4x4 Chevy HHR Panel

By BRATXL
( 7 )

4 minute(s) of a 51 minute read

6-5-2022

It was getting time to start the engine for the first time!


So I serviced and double checked all the fluids, charged the battery, and turned the key, and turned the key. Nothing but cranking noises!  I spent two or three days checking the obvious - then walked away and did other stuff for about three weeks.  It was spring cleaning time anyways.  I cleaned the yard, powerwashed everything, oil change and service mower, new tires on the blue HHR, oil changes on wife's cars - anything but those wires!

I must have missed something!  I sent myself back to remedial training on the Chevy systems - https://troubleshootmyvehicle.com/gm/4.3L-5.0L-5.7L/index-of-articles-1 is the best place for indepth articles on troubleshooting all the Chevy sensors and modules.  I went through it all - several times.  Raised the body to see if I pinched a wire or something. Unwrapped and unsorted out all the wires - again!

Oh, how I despise redoing work!  But I had to! Finally I called the people at http://www.hotrodharness.com/ - the people who made the stand-alone harness. Over several very patient calls on their part we went through detailed troubleshooting each system. And again. You gotta have 12v key on to all the pink wires - and constant 12v to the orange wires. When Chris at Hotrod harness asked what the cranking rpm's were I connected my scanner to the OBD2 port and turned the key to start. The scanner blinked and restarted. Wait a minute - it is supposed to maintain constant 12v! That lead me to two problems - one was running a dedicated power wire (orange). And the other was replacing all the copper clad aluminum wire I used making the harness fit the way I wanted. Once that was down I mopped up all my tear stains and sit aside all my hurt feelings and put her back together - again. Note the access panel I added to the firewall to make troubleshooting easier.

This time the motor immediately fired up and settled down to a nice smooth idle.  I got mixed feeling on this.  Two months trouble shooting - at least 100 hours.  Getting teeth filled and a colonoscopy so I wouldn't have to go to the shop.  Setting on a bucket - sighing as I looked at wires I already looked at!  It was brutal!  But yeah!  It runs!

 

 


So before I move on - I must formally think Chris from Hotrod Harness - how he could, as busy as he was, take my every call and act like we were the only two people on the planet!  I'm 68 years old - I cannot talk without adding in a story here and there - I cannot help it!  Chris demonstrated an outstanding level of patience - I salute you sir!  

Time to order the custom driveshalt. Get the brake system and other stuff online....hopefully the next input will be drama free!



Comments

Did you figure out the spare tire?

Posted by Diggymart on 10/10/21 @ 10:29:23 PM

Yes, last week. I will post the update today.

Posted by BRATXL on 10/11/21 @ 12:26:47 PM

Did you figure out the spare tire?

Posted by Diggymart on 10/10/21 @ 10:29:21 PM

Love these transformations! Looks like you got some free groceries with the car haha, never seen that before. Always loved the HHRs looks, this will give it some muscle it never had.

Posted by MPower on 4/13/21 @ 2:38:11 PM

Nice updates!

Posted by Diggymart on 4/8/21 @ 7:23:13 PM

Holy hell! Thats a ton of work, will be an awesome project though! Looking forward to seeing how you make it all work.

Posted by diyauto on 4/8/21 @ 3:31:41 PM