service engine soon light, idle a bit rough

[tdm850rider]

Got a problem someone may have had experience with.
Two tanks of gas ago I filled up with a different brand, added fuel injector cleaner to the tank... SES light came on, but I expected that as the engine would be running a little rough while the FI cleaner ran thru... 160 miles after fill up the SES went off. Now about 100 or so miles later I filled up again and as it was a nice day ran it thru a carwash... SES light came on again for 62 miles.
OK... there were possible reasons for both of these, the fuel change/FI cleaner and the carwash (electrical may have gotten damp). But a few days ago the SES came on yet again and the engine still does not feeel as smooth as it had been.
'02 SL1 (bought used in Nov with 30k) miles are 33/34k now. The SES wouldn't be coming on to prompt me to get the regular 35k service would it?
Hints appreciated.

Tom (Pgh, PA)

[sunshn1972]

If the SES ligth is coming on then there are some codes stored. Get them read and let us know what they are. We can't say much without them.

[Razorbak]

Diagnostic trouble codes can be read for free at a lot of auto parts stores (e.g., AutoZone).

[tdm850rider]

Originally Posted by Razorbak

Diagnostic trouble codes can be read for free at a lot of auto parts stores (e.g., AutoZone).

Now THAT's good to know. I'll do that monday, should be in here by tuesday.

[tdm850rider]

Trouble code:

P0301
Cylinder 1
Misfire Detected

Well, that explains the intermittent 'roughness'.
I suppose a tune-up would sort everything out. I already have an appointment for wednesday afternoon. New plugs, wires, and fuel filter.

Thanks for the info about the free code-reading, I always like to hear 'free', it's my favorite 4-letter word.

[Thor4SL2]

Originally Posted by tdm850rider

I suppose a tune-up would sort everything out. I already have an appointment for wednesday afternoon. New plugs, wires, and fuel filter.

Thanks for the info about the free code-reading, I always like to hear 'free', it's my favorite 4-letter word.

Free is your favorite word and you are paying someone to do that work. I'll bet the labor bill will be close to $100.00 Changing the plugs and wires on an SL is about a 15 min. job. The only “special” tools you need are a spark plug socket and a wire type gap gauge (0.040 size). If you are a profectionist add a torque wrench (20 ft-lbs.) to tighten the plugs.

OK, the fuel filter is a bit of a pain in the arse, but is still in the realm of the driveway mechanic.

[arfalberg]

I agree most of the tune up stuff is very simple, a simple $20 tool kit from Wal-Mart should have most all the tools you need to do the jobs in your driveway, add a sparkplug gapper and you are in buisness.

[dansl2]

That fuel filter for your car will run you approx $60+ through saturnparts.net as it contains the fuel regulator also. Pretty easy to do & will save you probably another $75+ in labor. And you probably don't need to change it yet anyway.

[sunshn1972]

I definitely wouldn't say that the fuel filter/regulator is easy to change. I did it on my 98 SL2. In my experience and from what I've read, it's very common for the two bolts holding the retaining clip to the vehicle to break when trying to get them out. They're small aluminum bolts, and get badly rusted in place because the filter/regulator only gets changed every 100,000 miles. I ended up tapping larger holes and using grade 8 bolts so I should have better luck next time. Mine filter/regulator cost $80.53 at saturnparts.com. There is at least one thread with pictures in the how-to section on how to change this if you want to do it yourself.

If you're only at 34,000 miles, I'd seriously question replacig the filter/regulator since it's scheduled to be replaced at 100,000 miles. For me, it's too expensive to replace at 34,000 without being sure it's bad.

[JS593]

Originally Posted by dansl2

That fuel filter for your car will run you approx $60+ through saturnparts.net as it contains the fuel regulator also. Pretty easy to do & will save you probably another $75+ in labor. And you probably don't need to change it yet anyway.

24.99 from Canadian tire. and thats CDN value.

[BarnOwl]

Originally Posted by JS593

24.99 from Canadian tire. and thats CDN value.

Not on a 2002. I'm not sure whether it's 1999 or 2000, but somewhere in there the fuel filter and fuel pressure regulator became part of the same assembly and it's significantly more expensive.

[brenspin]

Originally Posted by BarnOwl

Not on a 2002. I'm not sure whether it's 1999 or 2000, but somewhere in there the fuel filter and fuel pressure regulator became part of the same assembly and it's significantly more expensive.

My 1998 also requires this newer more expensive filter. I think 1998 was the first year.

The part is $80 on that saturnparts website.

[tdm850rider]

Originally Posted by Thor4SL2

Free is your favorite word and you are paying someone to do that work. I'll bet the labor bill will be close to $100.00 Changing the plugs and wires on an SL is about a 15 min. job. The only “special” tools you need are a spark plug socket and a wire type gap gauge (0.040 size). If you are a profectionist add a torque wrench (20 ft-lbs.) to tighten the plugs.

OK, the fuel filter is a bit of a pain in the arse, but is still in the realm of the driveway mechanic.

I thought that would get some response!
I would put new plugs in first and see if the misfire went away, second step would be new wires...
didn't know the filter was good for 100k so forget that.
Now if the misfire is still there after new plugs and wires, what could be the most likely culprit?
Injector nozzle feeding cylinder 1?

I would be doing it myself if I wasn't outside in a 15 degree windchill.
Maybe I can borrow the use of someone's garage?
(I HATE the cold.)

[techguy]

Hey,I noticed that you said that there was code p0301 cylinder miss fire on #1 the sohc engines around that year have a problem with the intake gaskets leaking for #1 cylinder at the head. that is most likly your problem you need anew intake gasket.

[dansl2]

Originally Posted by tdm850rider

.
Now if the misfire is still there after new plugs and wires, what could be the most likely culprit?
Injector nozzle feeding cylinder 1?

I would be doing it myself if I wasn't outside in a 15 degree windchill.
Maybe I can borrow the use of someone's garage?
(I HATE the cold.)

Before you go after the injectors, try cleaning the coil towers with a fine grade sandpaper. You might want to do the job right & remove the packs & DIS, give those a good cleaning to ensure good contacts . There is an excellent "how to" by Wolfman (with pictures) in the...you guessed it..."how to library".

[tdm850rider]

If the problem was across a model year or more... Would there be a service bulletin? (Not sure if that's the right word). Any 'recall', 'saturn will fix their mistake', 'we will fix it free/reduced' type of thing?

[tdm850rider]

Originally Posted by dansl2

Before you go after the injectors, try cleaning the coil towers with a fine grade sandpaper. You might want to do the job right & remove the packs & DIS, give those a good cleaning to ensure good contacts . There is an excellent "how to" by Wolfman (with pictures) in the...you guessed it..."how to library".

It would have to be excellent as I have no idea what coil towers, packs, and DIS's even are.

[techguy]

That year does not normaly have a problem with coils or wires but go a head and check them. I really believe that your problem is your intake manifold gasket, leaking on #1 cylinder you can use some carb cleaner to spray around the manifold while the engine is running to see if your rpm changes at all which would indicate a vac. leak . But be careful not use to much around a hot engine.

[alleninpa]

Originally Posted by tdm850rider

I thought that would get some response!
I would put new plugs in first and see if the misfire went away, second step would be new wires...
didn't know the filter was good for 100k so forget that.
Now if the misfire is still there after new plugs and wires, what could be the most likely culprit?
Injector nozzle feeding cylinder 1?

I would be doing it myself if I wasn't outside in a 15 degree windchill.
Maybe I can borrow the use of someone's garage?
(I HATE the cold.)

It's gonna be 48 degrees in pittsburg on sat.
But you can use my garage if you want (bout 300 mile drive, however)

[mscougargirl]

I just had an intake gasket replacement. Car ran like absolute garbage before the replacement. Rough idle, SES light on, just horrible. Now it runs like a champ. By the way when you're doing the tune up be sure to get a new air filter installed. Nothing is worse for fuel consumption and performance than a car that can't breathe!