Help Please, Saturn Won't Start
 

Hello, Im not to the forum and well i need some help. I have a 98 Saturn that wont start. Ive had this car for the past 3 or 4 years and the transmission is the only thats been out, until recently its gone out again, but on to the problem. I was driving home one day when the car sputtered and turned off, it did not turn back on like it had before so i had it towed to my apt. Now ive been trying to figure out whats wrong with it, ive changed the fuel filter and ive checked all my fuels relays. I got fuel pressure, and i checked spark and while doing so even changed the spark plugs. So the last thing i was going to check was compression but i figure even the car has crappy compression it would start, backfiring and all but it would start. I took off the throttle body and cleaned it up real good. I think the only thing i see which looks bad is the coolant temperature sensor on the left side of the engine(from inside the car). Im gonna change that but i dont think that would keep it from turning on. Also i put a new battery in it since my old one was no good,it seems to want to start but cannot do so. Any Suggestions?

can be a number of things. an obdII reader may help. could be a crank position sensor, bad fuel regulator... the list is shorter of what may not be wrong. i suggest taking it to a pro.

Crank position sensor, if bad, will inhibit all spark -- you indicated spark present. Is it present on all plugs? It is possible that CPS is sending a distorted or intermittent signal, and is on its way out....Sputtering death is consistent with a CPS failure, but....you indicated spark is present.....

You indicated you had fuel, presumably by checking the schraeder valve under the hood.

I'd reconfirm spark at all plugs, double check firing order, then check coil packs for proper resistance across each and via the arc test (remove all plug wires -- crank engine --- should see arc between coil tower posts on each coil.)

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I've never read a post where a bad ECTS actually stalled a Saturn, but I have read many a post where a bad ECTS will make it VERY difficult to start, since the failure usually leads to the PCM thinking the coolant temp is -40 and therefore it richens the air fuel mix too much.

I'd replace ECTS and connector with brass style replacement if you never have -- original design was flawed and all eventually fail. Corrosion on connector is a killer so replace it too.

good call on the cps mistake.. my bad. go with derf n let us know what you ended up with

Ok sorry it took me so long to get back to you but since i have been borrowing my fathers truck, i had to put my car on hold cause his truck has problems to. I checked all the spark plugs, checked for sparks, checked the schraeder valve again, and did the arc test. I got spark across coil packs so i dont know what else. I even changed ects, anymore ideas? I didn't check or change the cps, should i try that next?

Well, CPS would be the next step in the chain, but we still need to see what OBD codes are set in the computer ....