2002 Saturn Coupe with 1.9L 4 banger. Has anyone here ever changed the intake manifold gasket on one. It is definitely shot and is sucking air causing a serious misfire on this car's #1 cylinder. I diagnosed it with the old can of ether leak detector. It looks pretty straight forward to me, but I typically don't wrench on Saturns (doing someone a favor here) so want to make sure I don't screw the pooch as I'm tearing it down.
Saturn Intake Manifold Gasket
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Simple, straightforward. Unplug anything in the way, label hoses/wires, and undo the bolts. I don't think there are any through-passages of coolant or anything. My wife had a '95 SL2 (DOHC), buddy had an '01, same engine. One of the easiest motors to work on, unfortunately we worked on them a lot.
Be sure to get them to change their PCV valve to the Saturn-OEM one, and check the other breather hose to the air intake hose....two big points of failure on those engines.
Be sure to get them to change their PCV valve to the Saturn-OEM one, and check the other breather hose to the air intake hose....two big points of failure on those engines.
Thanks a ton Solo. Do you happen to know the torque I should be shooting for on those bolts? I already tossed the old stuck PCV for them and went back to the OEM style. Also it's a manual trans and I couldn't spot the fill plug for it.
On another fun note I believe that the oil was in there for 10k miles or so from talking with the lady that owns it. It was "Saturn" dealer maintained, but definitely put off this year. I changed the dealer fill oil out (supposedly Valvoline dino) for some XL series 5W30 paired with an EAO. I used a can of the good ole' Amsoil engine flush and a cheap Napa filter at a high idle for about 25 minutes to get the goodies out. When I pulled the drain plug the black as tar oil started to drain out good and thick then slowed down for a bit. All of a sudden a big old sludge plug came out-it was so nasty!! Before changing the filter and adding the flush I got the car up to temp and pulled an oil sample- it should be pretty fun to see the results this Friday I will definitely post the UOA here. I cleaned the upper intake with a can of Amsoil power foam and smoked up my neighborhood. No mosquitoes here for a while! Thanks again for your help.
On another fun note I believe that the oil was in there for 10k miles or so from talking with the lady that owns it. It was "Saturn" dealer maintained, but definitely put off this year. I changed the dealer fill oil out (supposedly Valvoline dino) for some XL series 5W30 paired with an EAO. I used a can of the good ole' Amsoil engine flush and a cheap Napa filter at a high idle for about 25 minutes to get the goodies out. When I pulled the drain plug the black as tar oil started to drain out good and thick then slowed down for a bit. All of a sudden a big old sludge plug came out-it was so nasty!! Before changing the filter and adding the flush I got the car up to temp and pulled an oil sample- it should be pretty fun to see the results this Friday I will definitely post the UOA here. I cleaned the upper intake with a can of Amsoil power foam and smoked up my neighborhood. No mosquitoes here for a while! Thanks again for your help.
Manual trans has a dipstick back behind the battery and intake tubing....have to search for it. Takes ATF, or RedLine D4 ATF works great as well. Be sure the dipstick gets popped back in place, destroys many a good trans from dirt/rocks getting in there! 
OH YIKES. Sounds like a fun experiment. Should help out a bit, that motor uses a timing chain with a hydraulic tensioner that needs good fresh oil in there, not to mention the standard Saturd upper ring issue (which should have been cured by 1998, but "not really").
Have fun, they are fun cars to work with. You can also use the longer ST3600 filter (or insert your Fram, etc. number) rather than the 3614 size, should fit. I think the Motorcraft FL400S is also the long part number, and cheap at Wal-Mart, definitely a good choice in the future.
OH YIKES. Sounds like a fun experiment. Should help out a bit, that motor uses a timing chain with a hydraulic tensioner that needs good fresh oil in there, not to mention the standard Saturd upper ring issue (which should have been cured by 1998, but "not really").
Have fun, they are fun cars to work with. You can also use the longer ST3600 filter (or insert your Fram, etc. number) rather than the 3614 size, should fit. I think the Motorcraft FL400S is also the long part number, and cheap at Wal-Mart, definitely a good choice in the future.
Never mentioned if SOHC or DOHC. There is a coolant passage but it's so high you don't need to drain the system much if at all and the whole thing self-burps efficiently.
Disco the battery, lots of work with open end wrenches over the starter. Good news is even in tight quarters the nuts should loosen okay.
Disco the battery, lots of work with open end wrenches over the starter. Good news is even in tight quarters the nuts should loosen okay.
Thanks guys FWIW it's the SOHC version (engine code 8). I'll be having beer on Sunday when I do this job so it will be a good day of cranking out tunes in my 3rd stall. Where is the block drain to relieve some of the coolant level in this beast? Well unless you guys have other suggestions to dropping the coolant level down. Yeah as far as the need for clean oil goes I'd say that hasn't been met for quite a while...I love seeing ***** UOA's especially when I don't actually own the equipment
. Thanks for the tip on the filters too...I'll remember it because I'll probably be helping this young lady maintain this car for a while.
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Torque on the intake bolts should be 22 ft-lbs.
Block drain is under the thermostat housing & it's just an ordinary looking bolt. But it's got sealant on it and I'd leave it alone, just drain a quart from the rad and everyone's happy.
You'll be happy it's a SOHC as you can get some nuts from the top. The power steering pump has to go, 3x 10mm headed bolts accessed thru the pulley holes. 1, 4, and 7 o'clock.
You'll be happy it's a SOHC as you can get some nuts from the top. The power steering pump has to go, 3x 10mm headed bolts accessed thru the pulley holes. 1, 4, and 7 o'clock.
Thanks eljefino...that's way better than the shop manual-which I don't own!
I'd still recommend getting AllData for the $25 a year. If you got a good printer, you can copy everything off of your subscription and in effect have yourself a shop manual.
I hate working on cars without some pertinent material with me.
I hate working on cars without some pertinent material with me.
Thanks for the suggestion I'll look into it Merkava. I didn't realize there was an all you can eat plan with AllData these days other than their high dollar management/repair software. When I'm not on the road I'm wrenching on projects and uh-oh's so it would be well worth it.
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