Are all the 4cyl motors from the 2001 S-series cars interference motors? I have purchased a car with a bad motor. They told me that the oil light came on and the car stopped. They said it was ran out of oil. I looked at it this past weekend and found that it was 3/4 full.I was told that it could be an interference motor and it might have just thrown the timing chain. I know that I might have to change the head and check the pistons. I would like to know what I am getting myself into.Edited by: sw2cam

 

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All Saturn S-Series, 1991-2002 LL0, LK0 and L24 engines are interference engines. A broken timing chain will cause valve and/or piston damage.

 

What would the odds be for damaged pistons. Could piston head replacement be possible with the engine still installed?

 

usually its just going to be some bent valve. Those valves would really need to slam the piston to force it to crack. And you have to totally remove the head in order to have it rebuilt by a machine shop which usually costs about $500 at any machine shop. And that is assuming you do all of the work to take it out and put it back in. Then youll have to do the usuall stuff like head gasket, timing chain, tensioner, water pump, ect.

(funny text fixed in both posts by SW2CAM)Edited by: sw2cam

 

Rebuild the head? I was just planning on replacing all the damaged and worn out parts and getting a valve job done. Along with the "usual" stuff, of course.

 

Well you wont know which valves need to be replaced. Usually if you ever bring it to a garage they will send it out to be fixed up. And since your replacing the valves thats means you gonna be replacing the valve stem seals as well. And then to ensure a good surface they will also resurface the underside of the head to make sure that its both clean and smooth for the head gasket.

And when i say rebuild i dont mean everything. I just kinda say that to generalize. This is of course assuming that its the timing belt.

 

Well I started taking apart the top end of the motor. It is a 1.9 DOHC. The timing chain is intact, there is a little play in it but I think that is acceptable.

The spark plugs had more than .050" gap, one had over .060. On top of one of the plugs(the one closest to the accessories, is it #1 or #4?) was a little bit of oil, I assume it is from a leaky gasket from around the spark plug hole in the valve cover. It was not down on the electrode.

The PCV valve is completely clogged.

That's all I have found today, tomorrow I plan on draining the oil to see if there are any foreign objects.

Should I pull the oil pan to check the rods and mains? Can I see the bottom of the timing chain with the pan off?

If the old oil is clean and I change the PCV and install new spark plugs should I try to turn it over/start before I pull the pan?

*Edit*
I have been to the parts store today, they can't find an oil pan gasket! Do I have to go to the dealer?Edited by: Easywin

 

Changed plugs, wires, and oil(oil was dirty, changed in Nov. '07, but no metal with the oil). Tried to start, but it didn't sound right while it was cranking. Yes, the belts turn while trying to start.

The chain was intact when I had the cover off, but I just realized that I only checked tension between the gears, not down the side toward the crank. If the gear was busted down on the crank would there be excessive slop in the chain between the cam gears?

Is it possible to have sheered of the winslow key at the crank?

 

if anywhere along the timing chain is a broken part then there would be less tension in it. Youd know if it was that. Have you checked to make sure that the timing is still good on the cam gears

Also i would try and do a compression test and see what kinda results that yeilds.

As far as the oil pan gasket, im not sure how it is on these cars but most of the ones i know of will just use a sylicone gasket sealer or a form in place gasket.

And you cant see the rest of the timing chain without removing the bottom cover. Have you checked for spark as well.

 

I have not checked for spark, but I did hear something like a cylinder firing intermittently.

I asked the dealer for a pan gasket he said, "Um, it's not a gasket, you, uh, just use the silver sealant stuff.". I am going to assume that he meant to use an RTV equivalent.

I have not thought of the compression test, would a cylinder suddenly loose compression? It was being driven at the time of the malfunction. What kind of problem would result from loss of compression?

What about the chain being stretched enough for the chain to skip a tooth on one of the gears?