1996 Saturn SL1

Tiny
H R PUFFNSTUFF
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  • 1996 SATURN SL1
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 170,000 MILES
Car has trouble starting and if it does start loses rpms and dies out or just dies out of nowhere
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 10:17 AM

26 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Do you have any code's?If you don't know go to a auto parts store like auto zone and have them see if you do. If you do write the code number's down.I would also check to see if you have a bad coolant temp sensor there only 10 and it's really common for them to go bad. Also inspect the connector to it if it's corroded then replace the connector too. When it die's does it restart right away?
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 1:26 PM
Tiny
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Cant get the codes teh check engine light isnt on I told my wife the coolant temp sensor she thinks its teh spark plugs an wires and she told me that when it dies sumtimes it starts back up but most of teh time it takes a while and if it does start back up itll just die again after like 20 minutes
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 1:28 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Just because the light's not doesn't mean you don't have code's. From what you describe it sound's like the coolant temp sensor not the plug's and wire's. If the plug's and wire's are bad you get missfire's not the whole engine shutting down. If you need a tune up anyways then go right ahead and change the plug's and wire's.I recommend you use ngk regular plugs none of the platnium plug's they don't run right in those car's. If you decide to change the coolant temp sensor make sure you get a brass tipped one the plastic tipped one's crack. Also inspect the connector going to it for corrossion. If you change the wire's inspect the coil tower's for being corroded pretty common for that to happen as well.I would also check your fuel pressure and when was the last time you changed your fuel filter your supposed to change them every 30,000 miles they get pretty clogged by then.
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
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Its my wifes car shes back in massachusettes im at fort bragg nc in the army doin all I can shes been out of a car almost a week now her dads there workin on it im just tryin to get info for her I dont think she changed the fuel filter in a while she took it to autozone an the guy said that without the check engine light on it would b pointless to look for codes I think hes givin her the run around they changed the map sensor and the fuel injector the exhause isnt even connected at the muffler either I will tell her what u told me tho
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 1:55 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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I would give the coolant temp sensor a try it's a lot cheaper then those other thing's they have been trying. You should email these post's to her dad so nothing get's miss understood from what i'm saying. But let me know what they find and if you need anymore help.
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 2:16 PM
Tiny
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Hes saying it might be the ignition control unit I told him what u said tho
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 2:25 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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That's another expensive guess I haven't replaced very many of those and I have worked on saturns for the dealer for over 16yrs. When they fail the car doesn't run at all till they cool down. That's a terrible guess hopefully he listens to especially if he is guessing with your money.
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 2:47 PM
Tiny
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I hope thats not it I just want hr car to run so she can drive it without worry of it dying on her all I know is that is doesnt start up right away and if it does it doesnt last long it trys to turn over the fuel filter was changed out I think hes looking into what u suggested and finding out about his as we speak I appreciate ur help tho and ill keep u informed as to how its going and you guys are way better than that damn just answer site they havent gottin back to me yet
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 2:51 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Keep me informed I emailed you a diagram of where the sensor is you can send it to him in case he needs it. Also make sure he checks the connector if it's green or blue where it connects to the replace the connector too. Also brass tipped sensors only to replace it the plastic ones crack and leak into the connector corroding them.
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 3:04 PM
Tiny
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They are trying to keep the control module cool by putting space there and ifneed b getting a new one instead of the ect sensor
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 3:21 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Well the module is about 114 and the sensor is only 10 and a lot easier and cheaper to change. Let me know when he want's to stop throwing guesses at it and put's the sensor in.
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 3:31 PM
Tiny
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Would a bad ect sensor cause the engine to overheat or just stall out and not start up for a while because her cars not over heating
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 3:53 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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If that sensor was bad you wouldn't even know it was overheating unless it was so hot it boiled over the cap. Because that sensor runs the temp gauge and the coolant temp the computer and when they go bad they read a lower temp then actual temp. If he doesn't want to try the temp sensor have him do this when the engine is cold. Remove the sensor and if the tip that goes into the head is plastic see if it's cracked or cracking. If it is then the sensor is bad he will loose a little coolant when he does this. Also have him inspect the connector for being corroded. It won't tell for sure if it's bad that way but it is something that won't cost anything to look at.A bad temp sensor will cause alot of differnt symptoms hard starts no starts stalling and not restarting for a while all differnt things.I'm just trying to save you some money from guessing what it might be a 10 most likely guess is better then a remote chance 114 guess.
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 AT 5:53 PM
Tiny
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Ok so they changed the ect sensor last night and the car ran for a half hour they thought it was good and she woke up this morning it started an she drove 3 minutes down the road and it died again at daycare any ideas
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Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 AT 8:06 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Was the old sensor cracked how about the connector was it corroded?Does the car start right back up?Or do you have to wait before it start's?When the car is acting up I would check it for fuel pressure see how much it has. They rent fuel pressure gauge's at auto zone. If it's only happening while hot then you could have a bad cat restricting the exhaust when it's hot. When it dies and you try to start it will it start right up or just crank no start?If it is a crank and not even trying to start when it dies I would check for spark.
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Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 AT 1:40 PM
Tiny
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She has to wait before it starts up and it ran fine this morning she said untill she shut it off at day care wn when shetryed starting it back up to go to work it wouldnt start up they replace teh spark plugs an alot of the wiring she said when she tries starting it it just trys to start but no dicei was looking into it online an thinking maby the crank sensor? I dont know I dont know if the old sensor was cracked or corroded I wasnt there an they ddint tell me they just thought it worked an everyone was happy we do know that she needs a new exhaust from the cat all the way im thinking it only doesnt start when its hot after sitting for a while an cooling it starts back up and will run for a bit
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Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 AT 2:05 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Lets try this when it gets hot and won't start have them pull off two wire's that are side by side off the coils and have someone crank it over and the other person watching for a spark from tower to tower. If there is no spark then it could be possible that the crank sensor is bad.
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Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 AT 2:12 PM
Tiny
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Her brother an dad r out of town for a few days an im stuck 750 miles away an I dont think she can do that so ill hafta get back to u on that but thank you im startin to think its the exhaust an has been all along lol its not attached at the muffler she didnt think itd lead to this tho
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Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 AT 2:13 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Alright keep me posted what they find when they get back in town. Also the muffler not attached to the exhaust pipe won't cause this if you had a plugged cat now that could cause it to die. But not restart that would be a pretty plugged cat. But let me know when they get back in town and what they find.
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Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 AT 12:38 PM
Tiny
H R PUFFNSTUFF
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Ok so I cracked and bought the ignitition control module and now im wondering how to replace it and where it is
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Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 AT 8:21 PM

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