My son in law said he was driving the car and it wouldn't go over 40 mph,the day before I was coming over to take a look at it he called me again and said it stopped running. He had it towed to his house. No engine codes. I checked for spark and he had spark,I checked for fuel and he had fuel.
I hooked up a compression gauge to check compression and as I rolled the engine over I heard what sounded like change dropping on the ground so I stopped cranking engine.
I took my boroscope and looked into spark plug holes and saw bent valves.
I took the head off and all the exaust valves were broken off and pieces laying on top of the pistons.

I can get a remanufactured Head for $280.

Number 1 and 2 pistons had 1 indentation each from one of the valves but it didn't go all the way through,3 and 4 pistons just had 1 small mark each.

I would upload the pictures of them but can't seem to find a way to upload them.

Should I be ok to just install the remanufactured head and be alright? Doing the work myself is going to cost me $500 total. The engine wasn't running when valves broke.

2006 HHR
2.2L Ecotec

 

Well, I personally would replace the pistons and check for bent connecting rods.
But as our old friend Harry asked " do you feel lucky? Well do you?

Welcome to the site!

 

If they are weakened, then they will give way. You should be able to get a salvage engine for around $500, I would add a new timing chain and guides.

The search tool would have lead to the How-to post pictures, but now you can click the link in my sig.

 

Welcome to the site.

You don't say the mileage so it's hard to give sound advice about doing major engine work.

quote: "Should I be ok to just install the remanufactured head and be alright? Doing the work myself is going to cost me $500 total. The engine wasn't running when valves broke."

At the least, you should be replacing the head, timing chains and components, gaskets, fluids, oil change. $500 may not cover it all.

As far as the pistons go. I've seen piston to valve contact engines before. Small dents on top but sometimes the pistons will crack or fracture. Take a close look at those pistons. Cracking may only be noticeable on the underside of the pistons.

If it is a high mileage engine, you may want to consider a complete rebuild or used engine.

 

George with this type of damage milage really is not the question, but what parts to replace and how far do you go into the engine, before you just bite the bullet and get a used one or buy a long block from GMPP, a decision the owner has to make!

 

I think mileage is a factor.
A 300k mile engine, I would say don't try to patch it if the rest of the engine is at the end of it's life.
A 50k mile engine, then yes, it may be worth it to try and patch it up.

 

I've experienced this issue and I would replace the engine at any milage, but at 300,000 miles then yes factor in the condition of the transmission , body, interior and the whole package, or patch things up and sell the car!

 

They got the car with 159,000 miles on it and it now has 187000 and they still owe $3000 on it.
I already have a new timing chain set along with a crankcase seal set,new head bolts, and new head gasket.
I uploaded some pictures so you can see what damage was done.

 

I'd pull the pan and see what it looks like from the other side as well.

 

Roll the dice, the marks aren't that deep but just enough to possibly caused problems with the connecting rods.