If you pulled the engine the fuse box was removed and reinstalled; that is the point.

Ok update..

sitting here with it while I jump it from our excursion... Everything is tight end no nicks.. I can put the car in gear while being jumped (direct to battery). And every thing is fine.. take off cables and dies again with power steering warning and air bag warning.

now there is a square 50 amp fuse by the battery... if I wiggle it at all it shuts off. I'll see if I can find a store that carries that fuse.

Bet you've got a bad battery. Runs good with the jumper cables hooked up, then dies when you remove them would point to a voltage drop.
Have you even checked the voltage on the battery ?

once we get HHR home ill take battery in, the 50amp fuse by the battery has me concerned as well as the battery, im kinda wondering if i use jumper where the 50amp fuse was if itll stay running

That fuse powers the BCM.

We just did the biggest redneck thing you could think of... Im sure we will be on youtube somewhere... So i left the HHR attached to the Excursion and just drove home (like a mile). HHR is home though, yay!
Friend ran over with battery tester, when he switch tester to load, battery crapped out

oh yeah replaced the 50amp fuse by battery, made no difference.

off to advance i go to have them replace the battery (bought it in december) alternator is new to... yikes...

Are you reading replies?

Did you look at the large red wire connection to the fuse box?
Did you press down on the fuses?

yes sir read everything

1) took out the fuse box bolts, pulled top half off, made sure everything was clean, applied thin layer of dielectric grease, reapplied top half and locktite on bolts. (making sure all fuses pressed in firmly)

2) cleaned up the front red post and the rear red post (they had some rust on them). retightened those.

3) cleaned up the ground spot in the back cause it had some erosion on it.

4) battery voltage (out of car) he was able to get it to read 8 volts he put a load to it and it dropped down to 0. In car and car running (no jumper cables) battery reads 12, put it into gear or turn anything on, drops to 0 and shuts off.

as you can see ive followed all the post :-)

the 50amp fuse holder in the back; the BCM fuse holder has some erosion on the inside clips, took a small wire brush to it, to get erosion off and replaced the 50amp fuse.

The more likely ground to be damaged is the top of the transmission to the radiator support. When the engine is removed it nust be disconnected and it is kind of easy to forget.

Number 4 in your post , the battery is at 8 volts, then just 12 volts, it’s toast way to low to keep your HHR happy.