My car is acting like it wants to die, I need to know what could cause this?

Tiny
JIONUT
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I've just changed my wires and and everything is just fiiiiiineeeee :). I don't know exactly if the engine was missing or vibrating but thanks to you I saw that motor mount and the cat are ok (I had no idea about those parts before)so today I've changed the spark wires and my engine works smooth.
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Saturday, June 16th, 2012 AT 7:29 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Glad to hear you finally got it fixed your welcome thats what were here for.
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Sunday, June 17th, 2012 AT 3:02 AM
Tiny
MILOHARMON
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 SATURN SL1
Engine Mechanical problem
2001 Saturn SL1 Automatic

starts but will not stay running but one or 2 sec but will not continue to run,

has gas, & battery is good, has 70,000 miles, clean air filter, & fresh oil change
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Clean out the idle air control vlave and EGR valve and test the throttle position and manifold absolute pressure sensor.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MISSOULAREDHEAD
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 2001 SATURN SL1
  • 92,000 MILES
My SL1 makes a horrible rattling noise (sort of like the valves are shuddering in their seats, maybe?) When I first start it for the day. All fluids are full, and there's no history of burning oil. Lately, on top of the rattle (which, by the way, is worse if I'm on a hill or if it's cold out), it requires me to up the RPMs over 3000 for about 30 seconds, or it dies. Once it gets going, the car runs great, although the gas milage isn't what it used to be. But the rattle is making me crazy.I'm terrified I'm going to throw a rod or something.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DRCRANKNWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,380 POSTS
It sounds like there could be an internal engine problem. If the timing belt has never been replaced it could have jumped a tooth and thrown the timing off. There may be some valve damage if it hit a valve as your engine is a "Interference" engine meaning it does not shut down when there is a failure with the timing belt.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MISSOULAREDHEAD
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
But wouldn't the SES or Check Engine light come on? Very occasionally, the low radiator fluid light comes on, and then goes out after about a half mile. And it doesn't run rough, nor does the idle fluctuate (although it does when the A/C is on for a while.)
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Just to add to this one the engine doesnt have a timing belt it has a timing chain. If it jumped it would never run smooth it would have rough idle they may smooth out at higher rpms. The cold start concern sounds like a bad coolant temp sensor really common to go bad on those. Also need to inspect the inside of the connector going to it if the terminals are blue or green instead instead of silver then the connector needs to. Be replaced also. What happens is the coolant temp sensors go bad and read colder then actual temp causing too much fuel to be sent to the engine. The sensors also crack and leak coolant into the sensors corroding the connectors. As far as the noise is it coming from top end or bottom end of the engine?Does the noise go completly away after starting it or can you still hear but just a lot quetier?As far as the low coolant light being on are you sure the coolant isnt just a little low?I like to fill those cars up to the seam of the coolant bottle.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MISSOULAREDHEAD
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I checked all the fluids this morning, and yeah, the coolant overflow is a little low. But that's easily fixed. The sound just comes from the engine. Hard to pinpoint where, exactly. I even checked the mounts, and they're all solid. The noise stops after I get going, though. Unless I'm backing down my parents' driveway (I'm going slow, and it's a steep hill), and then it lasts until I get off their driveway and onto the flat road.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JAMINJAMEN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 SATURN SL1
  • 168,000 MILES
Saturn SL1 2001 manual

I've been having random high idle for a year. Would happen every time I started the car cold. Would happen about 50% of the time during driving when clutch is depressed. Most of the time at around 2000 and occasionally more up to instances of 3000+. Maybe it would go higher, always shut it off when it tries that. Only way to bring it down is to turn car off and restart. This past week it's been out of control. Occuring almost 100% of the time clutch is depressed. Shutting off still works but now it comes right back. Tonight, after driving all day and then sitting in parking lot for about 4 hours, I started her and drove a couple of miles in town to a drive-through, where I had to shut her off and restart her to kill the high idle. About a minute later the idle bottomed out and tried to die. Tried to catch her but lost her and almost couldn't get her restarted. Had to feather the gas because simply depressing the pedal would make it die. Now at the beginning of every gear she will buck and try to die if I attempt to give it gas at all. I made it home by letting her accelerate herself up through the gears. I could give her some gas at the upper part of each gear and shifting up late would help get passed the lower ends but from a stop, getting through the first 3 gears takes forever. Took it to Autozone and here are my codes:

P0172
P0300
P0442

What just happened to her today? She's practically undriveable as of tonight.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
Start with full tune check compressions and get the ignition system voltages check, this is best done on a oscilloscope, this will give you coil voltages, I would also be cleaning the iac and throttle body, check for a vacuum leak in the EVAP system (P0442) the other codes relate to fuel trim and engine misfire code, start here.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
The sounds going to be a tough one iam not there to hear it but have you checked to see if the upper motor mount by the coolant bottle is torn or collasped?I have seen those cause a issue of a noise when cold and gets quieter when it warms up.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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Just to add to this one from 1999-2002 S model single overhead cam engine when saturn was building the engine they wrinkled some of the intake manifold gaskets causing vacuum leaks later down the road. Its a lot more common with the 2000-2002 ones though I have replaced a lot of these gaskets for them leaking. You can usually see them wrinkled up if you take a flash light and look between the head and intake manifold.I also use carb spray to find and verify the leak by letting the engine idle while spraying around the gasket looking for a increase or decrease in rpms or the engine just dying. Also I would check the coolant temp sensor saturn has had a problem with those sensors with every year the S model was made. They will cause all kinds of symptoms dying surging no starts overheating anyone or any number of syptoms. Also the sensors leak coolant into the connectors corroding them. So when you check the sensor look at the terminals of the connector if there green or blue instead of silver you will have to replace the connector also. You can check the sensor with a multimeter with a ohms check. Do you have a multimeter?A bad coolant temp sensor I have seen cause false codes on those cars also. As far as the code P0442 the first thing I would check is the gas cap if its loose also remove and see if the rubber seal is cracking weather checked damaged etc. If it is it can set the P0442.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MISSOULAREDHEAD
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I have, and it's not. But I'm going to take it somewhere and get the codes read and see what's up. I'll post them when I get them.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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Forgot to mention also check for a clogged cat.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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Alright keep me posted.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MISSOULAREDHEAD
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
No codes came up at all. Rats. But this morning, it took 3 tries to start it (the third time, I put my foot on the gas up to 2000 rpm for about 2 minutes before it took). Radiator light came on during that time. And when I stop, it revs to about 2000 rpm twice. When I put it in park, it revs up to 3000 for about 20 seconds, then falls. I'm still thinking it's either an idle sensor or, as you say, saturntech9, the coolant temp sensor. I'm going to try disconnecting the battery for a while, see if things reset?
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LP389
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2001 SATURN SL1
I have a 2001 SL1 Saturn. The car wasn't going into reverse, so I found another transmission and changed it. Now, it stalls when I put it into drive. I've checked the shift solenoids and they were fine. Connections are fine. I flushed the cooling system (even though that has nothing to do with the transmission). I checked the codes and nothing was showing up.

I'm lost. Any ideas?
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
How did you check the shift solenoids?So does it die the second you put it in gear?What year and model transmission is the transplant transmission from?Have you checked all the fuses especially the tcc fuse?
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Just change the coolant temp sensor there only like 11 also inspect the inside of the connector to it. If the terminals are blue or green instead of silver replace the connector also. They may solve the idle and starting concern. Also that year single cam saturn engine is known for the intake manifold leaking around the number 1 or 2 cylinder intake port. Where the gasket meets the head. Let it idle spray around the number one and two I take port which the number one is over by the power steering pump. Use carb spray if engine rpms go up down the engine stumbles or dies then you have a leakki g I take gasket. Also inspect the pcv hose that goes from the intake manifold to the valve cover inspect it for holes and being colasped. If you see ethier replace the hose. Let me know what you find.
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Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 AT 6:06 PM (Merged)

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