From my experience (95SL2 w/340,000 miles on it) your gauge at 1/3 indicates the beginning of a failing thermostat. It should sit just left of center. I changed mine about a month ago, and it now runs left of center. With it running colder, your PCM will increase your fuel injectors fuel usage. Also have begun using the Water Wetter and am very happy with it.
Heavy trailer towing - what oil to use?
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340,000 miles - how much oil does it burn? Have you rebuilt it yet?
Your right about starting to drop indicating the thermostat going on the Saturns, but since somewhere around 98-00 they sit closer to 1/3 instead of just under 1/2 (My wife's 2000 SW2 also sits at 1/3 - yes we have two, both green, both fully loaded, hers is an auto, low miles, and hasn't been abused so we don't tow with it).
At the end of last summer mine started to drop just a hair from normal, just like you've seen. When it got colder it dropped to 1/4. I changed the thermostat then and the rubber seal had totally failed (letting coolant pass all the time).
Steve
[ April 25, 2003, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: SaturnSL2 ]
Your right about starting to drop indicating the thermostat going on the Saturns, but since somewhere around 98-00 they sit closer to 1/3 instead of just under 1/2 (My wife's 2000 SW2 also sits at 1/3 - yes we have two, both green, both fully loaded, hers is an auto, low miles, and hasn't been abused so we don't tow with it).
At the end of last summer mine started to drop just a hair from normal, just like you've seen. When it got colder it dropped to 1/4. I changed the thermostat then and the rubber seal had totally failed (letting coolant pass all the time).
Steve
[ April 25, 2003, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: SaturnSL2 ]
Steve
Yes, I'm using a quart (Quaker State 30w) every 500 miles. As we post, I'm putting the egine through a RX effort. In my case, I'm doing RX for 750 miles, clean oil/filter for the next 750 miles ((which will end tomorrow)) then another bottle of RX with clean oil/filter. Afterwhich, another 750 miles with clean oil/filter. At the end of that 750 miles, I'll consider a third bottle treatment. As we post, I've noticed no reduction in oil consumption (if that is what is happening). I've also noticed no evidence of it coming out of the tailpipe. ((placing a clean white tissue at the exhaust, after engine has reached normal operating temperature. If this procedure/effort doesn not affect oil consumption, I'll move up to 40 weight.
Your's sounds typical from what I've read. Everyone I've talked to, including the tech leader at our local Saturn dealer has told me the problem is seized rings due to carbon/crud build up.
They apparently seize fairly early if life (less than 60,000 miles) and as things wear the oil consumption increases (rings can't move to cope with the wear).
Unfortunately I haven't read about anyone with a real success story using any of the engine clean up routines. Some have seen some improvement after driving it hard (racetrack for a few hours).
The best I read was a guy who at 250,000 miles pulled the head and oil pan and then pulled each piston and soaked them upside down in a tub of strong solvent. He put it back together and the oil consumption was way down - it only cost him a head gasket kit and a week of work...
I wonder if a somewhat radical approach might work (what I might try):
- pull the plugs and rotate the engine so the pistons are ~1/2way up (feel with long screwdriver while rotating by hand).
- pour in lots of very strong carbon disolving solvent (almost fill the cylinders) such as carb cleaner or something through the plug openings
- re-install the plugs and let it sit a week or so
- remove plugs, suck out remaining cleaner
- pour in a small quantity of oil into each cylinder
- drain and replace oil
- turn the engine over to coat the walls with oil
- install plugs, fire it up and run for a few minutes
- drain and replace oil & filter
- hope for the best...
BTW, I haven't heard of anyone trying that, but before opting for a rebuild it's got to be worth a shot.
Please post how well the RX works (I might need a solution one day).
Steve
They apparently seize fairly early if life (less than 60,000 miles) and as things wear the oil consumption increases (rings can't move to cope with the wear).
Unfortunately I haven't read about anyone with a real success story using any of the engine clean up routines. Some have seen some improvement after driving it hard (racetrack for a few hours).
The best I read was a guy who at 250,000 miles pulled the head and oil pan and then pulled each piston and soaked them upside down in a tub of strong solvent. He put it back together and the oil consumption was way down - it only cost him a head gasket kit and a week of work...
I wonder if a somewhat radical approach might work (what I might try):
- pull the plugs and rotate the engine so the pistons are ~1/2way up (feel with long screwdriver while rotating by hand).
- pour in lots of very strong carbon disolving solvent (almost fill the cylinders) such as carb cleaner or something through the plug openings
- re-install the plugs and let it sit a week or so
- remove plugs, suck out remaining cleaner
- pour in a small quantity of oil into each cylinder
- drain and replace oil
- turn the engine over to coat the walls with oil
- install plugs, fire it up and run for a few minutes
- drain and replace oil & filter
- hope for the best...
BTW, I haven't heard of anyone trying that, but before opting for a rebuild it's got to be worth a shot.
Please post how well the RX works (I might need a solution one day).
Steve
This morning, I changed my oil & filter, thus draining old which did not contained any of RX. I've noticed no change, but then my car's history is that is get regular oil changes averaging every 2,500 miles. I'll now drive the car another 750 miles on the new oil & filter with RX. Next Sunday, I'll change out old and drive another 750 with just new oil and filter. At the end of that 750 cycle (which is exactly a week), I'll decide as to whether to do a third bottle of RX.
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