95 Saturn mysterious shut-downs

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Semi Head

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I just bought this car used. The owner said this event occurs (described below) & i have found the event to be true.

Problem event:
Sometimes just traveling down the road, the car starts to sputter & then suddenly quits running. However, i can quickly restart the engine & all seems to be well. This same thing may happen 1, 2, or 3 times a day, or only once a week (or once every 2 weeks). It's a 95 Saturn SOHC 1.9 Engine, 5 speed Manual with air.

Opinions needed:
What do you think the problem is?

S_H
 
(Semi Head) typed until their fingers bled, and came
up with:
I just bought this car used. The owner said this event occurs (described below) & i have found the event to be true.

Problem event:
Sometimes just traveling down the road, the car starts to sputter & then suddenly quits running.

Opinions needed:
What do you think the problem is?
Click to expand...

It could be several things. the 1st thing I'd check is all the battery & ground connections. The next thing I'd check would be to see if there are any trouble codes. in '95, you can do it with a paperclip. the 1st 2 tech atricles here will help you do that:

http://www.differentracing.com/tech_articles/index.html

good luck, and let us know if you need more help.
 
Kevin M. Keller said:
(Semi Head) typed until their fingers bled, and came
up with:

It could be several things. the 1st thing I'd check is all the battery & ground connections. The next thing I'd check would be to see if there are any trouble codes. in '95, you can do it with a paperclip. the 1st 2 tech atricles here will help you do that:

http://www.differentracing.com/tech_articles/index.html

good luck, and let us know if you need more help.
Click to expand...

I have a similar problem on my 95 SW2. The dealer tells me that it is the EGR valve malfunctioning. I can turn everything off and get a good restart -- usually happens within 5 -10 minutes of initial startup for the day. (cold engine)
 
Originally (Semi Head) wrote:

I just bought this car used. The owner said this event occurs (described below) & i have found the event to be true.
Problem event:
Sometimes just traveling down the road, the car starts to sputter & then suddenly quits running.
Opinions needed:
What do you think the problem is?

1st response:

Kevin M. Keller"
wrote:

It could be several things. the 1st thing I'd check is all the battery & ground connections. The next thing I'd check would be to see if there are any trouble codes. in '95, you can do it with a paperclip. the 1st 2 tech articles here will help you do that:

http://www.differentracing.com/tech_articles/index.html

good luck, and let us know if you need more help.

2nd response:

I have a similar problem on my 95 SW2. The dealer tells me that it is the EGR valve malfunctioning. I can turn everything off and get a good restart -- usually happens within 5 -10 minutes of initial startup for the day. (cold engine)

Thank you all for those ideas & suggestions, Hopefully some others might offer their thoughts too.

What kind of scanner tool do i need to buy?
Cheap, i hope! LOL

Could it be a failing fuel pump?
or a failing primary coil?

How would you go about diagnosing (method) this problem

S_H
 
(Semi Head) typed until their fingers bled, and came up with:

What kind of scanner tool do i need to buy?
Cheap, i hope! LOL
Click to expand...

on a '95, you can use a paperclip. the links I posted before should show you how to do it.
 
Originally (Semi Head) wrote:

I just bought this car used. The owner said this event occurs (described below) & i have found the event to be true.
Problem event:
Sometimes just traveling down the road, the car starts to sputter & then suddenly quits running.
Opinions needed:
What do you think the problem is?

1st response:

Kevin M. Keller"
wrote:

It could be several things. the 1st thing I'd check is all the battery & ground connections. The next thing I'd check would be to see if there are any trouble codes. in '95, you can do it with a paperclip. the 1st 2 tech articles here will help you do that:

http://www.differentracing.com/tech_articles/index.html

good luck, and let us know if you need more help.

2nd response:

I have a similar problem on my 95 SW2. The dealer tells me that it is the EGR valve malfunctioning. I can turn everything off and get a good restart -- usually happens within 5 -10 minutes of initial startup for the day. (cold engine)

Thank you all for those ideas & suggestions, Hopefully some others might offer their thoughts too.

What kind of scanner tool do i need to buy?
Cheap, i hope! LOL

Could it be a failing fuel pump?
or a failing primary coil?

How would you go about diagnosing (method) this problem

S_H
Click to expand...

If you havent tripped codes you wont find much use for a scanner. If you are setting codes you can try AutoZone if you have one in your region, they read codes at no charge but like to upsell parts you dont need. Fuel pump is likely. A fuel pressure guage cost about 30 dollars and is a good tool to have.
 
In my case, my 98 SL SOHC manual was doing a similar thing when the crankshaft position sensor went out. It would start fine cold, but as soon as it got to normal running temp, it would die. It only happened intermittently at first, but eventually did it every time I would run it, within about ten minutes of starting.

I never got the service engine light. I guess it was because when it died, the computer shut off before it could be set. Not sure, but it is the only thing I can figure.

If you have a Chilton's or Hayne's and a multimeter, you can pull it out check the resistance on the sensor. But remember to heat it up and check it, too, because I have read of them only failing after heating.

Good luck.
 
In my case, my 98 SL SOHC manual was doing
a similar thing when the crankshaft position sensor went out. It would start fine cold, but as soon as it got to normal running temp, it would die. It only happened intermittently at first, but eventually did it every time I would run it, within about ten minutes of starting. I never got the service engine light. I guess it was because when it died, the computer shut off before it could be set. Not sure, but it is the only thing I can figure. If you have a Chilton's or Hayne's and a multimeter, you can pull it out check the resistance on the sensor. But remember to heat it up and check it, too, because I have read of them only failing after heating.
Good luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response!
That's interesting.

BTW - Now my "service engine light" stays on when the car sputters & kills. Now it keeps dying when the car starts this sporadic failure. So now maybe i can get a code. Heck i don't think i can get to AutoZone for a free check-up (analyzed)!

What kind of scanner do i need (CHEAP)?

Any more comments suggestion will be welcomed.
Email is OK too.

S_H
 
Semi Head said:
<snip>
Thanks for the response!
That's interesting.

BTW - Now my "service engine light" stays on when the car sputters & kills. Now it keeps dying when the car starts this sporadic failure. So now maybe i can get a code. Heck i don't think i can get to AutoZone for a free check-up (analyzed)!

What kind of scanner do i need (CHEAP)?

Any more comments suggestion will be welcomed.
Email is OK too.

S_H
Click to expand...

If you have a notebook/laptop, you might look at something link www.scantool.net to check your OBD II (VPW model for Saturn). You can order the same product from Digimoto off of eBay for a few dollars less. I did and it cost about the same as bringing the car to the nearest shop would (they want $70 to read codes up the street). There are quite a few different software apps currently available for free download, and a couple you can pay for, to read from it.

Here is an article abou the crankshaft sensor failing when hot http://www.aa1car.com/library/saturn04.htm .
 
If you have a notebook/laptop, you might look at something link www.scantool.net to check your OBD II (VPW model for Saturn). You can order the same product from Digimoto off of eBay for a few dollars less. I did and it cost about the same as bringing the car to the nearest shop would (they want $70 to read codes up the street). There are quite a few different software apps currently available for free download, and a couple you can pay for, to read from it.

Here is an article abou the crankshaft sensor failing when hot http://www.aa1car.com/library/saturn04.htm .
Click to expand...

Some other options:

http://www.ghg.net/dharrison/obdscan.html
simular to what you posted but it graphs. (not a very good website)

This is what i use
http://www.auterraweb.com/
 
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