I agree, if you can find a little more cash, cleaning the valves would be much easier with the engine out.

You would need to remove the intake manifold, a new gasket is $8 + tax and shipping at rockauto. You'd get 5% off with the code in their thread here on site.

But trying to clean them just with brushes and picks really wouldn't work. You'd need a compressor, maybe you already have one. Harbor freight, you can get a little media blast gun for under $20, and some walnut shell media for another $25.

Here's the how-to, there's a few other things you might need listed in here. https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...lves-ss-56184/

Your call, if you don't do it now, it'll start misfiring at some point, probably soon, and it's a lot harder to do( and costs a little more) installed in the car. Pay me now or pay me(more) later type of thing.

Catch cans can be done later, but it's pretty easy to relocate the PCV valve now. You should be able to pull the information you need from this how-to thread https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/2-0l...version-59726/

 

And so it begins. Iv had a kind guy volunteer to help me with all the lifting and laying on my back.
I used a camera and looked at the valves on the new engine and there not bad. I will run a treatment threw it using the vacuum ports and finish them off.
we are currently without a car and this one is badly needed.

Anyone have any vacuum routing diagrams. The guy that tore this car apart didnt leave much for assembly. And me not being the guy that tore it down I'm in the dark.
I would love more info on the pcv issues and how to fix them. I'm familiar with catch cans ect... as I used to own a auto repair and performance shop for a number of years. But I'm sure you guys carry more hhr ss specific info that alldata and gm dont carry. Thankyou.

 

And its out!!! Had 2 guys helping today. Without them this wouldnt be moving very fast at. I'm told I have them for the week. Goal tomorrow is to mate the new motor and get it and the cradle back in the car. question! This car I just found has a catless stainless down pipe. I think it's on factory tune, Do I need a tune for this down pipe?

 

If it ran before, it should run again . It must have been tuned to eliminate the cat.

 

I agree with this statement.
Otherwise a code or two would be present.

 

not all people do as they should. This engine had a hole in cylinder 3 for a reason.
Most likely a mod like this from someone who didnt finish it with a tune. I'm not sure as I got to drive the car home and boom. So I'm betting it's not. I will hook into it with hp tuners.

 

But without a cat the two temp sensors would be equal,or close to each other, which is not right.
If there were no sensors, you would still have codes, unless the tune took those sensors out of the ECM program.

 

correct we know that as mechanics. But those codes dont show right away. Sometimes it takes 2 start cycles for the cel to pop on. So that being said when I drove it home after purchaseing it popped a hole in the piston. So that raises the question of did the kid know what he was doing when installing it and fallowing up with a tune? Did he reset the computer so no cel would show at the time of purchase? All very possible and something I gotta look into before putting miles on this new motor.
I ran across these type of issues constantly at my shop. People cutting cats. And wondering why there car used fuel and had a cel that would come on then shut off days later. Most I tuned out. But all it takes is 1 guy with no money to finish the mod and needing to sell car to clear the codes for sale.

 

So I set hp tuners up on my bench harness. And as I suspected the rear o2 wasn't turned off. And the tables all look to be stock. I gotta find a good known base tune to compare to just to be sure. But the fact the real o2 are on tells me alot.

 

I'm sorry no one every responded to your post. I'm in owosso mich. And I'm very thankful for your offer. I like to think I'm a good guy. Lord knows iv spent alot of time helping others. But that would be less than humble to say I am.