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Saturn troubles....


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Tiggi
New User

Mar 27, 2011, 2:38 PM

Post #1 of 8 (1380 views)
Saturn troubles.... Sign In

Hola.I have a 2001 Saturn sc2 1.9 with about 140k on it.Last weekend I replaces the struts and lower cntrl arms on the front end.A few days later I got out of work and it wouldn't start,although the ignition turned on and I got a "click".After checking my battery,the fuses,and battery connection,I resigned myself to having it towed to my place.After some calls and bad advice it wound up with a new starter ( which it turned out it didn't need) and a new battery cable to the starter ( which it did,it being corroded on the inside where it couldn't be seen).Unfortunately during the process I managed to bump and crack one of the lines to my master cylinder for the clutch ( yes its a stick). So I then replaced the whole thing,master/slave/lines/reservoir.After all this and a very frustrating week,I finally had my car put back together!Until I tried to start it.It cranks and sounds like its trying but just won't quite turn over.I have spark,I can smell and see gas on the plugs ( which I cleaned and gaped),I can hear the pump when I turn the ignition on and I plugged in a pocket scanner and got no error codes.I did spray some start fluid in the plugs and got nothing.What little I know says it should turn over.

Good God help!I'm out of ideas and a halfazzed mechanic at best,any assistance would be welcome!


(This post was edited by Tiggi on Mar 27, 2011, 2:40 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 27, 2011, 3:20 PM

Post #2 of 8 (1370 views)
Re: Saturn troubles.... Sign In

Use a spark tester to test for spark at the plug end of the wire.



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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.



Tiggi
New User

Mar 27, 2011, 3:57 PM

Post #3 of 8 (1364 views)
Re: Saturn troubles.... Sign In

Ok,you'll have to excuse my ignorance....but I did get spark off the plug.I took the plug out of the engine,inserted it back into the wire and had someone start it,and got spark when it was held close to a large metal bolt.What exactly is the difference there?If there is a difference,the hows and whys would be good knowledge.These issues I have had may have given me quite a headache....but on the plus side the things I've learned have been great.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 27, 2011, 4:03 PM

Post #4 of 8 (1360 views)
Re: Saturn troubles.... Sign In


Quote
Ok,you'll have to excuse my ignorance....but I did get spark off the plug.I took the plug out of the engine,inserted it back into the wire and had someone start it,and got spark


Well, you neglected to say that in your question. That is not the best way to test this anyway. You need something that will allow a spark to jump 3/8" or more to know what kind of spark you have. It takes very little power to jump a spark plug gap when not under compression.

If you confirm you have a good spark, then your next step is a compression test. You have to find out why those plugs are fouling.



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

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.



Tiggi
New User

Mar 27, 2011, 4:52 PM

Post #5 of 8 (1352 views)
Re: Saturn troubles.... Sign In

Ah apologizes then..I thought when I stated in the original question that I had spark,it was clear.My fault.I do have some mechanics I can talk to tomorrow,perhaps i can get one to test it for me so I can see how and why its done.I'll post again with the results and what was done,even if we manage to resolve it ( I don't want to cause any sleepless nights due to my poor Saturn).

Thanks much.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 27, 2011, 5:00 PM

Post #6 of 8 (1349 views)
Re: Saturn troubles.... Sign In

I must have missed that.



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

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.



brad.chase
Novice

Mar 30, 2011, 8:22 PM

Post #7 of 8 (1325 views)
Re: Saturn troubles.... Sign In

Spammer deleted


(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Mar 31, 2011, 4:29 AM)


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 31, 2011, 7:28 AM

Post #8 of 8 (1310 views)
Re: Saturn troubles.... Sign In

Quick read of all that - sorry: Both battery cable need be good at both ends. Battery needs to be charged with a charger - don't count on the car's alternator when it finally does run as if it's real low it hard on alternator.

If you have it cranking enough to soak plugs now cleaning doesn't always do diddle unless there's a flake of something grounding the electrode(s) - it take glowing hot temp or new ones after you let the cylinder dry. Not always but a soaked plug that even looks dry can get spark from the wire but not jump the gap as the soaked porcelain can conduct and be the path of least resistance. Again not always but several time to me over the years.

It's got to crank at a normal crank speed. Take a compression check of even one easy cylinder and see what you get.

Check oil to see if it's way too full. If this has been flooding out badly from a problem or many attempts way too much fuel could have washed out cylinders and actually put fuel in the oil.

You know this is only suggestions to check and do for now. If you found one battery cable corroded on the inside why not do them both?

Bet with a simple voltmeter on battery you find it drops below 9v while trying to crank it even with a well charged battery. It should stay above that or starter just isn't getting the amps it needs,

T







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