4x4 Chevy HHR Panel

4 minute(s) of a 51 minute read

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!