Engine or Power problems

1998 SATURN SC2
120,000 MILES • 1.9L • 4 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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19ROADRUNNER95
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  • 5 POSTS
Got the car back from the mechanics shop on April 22nd 2016 after getting the valve cover gasket replaced. Then my car starts acting up losing power and the lights start dimming in and out when the engine stutters. I made sure the oil was full including transmission fluid and everything else. But, whenever I have it in Park ten minutes in it starts to stutter while adding transmission fluid. Whenever I put it in reverse the engine some how loses power and stutters even while I'm driving most of the time the engine has an issue increasing speed slowly then the RPM's would slowly increase while the needle slightly bounces to read it. People are telling me the transmission is going out but, it shifts smoothly and works fine. So, right now I don't know if its the Alternator, Battery, or the Engine having issues. Please help so I know what to ask the people that messed with the Twin Cam 16 Valve Engine
May 1, 2016 at 7:17 PM
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SATURNTECH9
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
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Do you have a multi meter to do some testing?
May 1, 2016 at 9:33 PM
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19ROADRUNNER95
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Sadly I don't. But, to scared to drive it. Back to the old question of the vavle cover gasket. The old one leaked oil into one of the cylinders so, some say its spark plugs some say its my transmission.
May 3, 2016 at 12:19 AM
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SATURNTECH9
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
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Spark plugs and the transmission aren't going to cause the lights to dim in and out.are the battery cables on the battery clean and tight?Your going to need a multi meter to check and make sure the .Alternator is charging.Those are the two first things I would check if I was there with your car with the .Symptoms you have.Unless you test some things like if the alternator is charging etc your just guessing.People can say what they think it is but without getting in there and testing looking at things etc you won't know for sure.ALSO I would have the battery tested.
May 3, 2016 at 6:37 AM