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96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold


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dbonzjones
New User

May 14, 2009, 5:15 AM

Post #1 of 10 (3151 views)
96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

I have a 96 saturn SL2 1.9DOHC with 200,000 miles. It starts great and runs well when i first start it in the morning but if I turn the engine off. I can't get it restarted. The starter turns the motor over fine. If I hold the accelerator to the floor, sometimes the car will fire but not catch and run. Sometimes it will start begrudgingly in about 30 minutes and it runs really rough when it does for about 20 seconds then smoothes out. This has been happening for about two weeks. I just changed the valve cover gasket because the first plug well was filling with oil. I thought that might have been causing the problem but it is still happening. Any Ideas?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 14, 2009, 5:49 AM

Post #2 of 10 (3144 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

Are you getting any check engine light?



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



autojoe
User

May 14, 2009, 6:39 AM

Post #3 of 10 (3140 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

bad coolant temperature sensor/leaking injector/bad fuel pressure regulator........see if fuel is in vacuum line.


dbonzjones
New User

May 14, 2009, 7:09 AM

Post #4 of 10 (3138 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

no check engine light.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 14, 2009, 7:16 AM

Post #5 of 10 (3134 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

You need to start out with a fuel pressure gauge. Check for proper fuel pressure and closely look at what the pressure does when the engine is shut off. If the pressure immediately starts to bleed down, you may have a leaking injector or bad fuel pressure regulator. Remove the vacuum hose from the regulator and see if there is any fuel residue inside of it. That would indicate a bad regulator.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



dbonzjones
New User

May 14, 2009, 10:14 AM

Post #6 of 10 (3130 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

It turns out that the end of the coolant temp sensor was totally eroded away. I replaced that and it runs like it did the day I bought it. Thanks for your help!Sly


autojoe
User

May 14, 2009, 2:25 PM

Post #7 of 10 (3122 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

I have seen lots of them bad.Good you got it fixed.


Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran / Moderator
Loren Champlain Sr profile image

May 14, 2009, 2:36 PM

Post #8 of 10 (3118 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

Autojoe; Good call.
Loren
SW Washington

(This post was edited by Loren Champlain Sr on May 14, 2009, 2:37 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 14, 2009, 3:09 PM

Post #9 of 10 (3115 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

I agree but that should have put a check engine light on.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran / Moderator
Loren Champlain Sr profile image

May 14, 2009, 3:17 PM

Post #10 of 10 (3111 views)
Re: 96 Saturn SL2 only starts when cold Sign In

I agree, but have seen many that didn't set a CEL or DTC.
Loren
SW Washington






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