Do newer SOHC heads have the same problem with cracking as the 1994-1999 SOHC heads?

[BRIAN41920]

I have a 2001 SC1 with the 1.9 SOHC engine. I am 90% sure I have a head gasket going. My only question is: Do the heads on my year vehicle have the same problem with cracking as the 1994-1999 heads on the SOHC engines? I was just wondering....

-Brian

[adventureoflink]

dude, you didn't need to make two identical threads on the same subject (even though you re-worded the thread titles)...

[BRIAN41920]

Thank you for the answer...... i will never post a thread to fix a mistake in my title ever again oh god of the saturns..........my deepest apologies

[sidney004]

Its a good question, I am curious to know the answer as well.
2000 SL with 114,000

[alordofchaos]

I don't think there is any known or confirmed pattern to the SOHC head cracking.

Best theory I've seen so far is OldNuc's that some people running 50/50 coolant develop hot spots and boil over in the head. That would explain the seemingly random occurrences - some people would run 50/50, others run a higher antifreeze concentration.

[ezzieyguywuf]

As a former machinist (I guess apprentice ;--)) I can tell you from my, but more importantly my co-worker's (who have been working on cylinder heads much longer than I have) experience that there is indeed a pattern with SOHC saturn heads cracking. I couldn't tell you about the new one's (sorry), but I can say that the first thing they asked me when I told them my gf bought me a Saturn for christmas was "Is it DOHC or SOHC". In the 3 years that I worked at the shop, I personally found about 3 cracked SOHC, but 0 cracked DOHC.

[alordofchaos]

Originally Posted by ezzieyguywuf

there is indeed a pattern with SOHC saturn heads cracking.

I meant a pattern so far as years/miles.

It doesn't seem to be restricted to a particular year or generation, which might point to a defect in manufacture or material. We do know that SOHCs experience head cracking is enough to take notice, but that it's very rare for the DOHCs

If you or your coworker saw a particular pattern in the SOHC (particular years, at a certain age like the radiators, or at a certain mile range), that would add to the S-series body of knowledge.

[ezzieyguywuf]

Yea I'll go by the shop and see what they know. We don't get a lot of newer model one's in, but that could just be because they don't have enough miles on them yet for people to overheat them :-)

I should stress that these things tend to crack when they overheat, not on their own, so if you take care of your car and keep an eye on your gauges you should be able to prevent this failure.

I don't know how many generations this cylinder head design has gone through, but whatever was out in the '90s is what we say a lot of (just off the top of my head). They don't tend to make any changes to things like the cylinder head design on a year-to-year basis so any comparison would have to be made between generation, IMO.

[fetchitfido]

Last I knew there was a casting defect in the SOHC heads that was never fixed. Then, just to add to the fun, in 2000 or 2001 the robots got drunk and put the intake manifold gaskets on folded over on themselves near the #1 cylinder.