Got the valve cover off today. While I was turning it to TDC on compression stroke I noticed the cam sprockets were way off (reading exh on intake cam, int on exhaust cam) I turned it another 2 revolutions clockwise and the chain link positions were at a completely different position and they change every time I do this. What does this mean?

 

You’re not feeling for air to get pressed out on the compression stroke of #1 cylinder, did you remove the spark plugs?
they should line up like this, notice the 2.2 cam sprockets have intake and exhaust markings.

 

Yes, I removed the spark plugs and the cam lobes seem to be lined up for a compression stroke at TDC and I felt compression while holding my hand over cylinder #1. TDC for the crankshaft is at around 10-11 o clock for some reason (the 00 is there). At TDC, the cam sprockets seem to stay the same but the chain marking locations are changing every compression stroke. When rotating the crankshaft by hand, are there points where there should be around no resistance?
Here is what it looks like at TDC on compression stroke:




But then when I go to TDC on compression #1 stroke again, the black link moves.

 

Don’t worry about the link, it doesn’t line up again , it is just used to install the timing chain. It appears you are one rotation off , by the exhaust mark on the intake sprocket.
it’s a 4 stroke , so one revolution is 2 strokes , 2 revolutions is 4 strokes. You seem to be at TDC for the exhaust stroke

 

Okay, rotated it a full revolution and it was set right for sprockets, redid both chains, and still have the p0172 popping up as a pending code. Was really hoping that would fix it. Is there any way to check if the injectors are bad? I sprayed carb cleaner on them and the RPM didn't change, but is there any way to know if they're faulty? They are Ultra-Power injectors.

 

Is the ECM tuned for the After market injectors?

 

Please read the possible causes and solutions. Check the MAF connector, did you forget to connect it?

https://www.obd-codes.com/p0172

 

Yeah, my MAF sensor is plugged in and it is new, my mechanic checked for vacuum leaks and said it was fine, fuel pump is fine. I do not have the ECM tuned for the injectors, they are from rockauto so I thought they were OE spec. Is it worth it to buy a fuel injector tester to check if they are the issue?

 

RA has nothing to do with GM or AC/Delco. Something with a name like "Ultra-Power" sound non stock to me; like it delivers more fuel per pulse. The computer just counts pulses and duration of pulses if the injector data is different from the data in the computer it is going to throw a code, either P0171 or P0172.

Buying the correct injectors would be cheaper than buying a tester. I got 4 for $80 delivered a few years ago. Testers don't do much other than measure how much gas flows in a second, you can do that with a jar and a stopwatch. I have no idea what the spec is for them.

 

Those are the cheapest injectors that Rockauto sells for HHR. Even much cheaper than remanufactured. For less than $6 each additional, you could've had brand new OE ACDelco.