02 sl1
My daughter's sl1 was acting like it ran out of gas. I towed it home and later went out and it started, ram for about 5-10 seconds, then died. This was a couple months ago and we made other arrangements for her to drive a different car but I need to get back to fixing this. The battery has also died but before it did, I got a camshaft position sensor code. That is gone now as the battery was dead for awhile.
Other work done on car... new battery, new plugs and wires, removed coil packs and cleaned up corrosion. Replaced torque converter as it was not locking up after replacing lockup solenoid (last year).
I checked for power at the fuel pump and there was nothing. I checked the fuse and then I swapped the fuel pump relay with the blower relay as they are the same with no change and the blower works so it's not the relay.
Then after some time, it apparently reset, started, ran for a bit and died again. I did this several times. After waiting and it resetting, I checked the power to the relay and the path from the relay. All good. Then restarted the car, where it died shortly thereafter. Then at that time there was no power to the relay but still power at the fuse. I'm thinking the ecm is cutting power to the relay panel but why? Fuel pressure at the rail was good. I think it was 55psi but that was awhile ago.

 

Remove the front and back panels from the instrument panel junction box which pull away from the center console from the back edge. Back edge hold on by Velcro, front edge has three plastic hinge like projections so don't pull from there or you will break it.

I don't remember exactly which in it is in the third generation cars that distributes power from the underhood junction block to the fuel pump, it is F2, F4, F5 or F7I believe. Basically look for a scorched or pin socket with multiple wires attached.

Also, plug a phone charger into cig lighter outlet on the dash and hook up your phone. The lighter outlet receives its power from the same pin as the fuel pump. If your phone charges only when the fuel pump has power, it is likely a bad connection at the aforementioned pin. It overheats when you use the port for charging the newer cell phones and melts the pin. The lighter circuit was designed for short term high current. Today's phone chargers constantly draw enough current to overheat the pin. Tapping into the lighter feed for aftermarket stuff has the same effect.

If you don't want p0341s use the stock plugs.

All of the above assumes the car runs smoothly for the 5 to 10 seconds it runs.

If this were a passlock issue inhibiting fuel, it would be at the injectors not the fuel pump. And the security light would be on, and the car would possibly run for 1 to 2 seconds.

 

Ok. So I finally got back to working in it. Tough to get motivated after working 12 hrs a day plus driving 2-1/2 hrs.
I unplugged the charger that she had in the cigarette lighter to start with. Turned it on and she started and ran fine for 7-8 seconds before dying. Tried restarting it but no luck. I hooked up the fuel pressure guage again and plugged a test light into the back of the connector to the power (gray) wire. Turned the key on, it lit up for 3 seconds, and then cut out. Fuel pressure Guage went to 60 psi and then started slowly dropping after the power wet out. I hit the release on the Guage and drained it into a bottle several times to make sure that air wasn't an issue. Several times with the same result.
Ithen had my wife waybill the test light while I turned it over for about 30 seconds. Guage held at 60 the whole time and the light stayed on until a few seconds after I let the key go.
I now don't think it's the fuel pump anymore. Glad I didn't replace it. (Hate throwing parts at cars).
Rechecked for codes. 2 of them both P0341. One pending and one stored.
HELP!

 

What's the theft light doing?

 

Theft light?

 

Security light. A third generation s cars got them along with the rest of the Saturn line made after 98.... Meaning when the new models came out like the l car and the ion etc. There should be a security light or a security telltale on the dash that should not light and stay solid when cranking or when cranking and you let the key back to run. If security is tripped, the car shuts off fuel to the injectors and spark. If there is residual gas in the system, the car might run for one or two seconds but that's it. The only exception to this is that when past lock is completely eft, the security light will pop on while the car is running and shut everything down because it constantly checks while you're driving to see if the car is being stolen. That does not sound like your case.

The same shut off behavior described above occurs when the CKP goes open circuit. If you have a bad connection at the sensor or the sensor itself has developed a discontinuity in its coil, it may work for a couple seconds until the two spots where the break is vibrate away from each other causing an open circuit. Same with the connector and or wiring and or loose connection between sensor and pigtail. You'll have to get the car up in the air, well the front anyway, and see what's going on with the CKP if anything.

​​​​​​Note that CKP failure pretty much never throws a code so you won't get any help there. P0341 is camshaft position sensor which physically does not exist on this vehicle. But it's telling you something in the ignition system is unhappy. As I stated above, start by using stock plugs and stock wires if you have some fancy crap in there. The resistance may be too high.

When coils fail, they tend not to feel like this plus you should be getting misfire codes or a blinking SES light which you are not.. I don't remember the fuel pressure being that high but this is an SL1 so I'll have to look it up. I don't think it should start to bleed off that quickly, but then again, I've never had an SL1.

 

So the car has been sitting for a day.
The security light comes on with the rest when initially turning the key. Went off as I cranked it.
Turned over for about 15 seconds. No start. Tried for another 15 seconds. Still nothing.
I have Autolite Irridium plugs in it. What is the stock plug? I'm assuming you mean crankshaft position sensor when you say CKP. Is there any continuity or resistance test that can be done? It looks like the wires go right to the pcm. If I knew which pins on the connector and I'm assuming a resistance value, I could text it at the connector which would check the CKP and wiring to the pcm. Thoughts?

 

Resistance tests are near useless. A pass can many times be a fail. The only time to trust them is when it's a complete fail. Use a scope or just throw one on it.

 

FPR is integral to fuel filter..........Whitey a 2001 SW@ had stumbling issues, after finding it cost $185 I tapped on it w/a plastic mallet and stumble went away! Rock Auto aint got none!

 

Bingo.......gotta have a load to check fuel pumps. Old school headlamps work pretty good.