I have a 2002 saturn sl1. I have a check engine light on and it comes up "too lean".

While at a stand still (slow traffic or at a stop sign or stop light) the RPM''s will vary from 400/500- 800ish and if the the rpm''s go too low the car stalls (it is a manual transmission). Usually I have to give it a little gas and it doesn''t do that any more. Also sometimes (very rare though) I''ll be driving down the highway and I will lose power (with cruise control) and the car will jerk with my foot on the gas. After that on the extreme rareity the car will stall slowly on the highway to a complete stop (ill be on the shoulder by then) and it would have a really hard time restarting. Finally after... 5-10 minutes, the car would start up no problem and act like it never happened.

I changed out the oxygen sensor. And another oxygen sensor in the catalytic converter. The check engine light is still on. Any other thing I need to do. My engine has 129k miles on it. It has been doing this for the last 300 miles. I''m getting kind of tired of it.

Thanks
-Joe

 

Whats is the exact code you''re getting? Has the coolant temperature sensor even been replaced?

 

I believe it wass cade 171 or 141. Can''t remember between the two. As for the coolant temp sensor, I believe it has not been changed. Thanks.

 

Well, 171 is ''System Lean'', and 141 is O2 sensor.

I personally agree with LowSaturn on this ... replace the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor (ECTS)

 

Even the brass ECTS''s go bad. The plastic tips one crack, the brass ones just fail. ECTS replacement should be part of the periodic maintenence. Just like spark plugs, wires and filters.