Rebuild - 1995 (SC2) - L4 1.9L MFI DOHC (LL0)

[anmasher]

OldNuc, your motor mounts post deserves a bookmark at minimum. I'm absolutely doing this car properly before that engine even goes in. The other one is going to have to wait (it's too cold out), but at least now I know how to do it right. I bet your car is silent on the inside.

SC2C95Saturn & OldNuc,
The diff pin issue will be getting fixed - I don't want to take this engine or transmission out again. I'm a good welder and know even better welders, so thoroughly welding it isn't a problem, but that seems to just prevent it from popping a nice whole through the tranny. Your guys' way of fixing it seems very good. I'll get the transmission disassembled ASAP and fix this little bugger. I'll try to post a nice how to with pictures on this "upgrade".

[OldNuc]

The top front of the dash top rattles against the windshield in winter on washboard gravel roads. I fixed the window crank handles.

[anmasher]

Originally Posted by OldNuc

The top front of the dash top rattles against the windshield in winter on washboard gravel roads.

Oh that's so terrible. I don't know how you stand it.

So nothing new really just started taking the transmission apart. Is The Right Stuff OK for remaking all the tranny gaskets? All have broken, and I cannot find them anywhere.

But the good stuff - pictures!
#1 - The only bad spot on the car. Need to grab a junkyard piece and get it repainted to match (or better yet find a green one!). Also, notice the weather stripping below the windshield... That needs bent back down.

#2 - The lower block laying out on it's table.

#3 & #4 - The crank, totally smooth (thankfully). Still have to get the old bearings back in and plastigage it all.

#5 - The only damaged connecting rod bearing (it just fell out during removal of the piston). Belongs to the #1 cylinder(?) - second one over from the timing chain side. That's very likely the sucker that attacked everything in the head.

#6 - One of the crank journal bearings - all look like this.

[OldNuc]

Paper gaskets must be replaced, not patched. The case halves are sealed with Locktite 518 or Locktite 516.

There are only 2 paper gaskets, end cover and shift selector.

Look up part number here: http://parts.nalleygmc.com/default.aspx

Order from lowest price+shipping
Saturn OEM Parts Source
GM Parts Giant- http://www.gmpartsgiant.com/
GM Parts Direct- http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/
Get Saturn Parts- http://www.trademotion.com/splash/in...?siteid=214643
GMparts4U.com- http://gmparts4u.com/
Your local dealers - http://www.partsvoice.com/

The rods must be resized and the crank thrust bearing faces examined for bearing wear and crank measured for thrust clearance. You can drop it in the block with the main caps off and get the clearance on the thrust. No point in spending money on scrap iron.

[anmasher]

Thanks on the PM, that is awesome... well, not the crank part.

Those 2 paper seals would be the ones. And I think I've found them.
(for my reference)
21001232 (outer box; fifth gear?)
21001244 (shifter)

I'm going to focus on the getting the transmission fully squared away for now. This engine is becoming problematic.
Rebuilt Head + New Crank + Re-bore + everything else = May have to raise my debt ceiling.

[anmasher]

It has been too dang cold to get anything done lately. There is a machine shop up in Indy that comes highly recommended from a mechanic friend. I'm heading up to talk to them Saturday.

I did get the transmission seals locally - same price as online, sans shipping.
90% done rebuilding the alternator - the one off this car replaced the bad one in my '96.

One question, that 5th gear swap with the .605 gear... This is a '95 SC2 with cruise control. Does that mean I can do it and keep cruise control?

[OldNuc]

Yes, cruise will continue to function just fine. Beware that tire diameter becomes a big issue with that 605 OD gear. I posted a chart of tire size vs mph/1000rpm in the 5th gear thread. The 195/60R15 tire is probably about the best choice for use with this gear. More tire diameter than tat will result in a huge RPM gap between 4th and 5th.

[anmasher]

Sweet!
Tires were also transferred to the '96, so I'll just remember to get that size when replacing them.

[cityhawk]

Originally Posted by anmasher

Now the transmission is separated. I'm debating welding or replacing the diff pin since it's out - worth the trouble or no?

Just happened to cruise through this thread tonight. For what it's worth, especially since you plan to keep the car for a long time, it might be worth your while. Since you do seem to do your research, I offer this post in Hunt4Steve's rebuild thread about my transaxle story.

[anmasher]

@cityhawk,
Yes, I'm definitely going to fix it - just waiting for some warmer weather! Thanks for the links, I'll be sure to read them.

There's a mechanic in my neighborhood who'll probably do the hot tanking for very cheap (I do computer work for him).

Finally got ahold of the machine shop today. See how this sounds to y'all:
Clean/Bore/Hone/Reclean = $120 (-$60 for cleaning)
Grinding crank = $85
Resurface flywheel = $35
Total ~ $180

The head will probably be a J&C rebuilt for $279. Not too bad.

[OldNuc]

Shop price is good.

[cityhawk]

Originally Posted by OldNuc

No, you want OEM top and transmission mounts and the 3rd design OEM dogbones with the polly inserts.

Top Engine Mount 21012185
long studs 11518885 use these if replacing a frowny mount and there are NO threads showing above the nuts.
Top mount nuts (5) 21006320
Transaxle Mount 21012951

The metal part that is bolted to the timing cover is different thickness depending on the mount and is easy to measure.
Frowny Mount 1.275" ~1 9/32"
Solid Mount 1.475" ~1 15/32"
The good mount is ~3/16 thicker than the frowny mount.

Saturn OEM Parts Source
GM Parts Giant- http://www.gmpartsgiant.com/
GM Parts Direct- http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/
Get Saturn Parts- http://www.trademotion.com/splash/in...?siteid=214643
GMparts4U.com- http://gmparts4u.com/
Your local dealers - http://www.partsvoice.com/

Transmission mount replacement
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/sho...=1#post1825741

OEM top mount, trans mount, late 97 or newer torque axis struts and the polly inserts. Engine must have an even smooth idle. That means good even compression. Clean flow balanced injectors. The 3 rubber exhaust mounts should not be stretched when the car is at rest, just supporting the exhaust. These 3 suspension pieces will be what couples the exhaust vibration into the floor pan so the stretchiness and thickness of these is how you tune them to not appear solid at some inconvenient RPM. The Walker 35119 isolator is thicker than the original OEM. They are cheap so modifying them is not a big deal. They thin nicely on a belt sander but if too thin they break and you will be buying a new exhaust.

If you have an uneven idle you will never reduce the vibration to zero. Setting the torque axis struts to zero tension/compression at rest is critical.

The torque axis struts are of 3 different designs and the 3rd design, late 97 production, have replaceable inserts. These are the stamped and welded design. There are 2 pictures in my gallery. What you are attempting to accomplish is restrain the engine free motion as much as possible without going solid. The main axis of rotation is on a line between the top mount and transaxle mount. The torque axis struts are positioned to restrain the normal torque reaction and drive axle wind up. The poly inserts allow enough motion to not act as a solid link but do not transmit vibration well either. The idea is to keep large excursions of the engine/transmission and exhaust to a minimum. Small displacement of the power train transmits to large displacement in the exhaust. The rubber hangers will deftly transmit this exhaust motion into the floor pan which simulates the head on a large kettle drum, with you inside of it. You can get a buzz in the floor that does not transmit into the upper frame or seats but the large low frequency pan displacement is pushed up to a higher frequency. the characteristics of the rubber mounts determines where this buzz occurs. The trick is to get it somewhere you do not care. By minimizing the powertrain displacement you minimize the magnitude of the exhaust displacement you have to deal with. You can slightly change the static exhaust position to take all the stress off of the flex connector and have the mass of the exhaust evenly spread over the 3 mount points. The muffler hanger basically controls axial twist on the exhaust. I used the Walker 35119 isolators and just stuck them on. Ended up with the buzz from about 50 to 57mph and this is a speed range that is only passed through so I did not pursue any further elimination. the bed liner should kill this 50-57 mph buzz all by itself. The OEM isolators are a softer rubber and thinner and would possibly isolate the floor better but as they were 10+ years old and I am adverse to dragging the exhaust down the road I decided to replace them. The harder-thicker isolator appears as a solid at given frequencies.

OldNuc, do you have a part number for the torque axis strut "dogbone" mounts? Is there a different part number for the late 1997+ version?

[OldNuc]

OEM dogbones are expensive and the aftermarket part is substandard. Get a set from a 2000-02 and pull them from the transmission side so hey are not oil soaked. If your engine has a smooth idle then the polly inserts will work well.

21012889 ~55 ea.

[cityhawk]

Are you sure that's the correct part number? the online parts sites say it's a "BOLT/SCREW-TRANS MT STRUT BRKT" and the price is between $2 and $5.

I tried doing a car-part.com search, but couldn't single out the part. Per this thread, I don't have an upper trans dogbone (and don't know how long it's been missing, since I hadn't taken off my battery box until I replaced the transaxle). My idle is pretty smooth. The car runs beautifully.

I was hoping to let my fingers do the shopping for a dogbone, given the difficulty of me getting out to a junkyard to look for one myself, but my attempts thus far have been thwarted.

[cityhawk]

Part number 21013013 -- though the price seems ridiculous (I believe it is the assembly and includes the bracket, so perhaps not the right part number). when looking at diagrams, the actual strut itself seems to be less than that (I'm seeing $54.90 on trademotion.com) but I can't get the part number from it

[cityhawk]

Part 9 (and part 5) in this diagram

[cityhawk]

Okay, sorry for the quadruple post, but I believe I found the proper part number in case anyone besides me is curious: 21013105

[OldNuc]

It is a 55 part and is probably not available. Junkyard and polly inserts.

[cityhawk]

Actually, GMParts4U has it, but, yes, it's approx $55.

[OldNuc]

They list everything but deliver less. Go to GM Parts Direct and see if it is listed as available.