95 Saturn sl2
 

I had this 95 saturn sl2 1.9l twin cam. 160k miles. It has been running good and a couple months ago i changed the thermostat, water pump, radiator. everything was running good. a couple days ago i was driving it and it just died. i pulled over and restarted the car. It was running hard, and i had to hold the gas pedal down just to keep it running. when i let go the rpms fall all the way down and dies. when i try to start it i have to press the gas pedal atleast halfway down for it to start. When i go to drive it, it takes off really slow and sounds like it is trying hard to go but not going anywhere. I changed the oxygen sensor, coolant temp sensor and i had to change the starter cause it went out. I had a small leak in the valve cover gasket and replaced that yesterday. After changing all of those it is running a lot smoother and not jerking like it was except when i let off the gas pedal. I don't know what else to do to try and fix it. i need some help.

I don't know if it came out of timing (i dont know how to check it) or if its not getting enough gas to the motor.

I just replaced the crankshaft sensor and it didn't work

Service Engine Soon light on?

Read the OBD I codes:

https://www.saturnforum.com/forum/sa...ng-codes-3062/

Off the top of my head:

1) the guts of your catcon may have broken free and may be significantly reducing exhaust flow. This usually happens over time so you don't really notice until the exhaust is plugged up enough to create enough backpressure to affect engine performance.

Does your exhaust sound smooth and even or sound differently?


2) Last Fuel Filter Change? Restrictions here could indeed lead to not enough fuel getting to the engine. Put a fuel pressure gauge on the Schrader valve on the fuel rail under the hood. Check with key ON/Engine OFF and with Engine at idle. Fuel pump may be weak

3) When was the last time the EGR valve was cleaned? If the answer is never, then my guess is it is gunked up w carbon deposits and is sticking during movement, probably is stuck partially open. Should throw an EGR fault code

These are just GUESSES until you let us know if there are any codes and what they are.

I'm checking the catcon today. The car hasn't put out any codes. The check engine light isn't on

i took the catcon off and it still didn't help. im going to check the egr valve here soon.

Please remember that a restriction in the exhaust can happen further along in the exhaust system (resonator, intermediate pipe, muffler if enough of the internals of the catcon have worked their way further down the system.

Now if you are saying that you removed the catcon and ran it open w no exhaust connected at all, and it did not improve, then that rules out restricted exhaust as a PRIMARY issue.

EGR problems historically show up during accel and decel, when the valve is not in the position it needs to be. That is why I suggested it. If your car is a significant oil burner, it just makes things worse in terms of carbon buildup.

Clean w choke/carb cleaner until center pintle moves freely.
Do NOT bend the pintle.

Also, with the EGR off, clean out the ports that lead to and from it.

One way to partly clean it is, with hood up, to start the car w EGR off and hold at about 3000 RPM for about 30 sec. Depending on what is in there, carbon buildup chunks may come flying out.

The above procedure is LOUD. Do it when your neighbors are away.

Finish cleaning ports by hand.

If you have been able to remove w out damaging the gasket, you can reuse it though a new one is best

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One other thing comes to mind -- a huge vac leak -- but this usually forces the engine to higher RPM to stay running. Plus it doesn't make sense considering the way your vehicle just stopped running.


Does the car idle at all right now? If so what RPM and A/T or M/T?

It only stays running if I hold the gas peddle down. When I let go the rpms fall and the sputters out and dies. I'm going to check the egr tomorrow then also replace the fuel filter