Starter for 99 Saturn SW1 wagon

[SoCalSherri]

My Car won't start, doesn't make a sound when turning key over, full power otherwise (bright lights, windows move at normal speed, etc). We want to take the starter out to have tested but tow truck driver said he couldn't see it.
My first question is WHERE is the starter? If under the engine, can we get to it from underneath if we put the car up?
My next question is i want to check the PCM. I read in a previous thead that it's located under the dash to the right of the steerting wheel. I have a RHD and everything is reversered so would the PCM be to the right of the steering wheel OR in the place mentioned which would now be my passenger side? Also, HOW do you get to it? What needs to be removed, etc?

[Cat Fuzz]

Forget about the PCM. VERY, very, slim chance that this is your problem. In fact, I'd say zero chance.

The starter is most easily accessed by raising the front of the car. it is located behind the engine, firewall side. A quick test would be to get under there and using a jumper wire touch the positive side of the battery to the small terminal on the starter. Please make sure the car is immobilized and the ignition switch is turned off. If you put power to the small terminal and nothing happens, bad starter.

[denisond3]

And while hoping you will never need to take it out - I believe the PCM in all SC/SL/SW Saturns is located in the middle of the lower dashboard, in the console below the radio, along with the fuses and a bunch of relays.
If you try the above poster's technique and the starter works - I would suspect your shifter cable has come adrift somewhere; and while the shift knob says its in park - the transmission thinks its in reverse or drive, and the 'neutral safety switch' will prevent the starter from working.
If it is a bad starter, you might get it to work one more time by hitting the side of its case with a hammer first. This would maybe allow you to drive it to a service facility, or if you are going to replace the starter yourself, to drive it onto a set of ramps.

[SoCalSherri]

Please walk me through this a little more detailed. We still couldn't find the starter. There appeared to be something that might have been hiding it, appeared to be a curved bar with two bolts. Could this have been the brace that needs to be removed to get to it?
Also, do you know exact tools needed?

Originally Posted by Cat Fuzz

Forget about the PCM. VERY, very, slim chance that this is your problem. In fact, I'd say zero chance.

The starter is most easily accessed by raising the front of the car. it is located behind the engine, firewall side. A quick test would be to get under there and using a jumper wire touch the positive side of the battery to the small terminal on the starter. Please make sure the car is immobilized and the ignition switch is turned off. If you put power to the small terminal and nothing happens, bad starter.

[Cat Fuzz]

It's right beside the engine underneath. If you can't see it, it's probably because you are not familiar enough with cars to know what you're looking at. You shouldn't need to remove any braces. A basic set of sockets and extensions should be all you need. Disconnect the battery (very important), then the two wires to the starter and then remove the two starter mounting bolts. The upper bolt is a bugger to see and reach but can be gotten with the right extension.

[denisond3]

If you have the car jacked up high enough to slide under the front of it safely, keep sliding toward the back of the car until your shoulders are about betweem the middle of the two front wheels.
(By the way, you dont get EVER under a car that is only supported by the jack used to change tires. NEVER! You could run it onto a pair of the ramps sold in auto parts stores, and if the car isnt operating you can jack it up little by little and put heavy wooden blocks under the sides of the car, about where the front doors attach to the body. I use 2' lenths of 6" by 6" and 4" by 4" timber, and make a pyramind of it, strong enough to outlast the pyraminds at Giza. Then I will slide under a car.)
I like to put a piece of a large cardboard box down to slide on, as my driveway is gravel.
If you see the longer of the two axle shafts that run from the transmission out to the front wheels - the starter is located above the longer shaft, and tucked in close to the engine block. It would be several inches above the bottom of the motor. Expect plenty of greasy black dirt. You will likely need a light to see up there. I have a cylindrical flashlight small enough that I can hold it in my teeth. You will probably have to undo a plastic shield that currves around the starter (like my 92 SL2 has). Then there will be two nuts to undo on the solenoid mounted atop the starter, to get the 3 electric wires loose. Then two bolts holding the starter to the motor have to be undone. The upper bolt is just like the lower bolt, but located at the 12 o'clock position, with the lower bolt being at the 6 o'clock position. I think a 6" extension at the end of a deep socket might be the correct length. It is possible to do this; really! But working under there is not "mechanics 101". Its closer to the graduate mechanic level!
I have a 12" piece of steel conduit pipe that I slide over the end of my 3/8" ratchet wrench for added leverage. The mounting bolts for the starter may be super tight - if they havent been loosened since the car was made. And maybe Im getting feeble - being in my 60s.

[gnemac]

for us old and feeble guys I have found that 1 1/2 inch pvc pipe cut about a foot long make a good light weight breakover bar when working under the car]

[osamajapan]

I have the same vehicle rhd aswell. Every time i turn the key the ignition fuse blows. Everything else works fine the radio lights all the bells and whistles but just won't start. I'm pretty sure it is'nt the starter because everytime you turn the key thier's no click. If anyone can help me i've already lost five day's work on this and sherrisocal if your still out thier can u tell me how yours turned out and what it was thanku.

[Ruley73]

Originally Posted by osamajapan

I have the same vehicle rhd aswell. Every time i turn the key the ignition fuse blows. Everything else works fine the radio lights all the bells and whistles but just won't start. I'm pretty sure it is'nt the starter because everytime you turn the key thier's no click. If anyone can help me i've already lost five day's work on this and sherrisocal if your still out thier can u tell me how yours turned out and what it was thanku.

Replace the ignition switch.

This is a common issue on these cars. Over time with wear and tear something eventually gives in the ignition switch and develops a direct short to ground which is causing your ignition fuse to blow.

[Airjer_]

Isn't that the fuse that blows when the pin burns up in the center council fuse block?

The PCM is located on the drivers side of the dash. The upper dash panel needs to be removed in order to remove the PCM.