Side project - Operation make her run. Saturn

[david-b]

My boy has a 95 or 96 Saturn couple, I think it's a 1000-something. I don't know Saturns so I could be way off. But the car starts on very rare occasions and then just sits there smoking oil badly out the ass. I've yet to see it yet and see what's she doing exactly, but my boy hired me to take her apart and tear her down and rebuild it.

I'm guessing the head is going to have to come off, either a bad headgasket or rings. I don't want to pull the whole engine, but he's willing to pay for a crate motor for the car. He says it's a fun car (manual) and wants to sell it. I can't understand why he just doesn't sell it as-is and get rid of it already. But if he wants to swap, then we'll swap.

It's a 4-banger, so I'm hoping the TB and everything is just like mine. I can't find too much info on the car.

So that's going to be my spring project that I'm going to be working on. Kinda looking forward to it since people trust me doing that kind of stuff to their cars and getting paid for doing it. Should be fun, lots of drinking, and lots of swearing and bloody knuckles. Good times.

[SilvrEclipse]

Do a compression test before anything. If you find a cylinder to have low compression, pressure the cylinder and find out where it leaks. If the valves aren't sealing its will leak pressure in the intake or exhaust. If its the rings or headgasket you may here air through the oil cap or radiator cap.

[gthompson97]

99% says the rings are shot. Re-ring it, couple new gaskets, and he'll be on his way.

[wrightz28]

Originally Posted by SilvrEclipse

Do a compression test before anything. If you find a cylinder to have low compression, pressure the cylinder and find out where it leaks. If the valves aren't sealing its will leak pressure in the intake or exhaust. If its the rings or headgasket you may here air through the oil cap or radiator cap.

Before just diving in, do some scoping out first. That's how I picked up my Z28 for $400, guy thought the rings were toast. Ended up being the timing was waaaaaay off.

Oh, and it's a Chevy Crapalier motor, so look up whatever GM was tossing in them at the time, 2.2L ?

[Thor06]

Yep, a 2.2 OHV... I think the engine code should be either LN2 or LN4 depending on the year, (pretty sure the LN2's came first and were maybe replaced by the LN4 when they switched from OBDI to OBDII, but its been several years since I gave a damn about learning about my Cavy) but I may be wrong. Also, I am not 100% positive if they are compatible with each other. They came in a quite a few different things as well, it would be worth it to look into that if he wants a new motor.

Personally, I would just pull the bitch and give it a good look over. Just clean 'er up, rering, new bearings, hone, and new gaskets and I think you should be good.

[david-b]

I didn't know they used Cavy engines. Good to know. I hate those things though. Oh well. I don't know when I'm going to see it, should be soon though. I really don't want to tear it down, but it happens I guess.

[Thor06]

How much is paying you? Atleast you get paid to do your friends' work...

[david-b]

I don't know yet. He's also paying me to do his website too. Money in the bank Yea!