I am currently helping my brother in law do a engine R and R on a 2008 HHR. It has the 2.2 L double overhead cam and lots of miles on it. We just got to the point that we are removing the torque convertor bolts. Two of the three have been removed. Removing the last one is the problem. What I am dealing with is the crankshaft can only be turned about three quarters of a rotation which prevents me from removing the last bolt from the torque convertor. I can turn the crankshaft in both directions until it will jam up on what I assume is a broken part ( timing chain tensioner?)hanging up. To try to remedy the jam up, I used a metabo and cut loose the timing chain and removed it. The crankshaft still is jamming up after about three quarters of a turn. Removed the valve cover to take a look down the front of the engine and see that one of the chain tensioners is not where its suppose to be. Anyway, I am at a standstill on removing the engine without the transmission attached. If anyone on that reads this thread has experienced this type of issue I would appreciate your letting me know how you solved it. Fishing out the parts with a magnet has not worked as I believe the possible broken part is made of plastic. Not sure I can work a coat hanger or flexible wire down such a small opening to get hold of what is at the bottom of the opening.

 

This is just a follow up on the issue of not being able to move the engine crankshaft/harmonic balancer a complete rotation to allow removal of the third bolt in the torque convertor. After inspecting all visual possibilities, I decided to remove the valve cover to take a look down the front side of the timing chain cover. In doing so, looking down the front unless you have a fiber optic camera I wasn't able to see anything obstructing the movement of the crank. But, while inspecting the topside of the head, I noticed that one of the rocker arms had broken and could not find a part of the rocker. Looking a bit more I find another rocker arm that had cracked down the side and it broke just as I touched it. So, I assumed that the broken part had found it's way down the front of the engine and was lodged in the timing chain. Put a magnetic extension down the front to try to fish out any broken pieces and was not able to. So, I cut the timing chain and fished removed it from the gearing. After removing the chain I was able to turn the crankshaft in a complete rotation. Haven't pulled the timing chain cover off yet. But, I would not doubt that the pieces to the rocker arm are laying in the bottom.