Been on here before but forgot my screen name/password so I created another profile.

My '94 SC2 is having some engine issues. since I bought the car a lil over a year ago it's had this, what I thought was, ignition cutting out randomly. There is no rhyme or reason when or where it's going to do it. it's like it just loses spark. doesn't matter if I have just started the car, if I'm on the highway with cruse set, putting around town...what the temp is, nothing! Well it's getting worse. I tested the coils and the ignition control unit just like the Chilton manual said and I ended up replacing one of the coils. It didn't do it for a day or two then it started again, BUT like I said, some days it will happen continuously day after day then other days it won't do it.

I have been reading around here and I haven't really found anyone else with the same issue, just other cars not starting. I'm gonna head down to the parts store and pick up a crank positioning sensor, engine coolant temp sensor and vehicle speed sensor (my cruse cuts out every now and then) and replace them all since they are pretty cheap parts.

BTW my car has a 1.9DOHC, 5SP w/roughly 170,000 miles

If anyone else has had this issue or heard of this issue please let me know. I'll let u guys know what happens.

 

From what you describe, I'd bet on a cracked Crank Position Sensor (CPS). Feel free to replace the other sensors -- good practice. Watch your torque when reassembling .....

 

thanks man, I'll go ahead and replace the other sensors also. I do drive it everyday and for the past week it's getting harder to start. while I'm cranking I have to give it gas to keep it running for a few seconds then it runs on it's own. I'm gonna replace the O2 sensor also for good measure.

this isn't my first time working on a car, I've been wrenching since I stared driving 15 years ago and my last car was a '02 Camaro SS that I did a total engine swap, build up and replace everything on the car except the tranny. I know my way around a car but this is my first time with a Saturn and a OBD 1 car.

 

sounds like you are on right track.....

ects should address pedaling at startup; CPS should address your sparkless moments (which is actually quite dangerous).

 

I changed the ects and the vss (for my cruse control problem). so far so good, at least for today. no issues what so ever.

 

good to hear -- keep us posted

 

Sounds like you are getting a handle on your problems, but I would keep some tools and the replacement crank position sensor in my glovebox just as protection

 

I didn't want to post a new thread if this was the same thing so I thought I would just ask here first.
I have a '99 Saturn that was just taken in for a "major tune up" because it was acting a little funny.
I got new new spark plug cables, and I believe he also put in new "coils" ( Not 100% sure what they are for ).

When this was all said and done, the car started lurching when I was pressing on the gas. No rhyme or reason, just doing it whenever it wanted to. It has a high chance of dying if I'm not already going at least 5- 10 mph when I try and accelerate.
Because the car wasn't giving any Error lights it seems the mechanic that I brought it back to didn't have a clue what was going on and after a week of testing and swapping parts he gave me my car back with no charge because he couldn't figure it out.

I'm not a "Car Guy" ( Give me a computer and I can fix it in minutes...) so I would be taking it back to him to check out the CPS ( Crank Position Sensor ). I just wanted to check with the think tank here and see if I was on theright track. If this sounds like a different issue, I can repost this as a new issue.

Screeming77, have you had any more issues since you replaced the CPS on your saturn?

Thank you in advance for any advice you are able to offer.

 

Verchild --

Very difficult to diagnose the technical term "acting funny" -- (LOL)

That being said, there are three possible causes for your problem, but each should throw a code into the computer which can be retrieved by places like AutoZone, etc. If at all possible, try to get your car into them and have a scan run, and post the results here. They will normally do this for free (they expect you to buy the parts from them)

Screamin77 has not checked back in, so his thread remains open for his comments .....

 

Acting funny... ok, you got me there.
She was getting a check engine light so I took her in. She was having problems starting, ( I would start to turn her over, and after about 3 times when I let the key go, she would then start up. Not what she normally does ) and once in a while she would hesitate, but only a fraction of the way she was before.

After the tune up, she started doing this lurch any time I started pressing down on the gas.

One thing though, about 2 months ago, I had taken it in for a engine light, but it was saying that it was for a Cam Shaft sensor.
My Mechanic, told me that my car doesn't have a Cam Shaft, but a Crank Shaft. So he had simply told the computer to turn off that error code. Then as of the past 2 weeks this has been happening. Thats why when I read about the sensor replacement it kind of clicked and I thought it could be related.