1999 Saturn SL1 Problems With Cranking

SSALDANA

MEMBER
1999 SATURN SL1

I just got my 1999 Saturn SL1 and yesterday when I got in it after work it would not crank. It would turn over, but not crank. I had someone come and look at it and he had me go get some starter fluid. After spraying it in there, it cranked right up and it cranked fine this morning to drive to work. It doesn't run bad, just this one problem cranking. He said it was my fuel pump, but another friend of mine had the same problem and it was her relay switch. Is there a way I can test my relay switch on my own without putting it in the shop? Also, I'm driving it today, if it did happen to be the fuel pump, will it just quit running while I'm driving? I'm going to put it in the shop, but I need to drive 50 miles tonight to a function for my son.

2 Replies

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

It doesn't sound like a bad fuel pump if you had a bad fuel pump and you put starting fluid in it it would only run a few second's then die and not start again. Doesn't sound like a relay Sound's more like it could be a coolant temp sensor. Pretty common for them to go bad there only 10 they made them with plastic tip's up untill the 2000's so the tip cracked allowing coolant into them
causing the temp back to the computer to be skewed. Cause's hard start's no start's over heating surging all kind's of stuff. If you want to take a gamble for 10 let me know if you fix it yourself way cheap then the shop. If it isn't the sensor we figure it out. Why don't you go to a atuo part's store like auto zone and get your code's read if you have any let me know what the number's are. Also if you buy a coolant temp sensor make sure you get a brass tipped one.