I have replaced the water pump and installed the new timing chain.

The manual says to use new bolts for the cam timing gears.

Has anyone reused the existing bolts after they removed them?

I assume these are TTY bolts because they said to get new ones.

The torque spec on the bolts is 22 lb-ft and then 100 degrees.

Are the bolts dealer parts only? I notice Rock Auto doesn't have them.

Steve

 

They are awful cheap to be stretch bolts. Read the manual and they want you to replace every bolt that holds anything mechanical. The cover bolts are the only ones they reuse. 22 + 100 degrees is not enough to stretch anything.

Try a GM parts website to get the part numbers then plop the number into eBay search.

I didn't, but the car didn't last very long for other reasons. Most people don't read the manual, very few mechanics do.

 

This morning I stopped at the local Chevy dealer to get new bolts.

They didn't have them in stock and neither did any other local dealer. However, they ordered two and they should be in tomorrow.

Don, you are right about the bolts being cheap. They were only $2.24 each!

The fact that no one has them in stock tells me that the old bolts usually get reused. Timing chain issues are fairly common on these engines and if everyone was replacing them they would be a stocked item.

Another question: I am assuming I use Loctite on the flywheel bolts, which Loctite should I use? I know there are some grades that are real hard to remove without heat, while there are some medium-strength grades.

Steve

 

GM hardly ever uses LocTite.

 

They don't specify loctite but some prefer to use it, it's your choice.

 

Yesterday I assembled the engine.

My 2006 HHR factory service manual said 2mm bead of RTV on the oil pan, and warned not to use any larger of a bead. This makes sense, as the oil pan and block have extremely close fitting machined surfaces. When I removed the oil pan, the factory RTV was almost transparent on the sealing surfaces it was so thin. So I used a 2mm bead and it extruded out around the whole perimeter, indicating full coverage.

Now I need to attach the flywheel and clutch. I couldn't do it yesterday because the engine stand attaches at the flywheel end. I need to put it back on the hoist, attach the flywheel and clutch, and mate it to the transmission.

I took the transmission and steering rack off the engine cradle so I could touch up some rusty areas on the cradle with POR-15.

Steve

 

With regards to loctite. I noticed on my 2.0T build the flywheel bolt threads are through the crankshaft flange into the area behind the rear main seal. That being said I would use a thread sealer on those bolts. I also believe that the bolts I removed had some sort of sealant/loctite on the threads.

 

You're right about sealer on the threads.

The bolts I took out definitely have some sort of sealer/threadlocker on them.

I bought Loctite Blue threadlocker to use on the bolts, but I'm not sure if that would seal the threads enough to prevent oil from leaking through.

Steve

 

I notice that a lot of sites that sell replacement flywheels for the Ecotec say that you have to replace the flywheel bolts.

The flywheel bolts are rather pricey (about $50 for the set).

Any suggestions on whether I really need to replace them?

Thanks
Steve

 

I never have , but then that's me, just make sure you torque them correctly.