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

Tiny
SANTISTEVAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SATURN SL1
It acts like it wants to die when I pull up to a light and im idling. It never dies though. It vibrates a lot too the past couple weeks. What can cause this? I haven't noticed the rpm needle, but It has a code for my egr valve but I already knew about that, this just started happening. It doesn't vibrate all the time it seems like it does it when I first start it and then once it warms up it's ok for a little bit, but then once I have been driving for about 20 or 30 minutes it will start doing it again. It is idling rough and acting like it wants to die but doesn't. I will check the rpm thing when I go out later.
Friday, February 24th, 2012 AT 2:03 AM

64 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
The upper engine mount by the valve cover collapse and tear causing excessive vibration especially when the engine is cold.See if its torn or collapsed.What is the exact code number your getting for the egr?It will be P followed by a four digit number?

Here are guides to help us find out what's going on.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/stall-at-idle

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/throttle-actuator-service

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers
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Friday, February 24th, 2012 AT 9:59 PM
Tiny
SALAUNGRA
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  • 1 POST
I've had the same thing happen to mine previously. With mine it was the spark plugs were ridiculously dirty. Warning for you though: If you have a California Emissions standard model, like mine, the SOHC journal head unit is notorious for developing cracks between the third and fourth cams. This will cause oil and coolant to mix and your engine will start either "chugging" (hard back and forth motions at idle or slow starts) or cause it to have a slow start shifting between gears. I'm currently on my second SOHC and this one's leaking now, too. Wondering if it might just be a better idea to replace the whole engine now, instead of going with another "new" cam journal head.
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Friday, March 16th, 2012 AT 2:56 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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I have worked for saturn for over 16yrs as a service tech and have never seen a cracked head that is mixing oil in the coolant to cause the engine to chug or transmission not shift correctly. Also all the heads crack california emissions or not I have replaced a ton of the federal emissions cars heads when I lived and worked for saturn in new york. Actually the heads crack more often in the colder climate.I have seen more of those heads crack more often while I was in new york then california. Are yiu getting reman heads?What year car do you have?When they mix the oil with the coolant they over heat thats all I have see them do.I havent seenor heard of customers complain of anything else but over heating.
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Friday, March 16th, 2012 AT 4:05 PM
Tiny
JIONUT
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I noticed the same problem with my Saturn SL1 1999, when I stop to a light it acts like it wants to die but it never dies though. It vibrates a lot but there's no change in RPM (it's around 0.8).
I have new spark plugs and the car has only 35k miles !
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Saturday, May 19th, 2012 AT 2:05 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Sounds like your upper motor mount is colasped by the valve cover.
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Saturday, May 19th, 2012 AT 5:54 AM
Tiny
JIONUT
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  • 10 POSTS
So these should solve the problem?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaugUfILmGE
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Saturday, May 19th, 2012 AT 1:46 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Thats the mount iam talking about is that the same style mount you have in your car?Or does yours look different?
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Saturday, May 19th, 2012 AT 4:21 PM
Tiny
JIONUT
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  • 10 POSTS
It's the same style that I have. After I'll change it (it will take me a while to shop around for the part) I'll be back to write you if the problem is gone.

The spark plugs wires are important to change after a certain age/mileage? Because I thought that could be a good move to replace them too.
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Monday, May 21st, 2012 AT 2:57 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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The mount you want the price price is on amazon I just bought one. Just put in the search box dea A2827 its a little over 20 for the mount. To check if the mount is bad take a normal size bic pen and see if the tip you write with. Fits between the place where it bolts to the front cover and where the mounting comes out of the mount. You should be able to slide the whole pen between there. If you cant the mount is colasped and needs replacing. To answer your spark plug wire question there is no change interval I change mine when they go bad.
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Monday, May 21st, 2012 AT 3:43 AM
Tiny
JIONUT
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I've just checked today and the distance is big enough for the pen. In this case what other problem can I have?

Anyway, I want to change it in maximum 2 weeks and I'll take it from there. Unfortunately I'm in Canada and the Amazon here has almost nothing :(
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Sunday, May 27th, 2012 AT 3:04 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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When its vibrating good put the car in neutral see if the vibration goes away?
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Sunday, May 27th, 2012 AT 3:10 AM
Tiny
JIONUT
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  • 10 POSTS
I'll check it tomorrow (today :). I know for sure in parking the vibration goes away but I never checked in neutral.
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Sunday, May 27th, 2012 AT 4:32 AM
Tiny
JIONUT
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I took a spin (it's almost 1 a.M. ) And it seems that in neutral is the same story like in parking, no vibrations. The RPM goes from 800 in drive (when stopped/brake) to 1100-1200 in neutral/parking but the vibrations are gone.
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Sunday, May 27th, 2012 AT 4:42 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Has the cat ever been replaced and aftermarket one welded in?
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Monday, May 28th, 2012 AT 12:51 AM
Tiny
JIONUT
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Can you be more specific? I really don't now what the cat is :)
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Monday, May 28th, 2012 AT 3:52 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Follow the down pipe off your exhaust manifold it will lead to your cat see if it has been welded there. It will be easy to see if its been changed.
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Monday, May 28th, 2012 AT 3:50 PM
Tiny
JIONUT
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Everything is fine with the cat, no welding, no new parts over there. Now the car vibrates less but it's an obvious gap in the engine functioning. I spray some water during the night on the plug wires and I saw a small small small light in the bottom part (opposite the engine entries. Should I change the wires?
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Thursday, June 14th, 2012 AT 3:46 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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So is the spark coming out of boots on the coil towers?
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Friday, June 15th, 2012 AT 8:20 PM
Tiny
JIONUT
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  • 10 POSTS
Yes, exactly. It's a very small spark but it's there.
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Saturday, June 16th, 2012 AT 1:09 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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I would make sure that one of the coil towers isnt cracked where the metal post comes out.I have seen that happen causing a spark to one of the mounting bolts of the coil pack. So is the engine actually missing or just vibrating?
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Saturday, June 16th, 2012 AT 4:14 AM

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