2001 Saturn SL1 Minor Vibrating/shaking when accelerating

Tiny
JF781981
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SATURN SL1
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 172,000 MILES
I was hoping you could help me out. I am having a problem right now I can't figure out. Maybe you can give me an idea. I will describe as best as possible since I have never come across this. First off you need to know that this is a 2001 Saturn SL1 1.0 SOHC.
The last week when I accelerate sometimes the car shakes a little. Its pretty sporatic. Only happens once in a while. Now the Check engine light is on so I went to the nearest auto zone and they did a computer run on it. Came back Camshaft Positioning Sensor which the car does not have, but has a crankshaft position sensor, same thing so I replaced it. Seemed to work for a short time but started up again. Took back still shows position sensor bad? Maybe plug. Just got another plug today to put on but havent done it yet. Also checked and re-gapped my spark plugs and checked the plug wires all is well. When I put the car to an idle it does not quit, does not act like it will quit. Not acting like its chugging for gas just vibrates a little. Could it be the crank sensor plug? The code said it could be timing off, but I cant find where there would be a timing belt and I cant even find a part online so I dont know if the car has that or not. All I know is that the transmission shifts fine so its not like gears are messed up there and it does not shake hard. Tomorrow I will probably replace the plug for the hell of it. Tires have no bulges in them so it cant be that and I even know if there was a bulge it would be all the time. I just never seen this before and I want to make sure its fixed and safe for my daughter to be in. Winter is near and I dont want a dead car. Please if you have ideas I havent thought of please let me know. I am in no way a mechanic but I do do most of my work when I can so hopefully its easy. Also I forgot to mention that on the codes it said cam sensor bank 1. Is there more than one crank sensor in a car or no the bank one threw me off. Thanks again I hope you can help
Thursday, November 4th, 2010 AT 11:20 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
I wish you would have wrote down the code number to post on your question that really help"s. Most of the time when you get a cam position sensor code it's just the plug's and wire's. What usually happens is if you take off the wire's off the plug's inspect the boot's where they go on the plug's for a black carbon also inspect the plug's for black carbon or carbon tracking where spark travel's down the side of the plug and leaves a scar. Also inspect where the wire's go onto the coil tower's for being corroded if they are they will have to be cleaned if they can't be cleaned they will have to be replaced. Also make sure you don't put platnuim plug's in the car they carbon fowl I recommend the standard ngk plug it came with. Also is the shaking worse with the a/c on?Let me know what you find. You will have to use a bright flash light to see the carbon in the plug boot's.
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Friday, November 5th, 2010 AT 12:16 PM
Tiny
JF781981
  • MEMBER
  • 52 POSTS
Sorry my friend the code number was P0340 I did not see anything wrong with the wires/plug but wen to a bone yard and got a different plug. Have not put it in yet. I have not tried driving with ac on yet so I will do that and let you know

Thanks for your time
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Friday, November 5th, 2010 AT 3:05 PM
Tiny
JF781981
  • MEMBER
  • 52 POSTS
Does not appear to make a difference either way. Still sporatic and still about the same shake wise
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Friday, November 5th, 2010 AT 3:15 PM
Tiny
JF781981
  • MEMBER
  • 52 POSTS
Went to replace the plug to the crank sensor with one I bought at a bone yard and noticed on the plug before, the rubber seal must have fallen off when I unplugged it first time to fix the sensor. All I had to do was take the rubber seal off the bone yard one and put it on mine and all problems ceased. Thanks again for your time
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Friday, November 5th, 2010 AT 7:02 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Glad to hear you got it fixed all that seal does is keep moisture out of the connector so you must have had a loose connection.
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Saturday, November 6th, 2010 AT 1:48 AM
Tiny
JF781981
  • MEMBER
  • 52 POSTS
Thats what I figured. But it was nice to know that before haign to do any cutting/splicing in that small area :) take care
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Saturday, November 6th, 2010 AT 5:16 AM

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