In the first phase of fixing up my saturn I will be doing a rebuild on the motor. 97 sc 1.9 sohc. I would like some advice on what and what not to use. I would likr to stick to OE parts, aside from the pistons. Would it be my best bet to replace them with the pre-drilled oil drains, or drill the stock ones out myself? I plan on replacing all the seals and gaskets. But, one of my biggest questions, is it best to swap the head with a new one or have it re-done? I do not want a cracked head to turn out of this thing. Any advice is appreciated.

 

Just take the head to a reputable machine shop and have it magnafluxed. They can tell you if it's warped and needs machining or if it needs to be replaced. As far as the pistons go, I don't have a clue as to what you're talking about with pre-drilled oil drains. What is that?

 

I might be refering to it incorrectly. I heard that drilling holes in the pistons where the oil ring sits prevents them from burning oil, or nearly none, in the future.

 

I've never heard of such a thing, but I'm not an ASE mechanic. I've rebuilt several engines in my 57 years and have never drilled a piston. If they were engineered correctly to start with, they have all the holes they need.

 

That sounds like a Urban legend fix to solve oil burning Saturn's and others have from the era of use "5W20" motor oil recommendations.

Something that never would have happened in the first place if an oil that was used that more reflects the environment the thing is driven in.

Like a 10w30 or maybe even a 10W40 from day zero.

What ever that is don't worry about it, who ever suggested it had no clue what they are talking about at all.

Just put it together and use an oil that is designed to make it last. Like one from a Temperature vs Oil Viscosity chart.

If something like a proper correct oil was used in the first place, it would have never used it anyway.
Mine doesn't.

 

Well I was just doing some research and a lot of people were recommending it. I am trying to stay with oe parts for sure. Either of you find a specific spark plug, wires, and/or coil packs that helps them run smoother as well? I'm not sure if I should go with nickel, copper, or platinum plugs this time around.

 

To be perfectly honest with you, Jason. I'd stay with all the OEM stuff that I could. I always recommend and use OEM stuff on my cars and any friends cars that I help with. If they insist on aftermarket, I tell them not to call me if they start having problems. I won't help in situations like that.

 

Jaywizzy
and a lot of people are wrong! There is a children's story that represents things like this. Chicken little ran through the country side shouting the sky is falling, the sky is falling. And he gathered a group of people to address the king! Who determined an acorn had fallen out of a tree and hit him on the head.

One person looked at the logic behind things and found it flawed! The repair suggested is flawed for a number of sound and mechanical reasons.

The thing consumed oil because a 5W20 oil was designed to be used in an environment that consisted of a cold winter. And it was too light to properly oil the motor when it was above freezing and driven hard!
But the people wanted to believe that using that oil magically gave better gas mileage so the believed it and they were wrong for all the wrong reasons.
Study the use of oil! Look at the temperature vs viscosity recommendation charts like the one here and see! And ask yourself "WHY?" doesn't my Saturn use NO oil at all and I have owned it since 1996 and it is a 1994 car and the oil used in it is a 10W30 initially and a 20w50 now, both oils designed to be used in the temperature ranges of where I live.
And Ruby and I both are saying we have built many engines and think something like that is a bunch of hooey!!!!
IF something like that had any hint of function it was many years ago when engine rpm was nothing like it is today and when the Saturn was built. Roads did not exist that you could run 70 mph for hours on end on cruise control with A/C on and oil was straight weight non-detergent and cars were sold with no filters at all and if they were available they were an option and the big thing then was the advantage of the aftermarket toilet paper oil filter.
And if you think for one moment it did not exist and cause a stir? Look at this:

www.frantzoil.com/TOILETPAPER.html

and this

As to Spark Plugs the OEM recommendation works. There is a reason like everything else as to why. The ignition system was designed specifically to use non platinum plugs on this car. It is unusual but it is designed that way and using platinum plugs causes problems in creating and sampling the spark for error code generation.
I use CHAMPION NON platinum plugs with no problem BUT they are NON platinum.

I have no more recommendation than Ruby or any one else and the major members of this forum are X Saturn employees and are famous for saying "see a dealer" but and there is a but, they are knowledgeable in their field and have a right to say that.
But I have built a number of very successful back yard hot rod engines and currently run a stable of 5 cars with one under construction:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=4127058d30

Another waiting and a 6 cylinder motor to be set up for a street rod.

And I think the story is Bull
and that is my story and I am sticking too it.

 

I'm with Charlie and uncljohn on this one- I've rebuilt dozens of engines, from old air-cooled ones to modern multi-cam jobs, and a lot of 'oil consumption' issues can be resolved by using the appropriate oil viscosity. My little theory on this is that manufacturers use low viscosity oil for a couple of reasons-1) That a new, tightly machined engine runs well on say, a 5w-20, but also (2) that lighter viscosity oil gives the car slightly better gas mileage on the test cycle-something that the marketing department really likes. Its pretty common knowledge among wrenches that, as a car ages, and the engine loosens up, changing the viscosity of the engine oil to something a bit heavier(from a 5-20 to a 10-30, for example), will actually make the engine run better-slightly better compression, a bit more oil pressure for the valve gear, and less oil-burning. In fact, most 'high car mileage' oils are primarily just heavier viscosity oils. So matching your oil to your driving conditions is a great idea- much better than drilling holes in piston rings, at least IMHO.

 

Thank you guys for the input. I will definately look into all you have told me. That's why I signed up to the forum, to get advice from experience. I'm a tech soon to be training at a GM dealership. I can't get a rebuild kit for my engine, I have to order everything seperate, so now I know the route to take. Sadly not too much is available due to being discontinued, but hopefully I can get all I need for the build.