Hello saturn folks!

my question and first post here is are the 1.9 DOHC plastic valve covers interchangeable between years? For example would a 02 cover work on a 98? I have searched the net and couldn’t find a definitive answer. My apologies if this is something that was posted already. I could not find it.

thanks!

 

The following is based on different gaskets being required.

Gen 1 91 to 95 are grouped together (aluminum cam cover)
Gen 2 96 to 98 are grouped together ( plastic cam cover)
Gen 3 99 to 02 are grouped together (plastic cam cover, redesigned internals)

So, you likely cannot use a Gen 2 cover on a Gen 3 head, nor the other way around.

Again, based on the assumption that a different gasket implies the covers are not exactly the same.

Real world?
Never tried it.
The shape of the surfaces would need to line up....

 

Awesome thanks for that information. So if I am reading it correctly an 02 valve cover would not fit on an 98? There is one at my local junkyard. I would hate to pull it and not fit.

thanks

 

As stated by derf, it won't fit. Don't waste your time. Find a 96, 97 or 98 and you should be good to go.

 

Awesome thanks! I would love to find an aluminum one but they are hard to find and expensive

 

The earlier aluminum ones in theory should fit up to 98 as the heads are compatible from 95 to 98 although 95 head is a one-off but in minor ways.
99 and up they redesigned the head so that's a no-go.

I know this is a bit at odds with what is stated above. Only a bit. Remember above I was going by differences in gaskets. A difference in gasket does not preclude use on different vehicles. You'd have to try it to find out, or find a way to resurrect Saturn fans to get the 20 years of information out of the drain because I know it's on there. Was on there. I could say that for almost every question asked but we all know it's a given. Enough of that

 

As I understand it, the aluminum valve cover will fit any of the heads. The difference is that one cover has less bolts than the other, but the remaining bolts line up. And you use the gasket for the aluminum cover.

Find a low-end junk yard with core motors, and grab the cover off that.

 

DD,

Your comment is correct in that the aluminum covers have more screws / bolts holding them down which leads to better sealing. Which is why people swap from the plastic to the aluminum.

However, 99 to 02 heads do not swap with the earlier heads, so I highly doubt the aluminum or the second gen plastic could be put on a 99 to '02 head. The internals are redesigned so in my mind all bets are off on that one. I did address the likelihood that the aluminum might fit on the second gen s cars up to 98. And indeed you would use the gasket that fits the aluminum if you actually want it to seal.

Like I said, I've never tried. My 95 already has one and my '97 is owned by Rube's neighbor when last I checked.

 

I can't verify that now, derf. His wife kicked him out because he wasn't paying bills like he told her. He was buying pain meds off the street because he got hooked on them after a hip replacement surgery several years ago. Brian is long gone and so is the Saturn. I'm sorry I sold it to him now. He's probably traded it for dope by now.

 

Hey, it's like the pocket watches I collect.
They travel from person to person.
Where have they been? Where are they going?
Each one has its own experiences, a unique path through its life.

I hope he got a good deal on the trade.
Actually if he was doped up he probably didn't sign over the title and it still legally belongs to him. (Ha ha)
He'll find out when the state police find it abandoned.