Has anyone figured the problems with Stage 1?
04-09-2011, 10:50 PM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
Thanks.
It's worth a look anyways (once I search the forums to find the exact location of the lower TMap). My driving last night was at all speeds, then stomping on it, but from the problem you describe, its certainly possible to have things shift with the engine, and have the sensor contact the AC line.
I assume them moving the IC as you mention, is covered under warranty as part of the Upgrade install? My factory warranty on the car itself expired 4 days ago.
Edit: I found the GM Tech Link article, and then the expanded install instructions, taking about the potential for rubbing/contact of that lower sensor, and that the little plastic nub (boss) should be trimmed on HHR SS's and Cobalt SS's. That should be enough for the dealer to go on to fix the issue, although I assume all they will do is fiddle around with that, not move the IC (if that it what my issue is, of course)?
It's worth a look anyways (once I search the forums to find the exact location of the lower TMap). My driving last night was at all speeds, then stomping on it, but from the problem you describe, its certainly possible to have things shift with the engine, and have the sensor contact the AC line.
I assume them moving the IC as you mention, is covered under warranty as part of the Upgrade install? My factory warranty on the car itself expired 4 days ago.
Edit: I found the GM Tech Link article, and then the expanded install instructions, taking about the potential for rubbing/contact of that lower sensor, and that the little plastic nub (boss) should be trimmed on HHR SS's and Cobalt SS's. That should be enough for the dealer to go on to fix the issue, although I assume all they will do is fiddle around with that, not move the IC (if that it what my issue is, of course)?
As for taking info to the dealer. Well I got the info to solve the issue buy moving the IC forward from GMPD directly. I worked with the service writer and the tech and they did everything I asked and solved the issues.
I can say that I had a couple issues with the clearance and with a wire in the fuse box. Both were not issues of GM. The IC was relocated a little when they had to remount it after my accident. They just sat it back a little too far. But this has been an issue on other factory SS too.
My dealer was very good at dealing with it and solved everything with little fuss. Their turbo tech made a world of difference.
Many here that have continued issues are just dealing with dealers and techs that are not really doing what they need to do. That is the main issue.
04-09-2011, 10:53 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
Hey if it fixes someones issues it is worth the post. I know that a few of the people I posted this for have solved their issues with the relocation.
Hey the soldered connections post still out number me 5 to 1.
04-16-2011, 12:57 AM
#34
Member
Join Date: 03-30-2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 78
Update:
Explained the problem in a note to the dealer. Within a few hours, called back, saying yes, it was the clearance of the bottom sensorand that it won't happen again.
We'll see about that, but 5 days in, so far so good. I do believe it has a fair bit more juice then the 24h I had it working ok last week after bringing it back from the dealer.
Not sure what I can attribute that too, although I have my suspicions that they may have done the correct software flash (I had the brake issue, so have the vaccuum pump done) this time. I made mention of that too in my note, as I noticed there was a different software flash for the non vaccum brake pump cars. I assume they would have somehow known that the pump is on there, but possibly not.
Anyways, all is good. Glad I have 20 months of lifting our baby; certainly need a firm grip on wheel when you decide to put your foot in...
Explained the problem in a note to the dealer. Within a few hours, called back, saying yes, it was the clearance of the bottom sensorand that it won't happen again.
We'll see about that, but 5 days in, so far so good. I do believe it has a fair bit more juice then the 24h I had it working ok last week after bringing it back from the dealer.
Not sure what I can attribute that too, although I have my suspicions that they may have done the correct software flash (I had the brake issue, so have the vaccuum pump done) this time. I made mention of that too in my note, as I noticed there was a different software flash for the non vaccum brake pump cars. I assume they would have somehow known that the pump is on there, but possibly not.
Anyways, all is good. Glad I have 20 months of lifting our baby; certainly need a firm grip on wheel when you decide to put your foot in...
04-16-2011, 08:45 AM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
I am glad they fixed it. Too often I think the clearance issues is at play here as it is so evey to over look.
There is so little room there but when you look at it on the rack it looks ok. It is only under a load that it hits.
Generally these problems are just simple fixes but to get someone to find them is the hard part.
There is so little room there but when you look at it on the rack it looks ok. It is only under a load that it hits.
Generally these problems are just simple fixes but to get someone to find them is the hard part.
04-17-2011, 02:19 AM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: 11-08-2009
Location: Los Angeles, Dallas, New York
Posts: 220
As I've said I love driving the car except for some of the build quality, but mostly off the line, unless your on a dead smooth road, regardless of TC off or comp mode or ASC off I get that left to right tank slapping rocking like the system is trying to keep up with the movement. Kind of like the system tries to adjust, but just can't do it fast enough.
Which is kind of strange, because I bought an Impala SS and had a trifecta tune put on it which changed it drastically, but off the line traction control or not, you'd think it was almost a rear driver.
It just pulls straight and true.
For the latest Impala SS chevy did a lot of work equaling the torque of the half shafts with and put the motor and trans in a cradled that only moves forward and back without any side ways twist.
In other world the Impala off the line is a blast, where the HHR SS is pretty much a rock and roll ride if you come off the line hard.
http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/...impala-ss.html
I kind of wish Chevy had done the same with the HHR SS, or at least allowed us to kill the traction control so we wouldn't get the back and forth forced correction.
In regards to the Stage 1 (forgetting about the issues that have been reported), adding a trifecta tune on top of the Stage one really opened my motor up. It's impressive with the Trifecta tune and pulls about 4 pounds more psi in 3rd gear.
I wish I knew how much better the HHR SS would run with trifecta only instead of the stage 1 tune, Because I'm seriously thinking about having the Stage 1 removed.
I know because I've tested it same day, same stretch of road and the trifecta pulls much harder than the stage 1 by itself.
But in regards to simple fixes on the stage 1, regardless of my experience, even someone so pro gm as Hyper, he/she still had to take the car back for issues and nothing is simple when you spend extra money, then lose use of your car while a dealer tries to dance through a problem.
Hyper says I see the glass half emtpy where to him/her it's half full.
That's not my view. In my view I see the HHR SS as a almost full glass with a few cracks in it.
IMO
04-18-2011, 06:15 AM
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
There is a few things I don't understand about the HHR SS.
As I've said I love driving the car except for some of the build quality, but mostly off the line, unless your on a dead smooth road, regardless of TC off or comp mode or ASC off I get that left to right tank slapping rocking like the system is trying to keep up with the movement. Kind of like the system tries to adjust, but just can't do it fast enough.
Which is kind of strange, because I bought an Impala SS and had a trifecta tune put on it which changed it drastically, but off the line traction control or not, you'd think it was almost a rear driver.
It just pulls straight and true.
For the latest Impala SS chevy did a lot of work equaling the torque of the half shafts with and put the motor and trans in a cradled that only moves forward and back without any side ways twist.
In other world the Impala off the line is a blast, where the HHR SS is pretty much a rock and roll ride if you come off the line hard.
http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/...impala-ss.html
I kind of wish Chevy had done the same with the HHR SS, or at least allowed us to kill the traction control so we wouldn't get the back and forth forced correction.
In regards to the Stage 1 (forgetting about the issues that have been reported), adding a trifecta tune on top of the Stage one really opened my motor up. It's impressive with the Trifecta tune and pulls about 4 pounds more psi in 3rd gear.
I wish I knew how much better the HHR SS would run with trifecta only instead of the stage 1 tune, Because I'm seriously thinking about having the Stage 1 removed.
I know because I've tested it same day, same stretch of road and the trifecta pulls much harder than the stage 1 by itself.
But in regards to simple fixes on the stage 1, regardless of my experience, even someone so pro gm as Hyper, he/she still had to take the car back for issues and nothing is simple when you spend extra money, then lose use of your car while a dealer tries to dance through a problem.
Hyper says I see the glass half emtpy where to him/her it's half full.
That's not my view. In my view I see the HHR SS as a almost full glass with a few cracks in it.
IMO
As I've said I love driving the car except for some of the build quality, but mostly off the line, unless your on a dead smooth road, regardless of TC off or comp mode or ASC off I get that left to right tank slapping rocking like the system is trying to keep up with the movement. Kind of like the system tries to adjust, but just can't do it fast enough.
Which is kind of strange, because I bought an Impala SS and had a trifecta tune put on it which changed it drastically, but off the line traction control or not, you'd think it was almost a rear driver.
It just pulls straight and true.
For the latest Impala SS chevy did a lot of work equaling the torque of the half shafts with and put the motor and trans in a cradled that only moves forward and back without any side ways twist.
In other world the Impala off the line is a blast, where the HHR SS is pretty much a rock and roll ride if you come off the line hard.
http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/...impala-ss.html
I kind of wish Chevy had done the same with the HHR SS, or at least allowed us to kill the traction control so we wouldn't get the back and forth forced correction.
In regards to the Stage 1 (forgetting about the issues that have been reported), adding a trifecta tune on top of the Stage one really opened my motor up. It's impressive with the Trifecta tune and pulls about 4 pounds more psi in 3rd gear.
I wish I knew how much better the HHR SS would run with trifecta only instead of the stage 1 tune, Because I'm seriously thinking about having the Stage 1 removed.
I know because I've tested it same day, same stretch of road and the trifecta pulls much harder than the stage 1 by itself.
But in regards to simple fixes on the stage 1, regardless of my experience, even someone so pro gm as Hyper, he/she still had to take the car back for issues and nothing is simple when you spend extra money, then lose use of your car while a dealer tries to dance through a problem.
Hyper says I see the glass half emtpy where to him/her it's half full.
That's not my view. In my view I see the HHR SS as a almost full glass with a few cracks in it.
IMO
Second I work in the performance aftermarket and I see the same things happen there where not everything is a simple bolt on. Note most do not have warranties that will cover any of the cost. In my case I lost a little time but nothing more. They even gave me a car to drive.
In my job I have seen people with tuners from some large companies have issues and boy it can get ugly. Most times they will replace the unit but nothing else. Yes they all have issues at some point.
It is easy to say the people who have had issues have a reason to see things different vs those of us that have had little or none. It only goes to reason.
I guess I am a little less forgiving if something takes a little work as I see if from the side of performance where bolt on's are not always bolt on's. A little extra tweeking is just part of the game. There once was a time performance just did not come out of a box and you had to make it work.
Also for the most I also do not have to rely on others to fix my car. If I was dealing more with an unknown I may look at this differently.
I do wish GM has done a few things like a plug in harness and a Map that points up as it would have solved 98% of the issues.
As it stands now I really don't understand why some dealers are still struggling on these kits as the info is out there on how to fix them or God forbid install them correctly to begin with. I think a lot just comes back to the dealer and how well trained the tech is. That is the dealers responsibility.
04-19-2011, 03:37 AM
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-13-2008
Location: Washington State, where it rains
Posts: 4,708
I believe the side to side pull your refering too is nothing more then the front tires fighting for traction. The road surface has an input to this also especially if it has wear grooves in it. When I'm in the petal it will dance too but it feels like one side digs harder then the other and then they swap. After the torque "catches" up it smooths out. Notice it really pronounced at slower speeds and as said I get diffrent results on different roads. i do not have LSD which actually makes sense.The front is hunting for the best bite. You may not hear the tires spinning , but they are. Be careful on uneven wet patches,, it gets wild! That is..one tire wet , other dry....
04-19-2011, 12:34 PM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: 11-08-2009
Location: Los Angeles, Dallas, New York
Posts: 220
I do wish GM has done a few things like a plug in harness and a Map that points up as it would have solved 98% of the issues.
As it stands now I really don't understand why some dealers are still struggling on these kits as the info is out there on how to fix them or God forbid install them correctly to begin with. I think a lot just comes back to the dealer and how well trained the tech is. That is the dealers responsibility.
It really doesn't matter because in chevy's mind the HHR SS is a dead as Fred.
They're busy sticking camaro tail lights on the 4 cylinder malibu.
But your right, if you want it done right, have it done yourself and don't worry about it. I do know I dig driving this car but don't trust it any more than I trust a government "budget".
Also I live in LA not Ohio so going to the dealer is a 2/3's day process.
GM just half assed too many things on these cars and the HHR SS was a good idea to try to get into the hot sports hatch market, though they just didn't take it the extra inch to do things right.
Still, I wouldn't buy another one, or recommend it to anyone. I'll probably buy another trailblazer SS. That's the type of car GM knew how to make.
Now if they would come out with a screaming opel (not buick, cause as every valet in LA will tell you Buick's = old people), I might go that direction, but overall if you need 4 doors and the ability to carry more than a six pack, Chevy makes good trucks and that's kind of where it stops.
IMO
04-20-2011, 06:01 PM
#40
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 03-23-2011
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 18
So seems like a lot of people are still having these issues. Eventually I'll bring mine into my dealer for "repairs". We'll see if they actually fix the issues. I'd really like to sell it. Looks like the hot car is the new 5.0 with a 2.3 TVS Eaton. Have a friend with absolutely no issues and with 7psi of boost, 3.31 gears, tune, and off road H pipe has been 10.59 @ 130 on tires. Much more impressive than the 14.3's @ 101 that the little HHR can do.