95 Saturn LS Low Idle
hambone35
03-29-2007, 02:06 PM
:banghead: I sell used auto parts and last June a customer called for a 95 Saturn SL2 1.9 liter motor. I located one through one of the yards we deal with. I went to the yard and heard the motor run prior to them removing it. Picked up the motor and delivered it to them. They called yesterday and told me they had a problem. The vehicle idled below 6000 rpm. They weren't able to get it installed untill July of 2007. After installation they couldn't get the idle right. They took it to a dealer and he told them that EGR was bad. They say they replaced it and had the same problem. The next trip to the dealer and he told them the catylitic converter was clogged. They replaced it and had the same problem. The next trip to the dealer and he told them that they had a intake gasket leak. The removed the motor, installed the gasket, replaced it and had the same problem.The next trip to the dealer and they told them that the EGR was bad again. They replaced it with the same problem. They took it to a different dealer yesterday and he told them the the wrong cylinder head was on there. He stated that the head on the motor was vacum EGR due to the adapter plate on there and the vehicle was set up with electronic EGR. He told them that the vehicle would not idle right with that head and they would either have to replace the head with one from an electronic or replace the motor all together. He said the dealer told him that half of the model year in 95 had vacum and the other half had electronic EGR. The production date on this vehicle is August,94. I contacted the yard that I got the motor from and he stated that the idle was fine when purchased and that the warranty was over. The warranty on this motor was for 30 days so it is it is long since past. All of this is confusing and I wondered if anyone had any information that could help clear my mind up. Any ideas as to what the dealers are talking about? Also if there is any information that could assist this gentleman in fixing his problem without having to replace the head or motor?:banghead:
sierrap615
04-04-2007, 11:25 PM
frist can you clairify what year is the replacement engine and what model year is the car.
all 91-93 1.9L have a vacuum EGR
all 94 SOHC 1.9l and only DOHC 1.9L with federal emissions have a vaccum EGR
94 DOHC 1.9L with California emissions had a electric EGR
all 95 and later had electric EGRs
94s with electric EGRs required the adapter plate to fit on the 94 head, a picture of the adapter plate from my 94 is linked below
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/18397/
in 95 the head was changed so the adapter plate was not required. so a electric EGR can be fitted to a earlier head, but a vaccum EGR can not be fitted to a newer head(i wonder if a machine shop could make a custom adapter for this problem, if so, they could make a lot of money) and installing a electric EGR on a car orginally designed for a vaccum EGR would require replacing or reflashing the PCM and replacing or rewireing the wiring harness. (a controler module would need to be added, picture linked below)
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/19145/
to correctly determine the vehicle's model year and emission compliance, check the underhood emission sticker, it will say if it meets federal or California emission standards. also, of course the vaccum EGR engines had a extra vacuum line on top of the throttle body, vacuum EGR engines had 3 lines, electric EGRs had 2 lines. if you do have a electric EGR engine, make sure you don't have the extra line for some stupid reason, or if you do that its plugged.
all 91-93 1.9L have a vacuum EGR
all 94 SOHC 1.9l and only DOHC 1.9L with federal emissions have a vaccum EGR
94 DOHC 1.9L with California emissions had a electric EGR
all 95 and later had electric EGRs
94s with electric EGRs required the adapter plate to fit on the 94 head, a picture of the adapter plate from my 94 is linked below
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/18397/
in 95 the head was changed so the adapter plate was not required. so a electric EGR can be fitted to a earlier head, but a vaccum EGR can not be fitted to a newer head(i wonder if a machine shop could make a custom adapter for this problem, if so, they could make a lot of money) and installing a electric EGR on a car orginally designed for a vaccum EGR would require replacing or reflashing the PCM and replacing or rewireing the wiring harness. (a controler module would need to be added, picture linked below)
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/19145/
to correctly determine the vehicle's model year and emission compliance, check the underhood emission sticker, it will say if it meets federal or California emission standards. also, of course the vaccum EGR engines had a extra vacuum line on top of the throttle body, vacuum EGR engines had 3 lines, electric EGRs had 2 lines. if you do have a electric EGR engine, make sure you don't have the extra line for some stupid reason, or if you do that its plugged.
hambone35
04-17-2007, 10:47 AM
The car is a 95 and the motor came out of a 95. They used their intake and exhaust manifolds. Everything hooked up fine but the motor had the adapter plate. Therefore the head must be from a 94 or earlier. The problem is that it will not idle right. The dealer told them that the head from a earlier model will not work. They said that is whats causing the problem. I'm trying to figure out if there is any truth to that. Is that the problem or is it something else like the computer or something.
Cat Fuzz
04-17-2007, 10:50 PM
Does the SES light come on? Any codes? Did you check and/or clean the IAC solenoid on the throttle body? Are those hidden vacuum lines under the intake hooked up properly?
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