1994 SL1-1.9L $650 needs some engine work - SaturnFans.com Classifieds

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1994 SL1-1.9L $650 needs some engine work

Quantity	Views	Date Posted
1	1298	Wed May 9, 2007

Asking Price

Condition

Distance from you

$650.00

Fair

supersize	supersize

Description:

Exterior is in excellent shape, interior is in good/fair shape.

Car is not currently running. Needs timing chain and components(diagnosed). May have valve damage(undiagnosed).

I live in Irmo, South Carolina which is right beside Columbia(in the middle of the state). I’m about 3 miles from I-26, 6 miles from I-20 and about 12 miles from I-77. My zip is 29063 if you want to mapquest me.

As you can see from the pictures, the body is in excellent shape. There are a couple of small dings here and there and each one has it’s own picture. This is a beige color with the black plastic panels in the front/back that all SL1’s from this generation have.

Odometer stopped working at 105,912 miles. I believe I have added another 1,500 miles since then so my best guess at actual mileage is 107,412. I will provide/sign any odometer disclosures required by my state at the point of sale.

The Good-

Sunroof works like a champ

Power mirror works.

Power door locks work great

Air was blowing ice cold the last time the car was running

Power windows work (except for back seat/right window)

Alternator replaced in 2005

There are two pairs of tires:

Futura p175-70R14 are on the front and are in excellent condition. I believe they have less than 1500 miles on them.

Dunlop SP40 A/S on the rear. These tires are even newer and still have those little rubber spikey things that new tires have

The Bad- Here are some things that you may want to fix. (this list is everything I can think of and can find that is wrong with this vehicle..it is written in complete honesty)

The front passenger door handle keeps coming off. It’s missing one of those little plastic rivets that sit flush underneath it. I bet you could use a small screw with a low profile head to do the job. $0

Trunk doesn’t shut well and you have to readjust the latch sometimes. I’ll bet you could search the forum and get a fix for that.

When I was pulling the spark plug wires to feel for compression, I stripped a terminal(as in, it was still stuck to the spark plug). Spark plugs and wires should not be more than $20.

Driver side window leaks. This is a common Saturn problem for this generation and there is a how-to article on this. Not sure how much a bottle of liquid nail costs. $5 maybe.

The headliner is starting to fall. This was never an issue when it was on the road so I guess sitting in the driveway going from hot to cold caused this. I’ve seen a how-to article on headliner repair in the forum.

Far left A/C vent is missing it’s louvers.

The old school factory stereo’s tape player sometimes doesn’t work.

When last it was driven, I noticed the brakes needed replacing. Not dangerous or anything but I just noticed the pedal goes down further than it used to.

Driver’s seat has lost a lot of support. It slides and reclines OK but is not very firm and there is some fabric tear on the left side..

Transmission occasionally suffered from ‘reverse slam disease’. I did not notice this problem the last few months it was driven.

I just asked my wife if she could think of anything else(as she was the primary driver). She reminded me that the cruise control is intermittent. Sometimes it wouldn’t work around town, but then worked fine during a 300 mile trip.

The Ugly- Engine issues

Oil changes were not done promptly and over time the timing chain got louder. Eventually the timing chain got really loud and the car began running at around 40% of it’s power. I think timing has slipped and there may be valve damage. I removed the timing chain cover and did confirm a loose chain, a fragmented tensioner, and a damaged crank gear. In addition I damaged the cam sprocket when trying to remove the crank bolt.

If you are considering fixing this yourself, I priced a timing kit(around $150 from my local parts store) and they told me it comes with a chain, tensioner, guides, cam sprocket, and crank gear. That would be all that’s needed to repair the timing chain issues. Note that you should still diagnose any other potential damage that occurred. Please also note that it is the forum consensus at saturnfans.com that you do not use non-OEM replacements kits if you want to have sustained life from the engine.

I have consolidated, bagged, and labeled everything thing related to this job and it will be included in the sale. I’ll throw in my Haynes Repair Manual.

Please bring cash, I’ll sign it over, and help you load it on whatever towing/hauling vehicle you bring.

I am currently not considering parting this vehicle out.

Click below to see a few more pics: