Make sure the long funnel is in the opening to add fluid if required.

 

I've checked and no puddles and no greasiness from where a leak would come from. I also always park in the same spot at work and at home. When the service was performed I used a guide from here and when I checked the fluid after changing it drained a bit then slowed down to almost none so I'm hoping it's not under/overfilled. Ordered a new infrared gun since I couldn't find it

 

Ohhhkay! Long time no see HHRNet but I'm back! The car has been at a repair shop since January slowly but surely getting stuff fixed. Here's a list of the work they did.

1 - The timing chain was about to fail as a guide near the top had broken into 3 pieces and the chain was occasionally slapping a stud, he told me what bolts onto it but I forgot. Mechanic said the guide came apart in his hand as he took it out. I had him save the old chain so I could have it frozen into a chevy logo or something. Along with the timing chain and guides I also had the balance shaft guides and chain replaced along with the water pump. All from Cloyes (p/n 94201SA2K3). Since getting to the timing chain required that a motor mount be removed, and that this car vibrated like a paint shaker anyway I also had the motor mount and all 3 transmission mounts replaced. Also the valve cover gasket and VVT solenoids

2 - Both front struts, since the mounts on both were completely toast and crumbling yet the struts were almost new, wish I took a better look before buying quick-struts but I probably wouldn't have trusted them anyway even with new mounts.

3 - Coolant flush (I think they were gonna do it anyway because of the water pump but I specifically asked for one in case they didn't)

4 - Vapor canister purge valve, this is me firing a parts cannon before deciding to have the work done by someone else. I was going to DIY it but just left it with the other parts to be installed. I was trying to solve a really rough idle when hot and A/C on. A few forum posts here pointed that the perhaps purge/vent valve can be a culprit. I was also having issues getting any EVAP tests to run. Vent valve was going to be replaced but the new one wouldn't seal properly so the old one was put back in for now. They believe the wrong part was put in the right box, return maybe?

5 - O2 Sensors, since I have no idea when the last time they were changed and they looked pretty crusty.

6 - Rear coil springs, one was snapped and causing metallic rattling in the rear.

7 - Stabilizer bar bushings, I did the end links myself but totally forgot to buy those at the time. So now they finally get put in haha

All the parts were provided to the shop by me and I bought them all from RockAuto. All the parts ended up being around $1,350. The labor including fluids/odds and ends came to around $2,200.

I'm picking the car up Saturday and I am extremely excited. The rattling on cold starts is gone, the instability on the freeway is gone, the cooling system has been gone through and I can finally start actually driving it. Jeez it's been almost a year since I bought it. I'm quite eager to jump back into a 4 cylinder and stop paying $250 a week on gas.

I just wanted to leave a final update on this issue, I believe you guys called it with getting the chains/pump done as that was about to be a much more expensive problem had I kept driving it. I'll update again once I pick the car up and give it a drive myself.

 

It sure adds up quick, doesn't it?

Hopefully you'll be set for a while.

 

Man how right you are... and I hope so too. This thing even when I first bought it and it was in horrid shape was still more reliable than some cars I've owned in the past. It's a fighter that's for sure!

 

Keep it clean and drive it often! Be sure to burp the coolant a couple of times, just to be sure there’s no air in there!

 

Might also check the coolant recovery system carefully for leaks, starting at the pressure cap. When it’s working correctly, if there is any air under the pressure cap, at least some will be expelled as the coolant heats up and expands. If no air, then coolant. It goes into the coolant recovery tank. After shutdown, the coolant contracts and draws in coolant from the tank. So eventually the car burps itself perfectly. And it would be normal to see the level in the tank to drop a little for awhile any time the pressure cap has been off, especially if the coolant has been changed. Good to check the level in the tank at morning cold start for awhile. If there was some air to be expelled, the level will drop and coolant should be added to the tank.

 

Better to proactively burp the air out of the cooling system

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...-system-60614/

 

Sounds like they went through it well. Good luck with her.

 

One more update since I've had the car for a few days now and have been driving it frequently, the temp problem has definitely been solved!! Watching the coolant readout on the DIC it never went above ~205 at 85-90mph while it was about 103-105F outside. It liked to stay right around 190-195 which seems perfect! It stays in the high 180s in traffic from what I've seen as well. The weird whine at 2000RPM is also gone along with the sputtering at stop lights. The motor mounts made such a night and day difference it's insane. I can barely tell that the car is on while it's idling in park! Shop did a great job