Cut out some details to shorten this up some. Ended up bringing the car into a shop. Started having issue starting up and the check engine light came on. They said the cam shaft position sensor had a crack in it. -Along with everything else, they wanted over $5k for maintenance repairs on my 2007 saturn ion. Not gonna happen. - They wont install customer provided parts. But the agreed to do the cam shaft sensor so my car would start and i could get it off there lot. - They install it. I went to pick it up. Soon as i started it i noticed a new issue. The rpm's were going crazy when i started it. Going up and down. Then it started bucking a lot (which is continued to do any time the car is stopped. Feels fine while accelerating tho.) And then the check engine light came back on. (It kinda feels like a riding mower thats tarts running out of gas.) - All that and i hadnt even moved out of the parking spot at the shop yet.

I went back in and asked them about it. They took the car back and cleared the check engine light and that was it. I started the car back up and the same thing happened. Went back in and told them. And they were pretty much done with me by that point. I was a mere annoyance to them at that point. They said since it started after the cam sensor was put in, its probably the part i provided and they arnt doing anything more. Unless i pay them $200 for a new cam sensor plus install, of course. - They didnt even hook up to the car and even CHECK what the code showing up was... -_-

Yesterday i went to auto zone. They checked the code. Came up with a fuel filter issue. I honestly wasnt expecting that. (code P0171) So i bought the new fuel filter for 20something. For that cost it was worth trying to see if that was the issue.

I looked up info on how to replace it. And made an attempt today to do so. And im saddened, and a bit embarrassed, to say it was a complete failure. In the most idiotic way, i might add. I couldnt even get past the first damn bolt -_-
Apparently, the bolt on the bracket that holds the filter in place is a tad bit rusted. I couldnt get that thing to move in the slightest. I tried some basic wd and later silicon lube spray since i had em on hand already. Didnt help. So i was foiled by a damn bolt...

So im guessing if that thing ever does come off, the bolt should be replaced. Naturally, the new one comes with the filter and bracket. Not a bolt tho.
So first question, does anyone know the type, size and length of that bolt for a 2207 saturn ion? Having an extra on hand i feel may come in handy.
Second, any ideas for getting that bolt off? Keeping in mind my tools are limited and im using a jack to make room underneath. (Gonna be sad if i have to take it to a shop to get a bolt off -_- )
And third, any thoughts on the issue at the start of this? Just in case its not fuel filter causing this, ill have some more ideas of what to look at next. Tho i really hope its just the filter.



unfortunately, it looks like some of the metal the bolt is attached to is rusting some as well. Then again.. its a 2007. Its been 17some years..

 

To break rust like that your best bet is an enzymatic rust dissolver or a torch. Wd-40 is a water repellent and silicone is lubricant, but if the rust has frozen the fastener in place, you need to go after the rust. It's physically bonded so you can't get much of anything down into the threads. But PB blaster is pretty good stuff and once it begins dissolving some of the rust, your next soaking of it will get a bit further in there. Spray it soak it for 15 or 20 minutes, then try to loosen. Or if you know it is stuck just spray it every 15 or 20 minutes.

Is the head of that bolt rounded off? Always use a 6-point socket. 12 points will wear the corners off, and channel locks will do what you have there. Not accusing, just saying.

Please put a jack stand supporting this frame near where you are working. If the jack fails, you probably die based on where you are working.

I have to think about the strange journey you've been on. Plus I'm not very good with ions so someone else should probably answer.

 

I was using a 6 point socket. I actually forgot to mention a point on that. Im not sure what size that head was; be it metric or not. 9mm was to small. 10mm would start slipping around. Same held true when i tried a 5/16 and then a 3/8. Im guessing that the bolt was so rusted on that the socket gave way on the head, thus rounding it off some instead of the bolt releasing. So that will make it even more of a pita.

I actually do have some pb blaster. I forgot about that for rust. For some reason i always think of it as the same thing as the pb silicon lube.. Which makes no sense, i know. I just rarely need them that i never think about it. So when i do.. it gets mixed up in my mind. Probably not a good thing'

Most certainly am not getting a torch. Much less using one around a fuel area. I dont come near the level of knowledge to attempt doing that and not end up blowing myself up. Or setting myself on fire. And considering how many times as a kid that i set myself on fire without realizing it for a bit... no thanks lol

I can give the pb blaster a try tomorrow. Ill do several soakings with that. Heres hoping that the bolt head will still catch in the socket. That little detail may end up forcing me to a shop for that bolt.

 

Since the symptoms after the 'repair' were totally different (rpm surges, rough idle) than when you brought it in (problem starting), it's possible the new symptoms were a result of the repairs. And the Auto Zone guys didn't help you either. P0171 means the engine is running lean on bank 1 (the only bank on a 4 cylinder). While lean running can be caused by restriction in fuel delivery (hence them selling you a fuel filter), it would have to be a pretty severe restriction if the ECM couldn't correct it by adjusting the injector pulse.
What I am thinking is that in the process of changing the camshaft position sensor (which one, by the way?) they created a vacuum leak by cracking or disconnecting a vacuum hose somewhere. The fact that the car accelerates properly, and (I'm assuming) runs better at higher RPMs is a further indication of a vacuum leak. I recommend you inspect closely for any disconnected or broken vacuum lines. Also search YouTube for finding vacuum leaks using the search feature, for guidance on how to find leaks.

 

wouldnt surprise me if they messed something up. I found the timing of this a bit hard to believe it was coincidence.
I think my car only has 1 cam shaft sensor. I read some have 1 and some have two. Im honestly not sure. The diagnostic report said ' found cam sensor slight pushed out of head due to corrosion and cracked sensor mounting.' That was what brought the check engine light on before i took it in. P0314 and P0016. But it looks like those two codes are gone since the part was replaced. Now its this new issue P0171.

Ill have to look up what the vacuum hoses are and where they are before looking into finding leaks. Never had to deal with them before. - Ill have to look into that tomorrow.
And yes, it accelerates well and operates fine at driving rpms. As long as the car is moving or accelerating normally it feels fine. Only when im at a stop or near stop does it act up.

 

I'm attaching a picture of the 2.2/2,4L ecotec engine. There are not many vacuum hoses, but one that is very suspect due to it's location is the one going to the evap purge solenoid (#7 in the picture). The camshaft position sensor is in that area, just to the right of number 5 in the image. The vacuum line has a 90° fitting that latches on to the purge solenoid. But check for other vacuum lines also.
Engine sensors

 

I was looking around today. Not entirely sure what im looking for. And after seeing a vid or two on more proper ways to find vacuum leaks, im not even going to pretend to attempt those... But i took a look anyway. Maybe ill get lucky (HA!) and see something....
Well.. i found something. Im assuming its not a good thing. Im assuming it might be what you were talking about. But im not rly sure. So maybe i found what you were mentioning, maybe i found something else entirely.

#7 in the diagram pic you attached, the evap purge solenoid, the hose coming off of that, towards the front of the car.. i didnt see anything, but then i ran my hands along the lines and found that this hose had a big hole on its underside. Which would have been pretty close to the cam shaft sensor. I may not be a mechanic.. but ill go out on a limb and assume that a hole in the hose line is not a good thing.








Can see a video of it there. I dont see a spot to add it into this post. Its 1 min long.
It shows the cam sensor at the start. Then the evap purge solenoid (#7), then the hose with the hole. I had already removed the hose when checking it, so it wasnt fully reattached for the video. Just in case your wondering why it came off so easily.

Could that be the cause of my issues?
It kinda makes more sense to me if so. Would explain why at higher rpms/driving the car seems fine. The force/flow would be more likely go pass that hole then escape. But when the car stops/idles, the slower flow would be escaping through the hole; thus causing the issue to be far more apparent.

 

This is almost certainly the source of your problem. The reason it affects the engine more at idle than at speed is that the engine takes in much more air at speed, making the leak a much smaller percentage of the total air coming in. But fixing this will probably eliminate the P0171 code.

 

Sure hope i found the problem. Only thing worse then having issues is having no definitive answer on what is causing it ><
Im also now even more annoyed that the shop wouldnt look at it when they are likely the ones that caused this. A whole that size, i would have noticed this issue before hand. Its impossible not to feel it. And it was fine (in this regards) when i dropped it off. They replace cam shaft sensor. And magically there is a hole in the line right next to it. Gee.. i wonder. -_- Then they refused to look further and said it was likely just the camshaft sensor i provided. Wont look at it unless i pay them 200 for a new sensor plus labor. And that wouldnt have fixed this issue. ... damn shame. They were close to looking like a decent shop too..

Anyway... is this or this the part im looking for? (Same part in both.) they are labeled as 'vapor canister purge valve pipe' which sounds odd. But thats what came up when i searched for a vacuum hose. (2007 saturn ion 2.2L)

 

That looks like the one. And the description is accurate - it is the vacuum feed for the vapor canister purge valve. Good job!