Me and my saturns

[lanxer57]

Also, I do not know why, but everyone at night seems to insist on keeping their high-beams on. This is dangerous, because when going looking forward, the direction I am normally going, I can not see ANYTHING other than their overpowered high beams. I actually might start to drift off the road , or into oncoming traffic. It is also annoying when the shine in my mirrors, making them useless. This is the only problem I have at night that is not also present during the day. Please tell any "enlightened" drivers that you know to please STOP DRIVING WITH OVERPOWERED HIGH BEAMS ON.

[lanxer57]

On friday, the belt was squealing, and the idler pulley started chattering on the way home, prompting me to pull in to a nearby high school parking lot, and fell off entirely a few seconds later. I considered trying to limp home, but dad just happened to be driving nearby, so I loaded my tools in his car. I pulled the idler pulley off of the 2001 engine in the garage, and put it in my tool box. I strapped the tool box on my bicycle the next day, rode 5 miles to the high school parking lot (where it had somehow not yet been towed away), pulled the splash guard out, fished the pulley out, and was releived to see that it had separated from the bearing, rather than damaging the front cover, unbolted the bearing, which was still attached (not easy, as my hands are bigger than the space between the frame rail), put the new one on the peg, and struggled for 10 minutes trying to get the bolt in the hole, spent another 10 minutes looking for the 13MM wrench, found it on the fender, tightened the bolt, folded the rear seats, stuffed the bicycle in the trunk, along with the toolbox, and drove home.

[lanxer57]

I have traveled 334 miles since last filling up with gasoline, and have used 10.393 gallons 32.1370152988 mpg, all while driving the way I normally do: very slowly.

[ultravioletnk]

Originally Posted by lanxer57

STOP DRIVING WITH OVERPOWERED HIGH BEAMS ON.

while some people do drive with their high beams on constantly, the reality is a bit more depressing... the nhtsa doesn't seem to care about low-riding cars when they specify headlight designs. most projector-beam headlights focus the light at an angle which, coming from a tall suv or truck and viewed from a low compact car, is blinding. however, according to the nhtsa's tests, it's "totally fine" because from an equally high-riding vehicle there is no blinding effect. i've thought cars had their high beams on countless times before realising, no, that's just how the low beam projectors are focused.

[ultravioletnk]

Originally Posted by lanxer57

put the new one on the peg, and struggled for 10 minutes trying to get the bolt in the hole, spent another 10 minutes looking for the 13MM wrench, found it on the fender, tightened the bolt, folded the rear seats, stuffed the bicycle in the trunk, along with the toolbox, and drove home.

i'm guessing that somewhere in there you put the serpentine belt back on!

congrats on a successful field repair, it is always very satisfying getting your car back up and running in an inopportune location with minimal resources.

[lanxer57]

My sister showed up at my aunts house complaining about driving 10 miles with the coolant light on, temperature gauge buried, and heater not working. There was no puddle, the reservoir was empty, The fan ran with the vehicle off until I pulled the relay. I got some universal coolant, poured it in with the engine off, and it started gushing like a refrigerator tap almost immediately. I filled it, and drove it home 1 mile under 2000 RPM. I do not trust the temperature gauge with no coolant in it.

[lanxer57]

Yesterday, I replaced the radiator with one from a junkyard. It is no longer leaking coolant, and is running and driving... about the same as before it was driven without coolant. (not very well, takes multiple attempts to start, reverse slam, EGR insufficient flow, makes grinding sounds like a dentist drill at about 2000 RPM onwards)
Although there was a small crack beginning to develop in the side tank, It was leaking from the seam where the tank is joined to the radiator. I do not know why this joint would fail so suddenly, and dramatically.

[SLfun]

Wow it's quite the on going saga with this car!
Was any damage done by driving it with no coolant, or is the hard starting and 'grinding sound' after 2000 rpm from before it overheated?

[lanxer57]

All of the problems that I am aware of were there before it was driven without coolant. The "grinding" sound (I suspect the flex-plate is grinding the dust-cover), and reverse slam started after I replaced the automatic transmission (still an improvement over what it was doing before). It has always taken multiple attempts to start since I got it, I believe I tried replacing the starter at some point...

[lanxer57]

I changed the oil on my 1999 SC1, and there were about 2.3 quarts remaining about 2200 miles after the last oil change in may (synthetic 10w30). I had read the dipstick as being in the middle of the hashed section (about 3 quarts?). This is because the closest to level it is ever parked when I am around is in a parking lot that while not as steep as out driveway, is still not level. Based on the fact that I was getting these measurements with the vehicle facing slightly downhill, it must read low when facing uphill. The only level spot that I ever park in for any length of time is the garage, which is usually occupied by my parents vehicles. I also checked the input/output shaft nuts on the automatic transmission, they were not loose. Although I did order the gasket for the side cover, it is not supposed to arrive for 9 days, and dad wanted the car out of the garage today, so I had to use RTD silicone sealant instead. (Hopefully it does not leak TOO badly) I also changed out the valve body again, I hope it works better, but would not bet on it. (Not that I ever make bets anyway) While I was doing that, I found a rock inside the transmission. No idea how it got there, but I removed it. I also sprayed the EGR holes again, and blasted them with compressed air. the one that leads to the intake has plenty of airflow, but I do not know how to feel inside the exhaust. I also discovered a small oil leak that was not there before, and appears to be coming from the head gasket, and runs down the front of the engine. This might have something to do with it overheating recently. Dad told me not to fix it, because a family of 4 that has only 4 cars, with everyone driving everywhere all the time means that Every vehicle must be operational at all times, and there is little opprotunity to actually work on them, this being the main reason that I would like to get more cars, despite knowing that insurance premiums make that impossible. It is now sitting in the driveway with a drip pan under it to catch any transmission fluid that leaks out overnight.

[lanxer57]

The silicone was leaking. It seems to have all been pushed out of the seam, collecting around the edges. I finally got the gasket for the transmission, put it in, if it is leaking, it is not fast enough to cause major problems. I dud hear a speed-dependant "thumping" sound when going straight, or turning slightly left. Still, it drives okay.

[lanxer57]

The silicone was leaking. It seems to have all been pushed out of the seam, collecting around the edges. I finally got the gasket for the transmission, put it in, if it is leaking, it is not fast enough to cause major problems. I dud hear a speed-dependant "thumping" sound when going straight, or turning slightly left. Still, it drives okay.

[Ccrussell]

I think immediately you should find the source of that grinding sound! Was it there before transmission swap? Does it show itself only while driving and not at curbside? Metal to metal never works out and will not go away. Could the inspection cover or torque converter possibly have the wrong length bolts installed? Or possibly not tightened completely?I have been following your posts. I applaud you for your tenacious nature.

[lanxer57]

The grinding sound I was hearing seems to have been the result of low transmission fluid level, it seemed to be in the marked area, but either it was never level when checked, or more likely the markings on the dipstick are not accurate.
Also, while it does struggle a little bit to get started in the snow, once it is moving, the saturn seems to handle relatively well, all I noticed when not braking was consistant, predictable under steer. The jeep WJ grand cherokee gets started easier, but tends to over steer, and spin-out seemingly at random. This leads me to believe that the low, fwd saturn is in fact less likely to cause an accident in the snow than the 4wd jeep, in spite of what everyone tells me.

[lanxer57]

Between the head gasket leaking, and burning of oil, it has gone through 1.2 quarts of synthetic 5W30 in about 40 days, and 800 miles. I heard a very loud grinding noise as my sister pulled it into the garage, but have not had a chance to drive it recently. My sister was apparently turning up the radio to drown it out. In 228 miles, my sister has used 10.222 gallons, 22.3048327138 MPG
Also, 173000 miles

[lanxer57]

I suspect the noise it is making to be the torque converter, or otherwise transmission related. It mostly seems to manifest when accelerating, decelerating, or increasing throttle to go uphill. All things that I would expect to put stress on the torque converter. It also makes this noise when stopped in any gear, including reverse, park, and neutral. It is a "grinding" noise, and sounds like an electric cutting tool. Drill? circular saw? It is also not low on transmission fluid.

Also, I got in an another accident. I tried to take a right turn, and lost traction. The road did not look, or feel slippery prior to this. The saturn survived with only minor cosmetic damage, even drove home. The toyota rav 4 that I hit suffered a shattered fog light, and a leaking radiator. 0 degrees farenhieght.