1994 Saturn SL1 '94 Saturn only (barely) starts when I floo

ALLSTAR21369

MEMBER
1994 SATURN SL1

Engine Performance problem
1994 Saturn SL1 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 62000+ miles

My '94 Saturn had been stuttering upon starting lately (a month or so) and recently had nearly altogether stopped. My step-dad suggested giving it gas immediately after starting it before it died and this seemed to work. It failed to work yesterday, however, and so we replaced the spark plugs and spark plug wires. I attempted to start it and it still wouldn't start. Went inside, came out, and he had it running. I'm fairly certain he just floored it.

Also, coolant gets low every few months and I'm certain I have a leak. I bought stop-leak and it kept coolant for quite a while. When my step-dad reved the engine hard it sprayed coolant everywhere through a crack in a plastic piece near the front of the hood.

Picture of a few products (including fuel filter) I just bought to replace (no idea where fuel filter goes). (Pic 1)

Picture of engine. (Pic 2)

Picture of close up of spark plugs I replaced yesterday. (Pic 3)

Images (Click to make bigger)

2 Replies

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

Those spark plug wires u have on there are the wrong ones there dual over head cam wires not single overhead cam wires like u need u need wires for a sL1 u have sL2 wires on there return those and get the right ones. Ur fuel filter if u find the black screw cap where u test for fuel pressure follow that fuel line back to ur fuel filter it's mounted to ur body rail. On ur starting concern sounds like a bad coolant temp sensor. If u follow ur upper hose back to ur head bellow that it's screwed into the head. It's the bottom one with two wires going to it a black one and a yellow one. Also make sure u check the connector if it's corroded u will have to replace it. Make sure u get a brass tipped one the plastic tipped ones crack. Let me know what u find.