7 seconds I hear a pop which is that service notice I was talking about, tranny releasing pressure etc. 19 seconds in, I think that quiet rattle is just my ghetto exhaust rattle that I want to fix. 28-41 seconds I test the gears with and without e brake to see if they clang (they don't).
Maybe it will clunk tomorrow. (Or maybe it was 2 isolated consecutive incidents
)
So seriously, does that sound like a timing chain rattle to you too?
It's possible that a shop I paid to get rid of a mysterious engine code the dealer "couldn't decode" when my gma owned it, opened my valve cover bc they dropped metal shavings inside. It turned out I had a leak in my oil sending unit and a bad solenoid. They came to me all serious and handed me shavings from my broken solenoid, and said they "found some metal in a hole and it could be something serious." They were just trying to scam me, but they probably really did drop it in the hole. :)
I don't know if it's my fuel tank popping, just because my fuel tank is way in the back and the clang is coming from the front. Not to say my evap is working correctly though, or that "that's not it." I watched some videos of ecotecs with bad purge solenoids, and yeah I have that ticking sound too, coming from the same area (near the timing chain. I replaced my idler tensioner once, but i'm still ticking). Tomorrow morning, I will try unplugging it :) I would be SO HAPPY to get that ticking to go away, and that would probably solve my mysterious vacuum leak that I was investigating in the first place!
Coolant level cold check: Normal. Right on the hump. I want to pop the reserve cap and have someone start it up so I can double check for swirling action.
Oil level following the exact procedure in the book (just to be SURE): Good level, halfway between max and min. Almost time for oil change.
I let my car sit for 12 hours, but no clunk. I brought it home. Here's the vid I got anyway :/ At 3 seconds I think I have a timing chain rattle (what do you think?) At 7 seconds I hear a pop which is that service notice I was talking about, tranny releasing pressure etc. 19 seconds in, I think that quiet rattle is just my ghetto exhaust rattle that I want to fix. 28-41 seconds I test the gears with and without e brake to see if they clang (they don't).
Maybe it will clunk tomorrow. (Or maybe it was 2 isolated consecutive incidents
)So seriously, does that sound like a timing chain rattle to you too?
Platinum Member
Joined: 12-06-2009
Posts: 11,718
From: Alabama
89 "IN" LBS (not ft lbs)
A link to the torque values: https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...e-items-54648/
A link to the torque values: https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...e-items-54648/
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Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 26,448
From: Fredericksburg,VA
Not unusual for shaving on the VVT screens. Depends on how much. Could be detritus from the timing chain guides.
The idler wheel has nothing to do with the timing chain.
I think the transmission clunk you are reading about occurs when you put it in gear and the axle takes up slack, nothing to do with internal fluid pressure. Solution is to add a washer between the axle and the hub.
You won't see much "swirling" under the pressure cap.
I bet your flex pipe is cracked.
I think you are way too paranoid about mechanics, why would you be taking the car to a dealership shop; The only reason would be for warranty work. They don't know anything that Joe down the street doesn't.
Now you are telling us you have been chasing vacuum leaks. I thought you said no other codes. What was the "mysterious" code?
The idler wheel has nothing to do with the timing chain.
I think the transmission clunk you are reading about occurs when you put it in gear and the axle takes up slack, nothing to do with internal fluid pressure. Solution is to add a washer between the axle and the hub.
You won't see much "swirling" under the pressure cap.
I bet your flex pipe is cracked.
I think you are way too paranoid about mechanics, why would you be taking the car to a dealership shop; The only reason would be for warranty work. They don't know anything that Joe down the street doesn't.
Now you are telling us you have been chasing vacuum leaks. I thought you said no other codes. What was the "mysterious" code?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 08-29-2018
Posts: 43
From: Arkansas
Aha! The devil's in the details. Thank you!
No clunk again this morning. I think the clunk was my timing chain hitting hard due to my cam solenoids being emtpy of oil from taking them out to get the valve cover off. I think that is also a good explanation for why the noise went from violent clunk to slight rattle and now back to normal.
I looked at my evap purge valve and it looks like the lines are really shiny and new but can't tell about the box. I couldn't get it to unplug, clips are a big downfall in my expertise :) it does TICK! I've always hated that ticking!! Now I know what it is �� When I was trying to get the clip to release I could feel the thing pulsing. Are they supposed to pulse?
I gotta learn how to unclip it. Will get back to you.
No clunk again this morning. I think the clunk was my timing chain hitting hard due to my cam solenoids being emtpy of oil from taking them out to get the valve cover off. I think that is also a good explanation for why the noise went from violent clunk to slight rattle and now back to normal.
I looked at my evap purge valve and it looks like the lines are really shiny and new but can't tell about the box. I couldn't get it to unplug, clips are a big downfall in my expertise :) it does TICK! I've always hated that ticking!! Now I know what it is �� When I was trying to get the clip to release I could feel the thing pulsing. Are they supposed to pulse?
I gotta learn how to unclip it. Will get back to you.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 08-29-2018
Posts: 43
From: Arkansas
Not the pressure cap. Just the reserve cap. If a water pump is functioning correctly you can look down in the reserve on startup and observe funnel action. If it doesn't really swirl or doesn't move at all then the pump is bad. I ruined my first car that way, it's just a convenient little trick.
I just like to shock them that I know a thing or two and then cancel the appt. they could at least ask, "Do you know what a ball joint is?" Instead of ASSuming and then making himself look like an ASS when he lies. My gma took it to the dealership for every little thing! I know how they do!Well one day I want to use remote start, so I spend a bunch of money and put it in a shop to get the engine light to turn off, no matter the cost. Turns out the code was for a leaking oil sending unit and a bad cam actuator solenoid. Also got my struts and shocks replaced while it was in, and a leaky ball joint front passenger side replaced and trans fluid checked.
Now all is well. No codes for a little over a year now. It has ticked since the day I got it, and recently it started taking longer to start and idling rough on startup.
Platinum Member
Joined: 12-06-2009
Posts: 11,718
From: Alabama
Quote: "Not the pressure cap. Just the reserve cap. If a water pump is functioning correctly you can look down in the reserve on startup and observe funnel action. If it doesn't really swirl or doesn't move at all then the pump is bad. I ruined my first car that way, it's just a convenient little trick. "
Uh. No. Wrong. Incorrect.
Uh. No. Wrong. Incorrect.
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Joined: 05-01-2014
Posts: 8,499
From: California
Quote: "Not the pressure cap. Just the reserve cap. If a water pump is functioning correctly you can look down in the reserve on startup and observe funnel action. If it doesn't really swirl or doesn't move at all then the pump is bad. I ruined my first car that way, it's just a convenient little trick. "
Uh. No. Wrong. Incorrect.
Uh. No. Wrong. Incorrect.
There will be no swirling in the recovery tank.And there is no code for a leaking oil sending unit. These types of statements are probably why mechanics think you don't know anything. There are good mechanics out there, can be challenging to find one you trust. Yelp/word of mouth are pretty good indicators, although even good businesses will get negative reviews from time to time.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 08-29-2018
Posts: 43
From: Arkansas
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 08-29-2018
Posts: 43
From: Arkansas
If it doesn't funnel then what should it do? I took my 2000 cavalier to a shop because it was always overheating, the first thing they did was open the reserve, looked in, and said it wasn't making a tornado so that meant the pump was broken. :) Lol!
Here's a perfect example of a lying mechanic. That shop told me they didn't know why the dealer couldn't decode it because it was such a simple problem.
But yeah I do make pretty stupid statements. Not gonna argue with that.
Here's a perfect example of a lying mechanic. That shop told me they didn't know why the dealer couldn't decode it because it was such a simple problem.
But yeah I do make pretty stupid statements. Not gonna argue with that.
Platinum Member
Joined: 12-06-2009
Posts: 11,718
From: Alabama
"Also got my struts and shocks replaced while it was in, and a leaky ball joint front passenger side replaced and trans fluid checked. "
Leaking what ? Sounds like another lie that some mechanic told you.
Either that or you're not very good at describing your vehicle issues/repairs.
Leaking what ? Sounds like another lie that some mechanic told you.
Either that or you're not very good at describing your vehicle issues/repairs.