'92 Saturn SL2 issues (speedometer, buzzer, radio wiring)

[KloroFormd]

Hello all. First post, figured I'd just throw all my questions in one post instead of creating several new threads.

I have several seemingly unrelated problems with the mentioned Saturn I'm buying for cheap. The engine has been replaced with one from a '93 about 10 years ago. Car has over 200,000 miles.


1. Speedometer pegs and stays pegged as soon as the key is turned. My guess is a bad ground, but I'm not sure if there's other possibilities or not.

2. The buzzer constantly dings when the key isn't turned to on. Doesn't stop when key is removed. I've removed the fuse as a temporary fix because it was draining the battery, but I wonder if this caused my next problem...

3. Constant hot wire for the radio isn't hot. Radio fuse is good, and ignition wire works as expected. Is this wire actually powered by the buzzer fuse? I'll throw a fuse in and answer this one myself if nobody knows this one already.


Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[madpogue]

Originally Posted by KloroFormd

I have several seemingly unrelated problems with the mentioned Saturn I'm buying for cheap. The engine has been replaced with one from a '93 about 10 years ago. Car has over 200,000 miles.

Which PCM is it using? The '92 and '93 crankshafts had different reluctors for the crank position sensor; without the right PCM, or a swap-back of the cranshafts, it will not run right (if at all).

1. Speedometer pegs and stays pegged as soon as the key is turned. My guess is a bad ground, but I'm not sure if there's other possibilities or not.

Does the odometer work as expected?

2. The buzzer constantly dings when the key isn't turned to on. Doesn't stop when key is removed. I've removed the fuse as a temporary fix because it was draining the battery, but I wonder if this caused my next problem...

Does the dome light go on and off with the driver's door as it should? When you remove the key, does the cylinder pop out so it's flush with the surround, or does it stay recessed?

3. Constant hot wire for the radio isn't hot. Radio fuse is good, and ignition wire works as expected. Is this wire actually powered by the buzzer fuse? I'll throw a fuse in and answer this one myself if nobody knows this one already.

Indeed, CHIME fuse provides always-on memory power to the radio.

[KloroFormd]

Originally Posted by madpogue

Which PCM is it using? The '92 and '93 crankshafts had different reluctors for the crank position sensor; without the right PCM, or a swap-back of the cranshafts, it will not run right (if at all).

The car runs beautifully minus an occasional slight loss of power and check engine light when cruising at about 2000 RPMs (more throttle or braking will make it go off after about 5-10 seconds). I don't know anything about the details of the engine swap.

Originally Posted by madpogue

Does the odometer work as expected?

No. I checked today and it hasn't moved at all. Wonder how long that's been going on.

Originally Posted by madpogue

Does the dome light go on and off with the driver's door as it should? When you remove the key, does the cylinder pop out so it's flush with the surround, or does it stay recessed?

Judging by the non-existent dome light, I'm gonna say no on that. I'll go check the key cylinder now.

EDIT: Yes, the cylinder does come out seemingly as far as it should.

[KloroFormd]

Originally Posted by madpogue

Does the dome light go on and off with the driver's door as it should?

Test light shows no change. Not sure how the dome lights are wired, but whether the door is open or closed one of the 3 wires are always hot. It's a wire on the side of the connector, if that helps anything.

Guess this means I need one of them plunger switch gizmos for the door?

[KloroFormd]

Test light on the door switch connector also shows no power. Is this normal?

15 minute edit limits are just too short btw. :/

[madpogue]

The door switch is a switch to ground. Switches, generally, you test with continuity.

Replace the dome light bulb, or just check the voltage at the light bulb base contacts itself, rather than the switch.

[KloroFormd]

Originally Posted by madpogue

The door switch is a switch to ground. Switches, generally, you test with continuity.

Replace the dome light bulb, or just check the voltage at the light bulb base contacts itself, rather than the switch.

There's no dome light fixture in the car. D:

The interior of this car is in extremely poor condition and several things have been removed or are left halfway attached, like the automatic seatbelt motors (hanging by the cable...), and the interior panels needed to get to them. The driver side door panel is being held on with drywall screws.

Yeah...

[madpogue]

Speedo/odo problem may be in the cluster, or it may be an issue with VSS or wiring. Automatic or manual tranny? If an automatic, does it shift at the points you expect, and go all the way up to fourth gear, and the torque converter locks up? If a manual, try this test: In the driveway, engine running, floor the throttle. The engine should "hit the wall" at aprx. 4000 RPM; that's the "standstill" rev limiter. Then take it down the road, push in the clutch, and floor it, while it's coasting. It should then be allowed to rev up to aprx. 6500 RPM (if it goes up to 5000 or so, you don't have to go any further). That's the "rolling" rev limiter. If both those work as expected, I'd say that the VSS and wiring are okay, and the problem is in the instruments. If either you can rev past 4000 at a standstill, or you _can't_ rev past 4000 while moving, then the VSS and/or wiring is suspect.

[KloroFormd]

It's an automatic. Seems to be shifting fine, and I know it can go over 4000 RPMs while moving. I'll sit still and try after work today.

[madpogue]

Originally Posted by KloroFormd

It's an automatic. Seems to be shifting fine, and I know it can go over 4000 RPMs while moving. I'll sit still and try after work today.

Don't bother with the 4K test; if it's shifting when expected, the VSS and wiring to the PCM are _probably_ fine. Given this vehicle's, er, provenance, I'd say removing and inspecting the instrument cluster is in order.

You can restore your radio memory by reinstalling the CHIME fuse, and then removing the CHIME module; it's a deck-of-cards sized thing on the other side of the interior fuse box (remove the kick panel by the go-pedal), usu. orange or green or white. But then you'll lose the rear window defogger. Does the defogger work, BTW?

[KloroFormd]

Originally Posted by madpogue

Don't bother with the 4K test; if it's shifting when expected, the VSS and wiring to the PCM are _probably_ fine. Given this vehicle's, er, provenance, I'd say removing and inspecting the instrument cluster is in order.

You can restore your radio memory by reinstalling the CHIME fuse, and then removing the CHIME module; it's a deck-of-cards sized thing on the other side of the interior fuse box (remove the kick panel by the go-pedal), usu. orange or green or white. But then you'll lose the rear window defogger. Does the defogger work, BTW?

I tried the 4k test before leaving work and getting this message. Hit the limiter at 4k as expected. Then I clicked the little performance switch next to the shifter and got on it a bit on the way home, and it hit 5k easily.

I haven't driven the car in cold weather yet so I'm not sure if the defogger works at the moment. I'm in Texas so I don't think I'll miss it any.

Thank you for all your help. This is the first car I've ever had to do anything outside of basic maintenance to so I don't know much. Guess it's time to learn something about removing an instrument cluster.

[TannerH]

[QUOTE=KloroFormd;1495909]The car runs beautifully minus an occasional slight loss of power and check engine light when cruising at about 2000 RPMs (more throttle or braking will make it go off after about 5-10 seconds). I don't know anything about the details of the engine swap.

Why does this happen? I have the same problem.