My wife was driving home a couple Fridays ago and while stopped at a crosswalk, the engine died. No noise, no nothing. She didn't even notice. She tried to start and it just spins but still no noise (that made me feel better). Towed it in to the dealership and got the call the chain broke. The dealer wanted to pull the head and have it checked at the machine shop. Being an interference engine, was more than happy. The SA tells me that they called GM and with my being a loyal customer ..., GM will pickup 60% of the bill. It being 10 mo out of warranty, I thought I was lucky but at 87k a chain should not break regardless of the age. The car has alway been dealer maintained.
I get the call about the head and there was no damage caused from the chain breaking, valves are fine, but the SA tells me the valve guides are bad and cannot be replaced on the 2.0 head. Takes a new head. Now I have been around the garage for a few years. I give her an ear full. She ask if it is the cost that is causing my grief. If she can get GM to foot the bill for the new head would that help? YEAH! She said she would check things out and get back to me. An hour later I get a call from her manager telling me that she said I requested a manager call?!?!? I gave him the story about her pushing to replace the head just due to to normal wear on the guides when it is not related to the chain breaking at all (she was using the argument of having to replace the head to warrantee the chain repair). He agreed it did not make sense and would talk to the SA. The manager did tell me the guides could be replaced but a new head is more cost effective. He calls back when I am eating and leaves a message with the same line as the service advisor, bad guides, gotta have a new head. Something tells me I am not getting the full story. Could they have found something wrong with the head unrelated to the chain that they want me to foot the bill for now so they don't have to deal with it later? Are they just trying to run up the bill since GM is picking up most of it. Should I be pushing for them to pickup all of it anyway?

 

I feel for you ..On my 2007 i replaced the chain at 170,000 never seen a chain break may be the guides or something even my guides were still good ...oh just read its a ss mine is not but man a lot people are having trouble with a lot off them ...maybe one of the gm reps here can help you out .. good luck

 

I doubt they are trying to "run up the bill". However, it is probably good policy to replace the head. You have to R&R the chain to do the head; extra labor if you put it off. Was it burning oil or water or setting codes?

Pulling the head to send it to the machine shop was a mistake. There is not much metal to machine. It's already VERY close, so I've been led to believe. All they could do is check it, and the shop should be equipped for that.

Have never heard of a chain "breaking". However, it did live through the warranty, sorry for your loss.

Don't know about 2.0L, but I've seen the procedure to change the valve guides for a 2.2L. I'll give Mitchell a look and get back.

 

I looked at Mitchell for 2009 HHR SS. No mention at all of valve guides only seals. That was what I must have mis interpreted.

Evidently "Guides" are integral to the head. ""valve stem oil seals" can be replaced.

Here is a link to a complete head. http://www.ebay.com/itm/08-09-10-COBALT-SKY-HHR-SOLSTICE-SS-Cylinder-Head-2-0L-LNF-Rebuilt-/200924871037?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ec80e397d&vxp=mtr

 

2008 2.0 liter SS... maybe push back at the dealer to replace the whole engine as there could be the bad casting issue in the block, That should clam them up about the head!! and wouldn't they have noticed oil consumption with the valve guides worn??

 

After a back and forth with the service advisor, the truth came out. It is not a 60/40 split, it is a $1000 'co-pay' from me and GM will pickup the rest. Well, that was before the head became unserviceable at 87k. Now it is $1000 plus 40% of the head replacement. When this car was new off the line the engine was GM's masterpiece. Now, 87k later, it is a piece of crap.

 

Did you attempt to escalate to the region? CCS may be of help there.

 

No I haven't, I wouldn't know where to start. I did have a short talk with the service manager. He stood with a stone face and said he had called in all his resources and they've done the best the are going to do.

I did find out the root cause was a sheared bolt on the tensioner. !?!?! The SA told me the tech said he had never seen anything like it before. The result was excessive wear on the chain.

 

Amazing that "Chevrolet Customer Service" has not chimed in to your thread. Try sending them a PM.

If you don't know how to send a PM; left click on their handle on any of their posts, then click on send a private message. Or, hover over your own handle in the upper right and click on "user CP" there is a send a PM option there.

 

Thanks Don. PM sent to CCS.