1.9L SOHC engines in the 96-99 S-series?

Okay... So I'm new to Saturn... Got a 98 Saturn SL around December of 2003 I believe... Well anywhoot... It's at about 60,000+ miles now... And I have a friend who is around the same amount but he has a 99 SL1 or SL2 I think... And both of us have been told we need a new engine...

Problems in mine:
1st gear is REALLY rough sometimes. Unless I am in higher RPM which I hate doing... (It's standard tranny)

When we did some tests, we took of the oil cap, sucks in air viciously...

I think this goes along with the last point, the PCV valve, replaced it due to the fact that it was stuffed with some oil, and like 1-2 weeks later, it looks like muck is inside it and it doesn't rattle.

Oil change ----> about 3-4 weeks later, VERY low on oil.

Cyclinder 3 = within 2 weeks, spark plug was very black on tip, performed a CLT, may have been wrong, but 20% leakage, and the top of the piston was krusty and black.

Cylinder 3 spark plug, side that attaches to wire, COVERED in oil.


What's the deal? I've heard that that Gen's 1.9L SOHC engines go bad around 50,000 miles from a cousin's friend who makes a living fixing cars and selling them, he also said, when he fixed one it took him about 4 weeks to find an engine --> being an extremely long time for him to find an engine due to the fact that so many of the motors of that kind in junkyards are bad. And that kid with the SL1 or SL2 whatever, said that he also heard that the engines go bad around 50,000 miles...

Are the rumors true? Is it worth to fix and keep, Fix and sell? What? I want to fix it, sell it, if I can get at least what we payed for it (around 3,100 or 3,400, don't remember, my parents bought it) and I may just go buy a Civic or an Accord because I've heard only good things... WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK?

Ohhh... And if you have an egnine or can direct me to one... Preferably near WI or IL... Please don't refrain from e-mailing me, IMing me, or throwing me a reply... All replies welcomed... :) Thanks for reading...

life of an SOHC 50,000? i doubt it. granted i know more about the DOHC witch some guys have taken over 300,000, but 50,000 still seems a little on the lite side. but then again thats IF you take care of it, saturns can be very needy children. check your records and get an idea of how much care it received in the past before you decide to buy an engine, rebuild it, or sell it.

what do you mean by its rough in first gear? details please...

sucking in air from oil cap is weird(blowing out is more common that would be bad rings) double check the pcv valve, shake it and make sure it rattles. also check the hoses. or it may a bad cylinder head(i thinking on the intake side, maybe valve seals) but then again that would commonly blow out not suck in.

BTW whats your idle like?

you blew a gasket on piston 3. i can't remember if its the head gasket or the valve cover gasket. but change the gasket and no more oily plug. it may help your oil consuption too (witch if you have figured out by now saturns burn off ALOT of oil, always have a spare bottle with you). and thats just carbon from the burning gas, 100% normal.

where abouts in Waukesha are you? i'm just a little ways west of chicago and i go to school with a guy from Waukesha.

and one last thing ... TO HELL WITH HONDA!!!HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

I used to live in Lake Zurich, northwest subburb of Chicago... And I live RIGHT in Waukesha, like in the middle of UW-Waukesha, WCTC, and Carol College... RIght in that area if you know it...

Rough in 1st gear is saying... Pretty that cylinder 3 is not firing or something like that... Replaced plugs and wires... Ran like glass for like a week... Then, what do you know... It does it again. I think it mostly happens when you try to engage the clutch at a low RPM... I engage at like around maybe 1000 - 2000 <--- MAX on average... I'm real like obbsessive about driving a messed up car... Mine has to be running perfect, noise and all... I hate it, but that's how I am... So when there's problems... I have to fix it...

If you come up to Waukesha some time... Drop me an e-mail or throw me a post and maybe you can come look at my car... Well, I'll leave you with that... Peace.

Oh... and BTW... I keep like a minimun of like 3 quarts of oil in my car... Seeing how it burns minimum like 2 quarts a month if I drive it every day...

if cylinder 3 isn't firing it should throw a code, and you didn't say anything about the ses light so i'm assuming its firing. besides that you need too fix the gasket before seing if there is anything else wrong.

as it goes for the trans i don't think you have a problem. newton's law first law is objects at rest will want to stay at rest (gee-wizz batman! i remembered something from 9th grade! i amaze myself.) anyway, it means you need a lot of power to move an object from a dead stop. and, as we all know power and the SOHC don't go hand-in-hand. ok, no more science junk, simply put the lower RPM don't put out enoff power, and your engine just can't do it. so crank those ponys up and hit it at no less then 1750 or 2000 rpm. but thats just my $.02

The SES light actually has come on like 2 times... After one time... It was driving so bad, that I went and replaced the plugs and wires... That's what I was saying earlier when I replced the plugs... I did wires with it and it ran like glass for a couple weeks then went back to driving sorta rough in low RPM, but I've learned to live with it... And the SES light hasn't come back on yet...

a-ha! it all make sense now, why didn't i think of this before. the head gasket blew, soaked the plug and wires. maybe cylinder is fireing, maybe it isn't, but if it is, is not firing as strong as it should be. so number three is dead etherway. so you only 75% of the power you should have plus the three cylinders left are firing evenly which means real rough ride. be sure when you change that gasket you replace number 3's plug and wire too. are you going to do the repair yourself or have a shop do it? if a lot of oil did drain in to cylinder 3 you may want to do an MMO soak at the same time to clean it out. i'l have to find the link for the how-to, but its real easy.

Well, I'm probably doing it myself... Or with a cousin and his friend who fixes up engines/tannies... Whatever need it.. Then he sells 'em and that's his job basically... SO he knows a bit... But either way... I'll be doing it too... So a how-to would be great... And... It feels like I'm slowly losing more and more and more power... That's why the ride seems like it's getting rougher... Or that's what I'm thinking... But it's not always... So... Dunno. But anywhoot... That's what I'm seeing... Thanks man. I'll talk to my cousin about it...

Oh and I wanted to mention... I'm only 17... So I haven't been driving forever... And haven't really gotten into cars until the past couple years... So I don't know a shit load... I think I know some... But definately not enough... And I've never really worked on cars much... I'm in an Auto class in school, but don't do shit really... Only 47 minute period.. Not much you can really do in 47 minutes cept oil change, flush cooling system, headlight adujstment... Etc... You get the point. I haven't worked on cars much, so a how-to will be needed if I do this... -lol- If you've got one, it would be much appreciated, otherwise, I can print one up from a program we have in our auto class... Thanks for the time.