What are /r/Saturn_Cars' favorite Products & Services?

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Having rebuilt a few S series engines, you’re going to have to remove it from the car. The transmission has to be separated from the block to remove the crankshaft and rear main seal assembly bolts.

Save up $2-300 to get an engine hoist and engine stand from China Freight. I typically avoid the machine shops on low HP engines like the S series. Assuming the cylinder walls are in good shape during disassembly, you can just use a ball hone to deglaze and prep the block for new rings - https://www.amazon.com/83mm-Flex-Hone-Cylinder-Silicon-Carbide/dp/B002T09I2U/

This is a big undertaking for someone with little experience. If you don’t have anyone to help you with more experience, it may be better to just get a used engine from a local junkyard and swap it in yourself (you’ll still need the hoist and engine stand).

This is a known issue with the plastic intake manifold. GM made the 3rd gen S series cheaper to save on costs. This is the part you need - https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-902-100-Intake-Manifold-Outlet/dp/B00IWNUMAA

It eliminates the plastic coolant housing on the intake manifold and uses a metal pipe instead.

Happened to me last year. I ordered this part on Amazon and it works great. Better than some of the other designs that use the metal ring. Although I don’t recommend it as a long term solution, you could reinforce the connection of the cable to the shifter with some zip ties for now, until the part arrives. My bushing completely disintegrated, and I drove for a while with only the zip ties holding the cable on. Again, I don’t recommend doing that any longer than necessary. Hope this helps!

I used the 3M Ultra Headlight Restoration Kit. It's not quite perfect but it's much better than it was; can't tell if what's left is inside the housing or not. If it's not inside, I think I could probably do better if I had fully charged my drill lol.

I didn't think to get a before shot. But I figured positive results for this might be relevant for a subreddit filled with mostly older cars with plastic headlights.

Also, I used a ~900 RPM drill, which worked fine despite the recommendation of I think 1200-1500. I'm sure that'd be easier/faster though.

I bought a cheap stereo off of Amazon and wired up everything properly and triple checked all the connections and the stereo is just not getting any power.

I thought okay the stereo is a dud so I returned it and got the replacement today. Nope, same deal.

I bought the right wiring harness for my Saturn (and they shipped the right one) and the colors on the harness matched up to the stereo's wires.

What I am noticing is there's no red wire coming from my cars original wiring? That and I don't think most of the colors line up, but I wasn't sure that if that mattered.

I don't think it's a fuse issue because I reinstalled the original stereo after the first aftermarket one didn't work and the OG stereo worked fine. (Also my window started working again as a bonus lol)

I really don't want to buy a multimeter and do a bunch of testing or re-wiring. If this isn't easy fixed I may just take it to a pro.

This is the cheap stereo I bought: (obv not an affiliate link)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QYDV3X7

1) Remove hood (2 10mm bolts on each side). Mark/etch where the hinge was located for easy alignment later.

2) Remove remaining clear coat. You can do it by hand if you don't have power tools.

3) Use Clear 2k. This is not your regular clear coat sold in the store. It'll cure extremely hard and make the hood look brand new. https://www.amazon.com/Spray-Refinishing-Permanent-Surfaces-3680061/dp/B0043B7UQY

4) Wait a few hours and put the hood back on. Clear 2k cures fast and is not reusable so toss the can after you're done.

Tips: Paint the hood on your lawn if it's not windy/humid. Otherwise lay down plastic sheeting and spray in a covered outdoor area.

List of parts on Rock auto

Amazon part I found

That’s a daytime running light resistor. Your car runs power through these to dim the high beams so it can use them as daytime running lights when your headlights are switched off. This should be the replacement for it .

preface: realize your car is old AF. don't put much money into it -- but definitely use it to learn how to maintain vehicles.

1: test the fan and its relays. step one is to get the car warm and check the fan connection for 12v. if you dont want to learn to use a meter, make jumper wires and figure out how to use it you could buy some dummy test relays like this

2: yup. a/c is a HUGE load. switch it off at idle/during acceleration.

3: check your fuses and inspect the fuse block for damage. its under the radio on the pass side. if someone overloaded (tire inflator, inverter) the cig lighter plug it can cause damage.

4: check for vacuum leaks. I never had any brake issues with the sseries.

5: get some lucas power steering leak stop fluid. its thick AF and helps quiten things down.

6: that could be many things but could also be your valves getting oil starved. make sure your oil level is up. s-series are known to EAT oil due to a design flaw, both of mine did.

7: junkyard. be sure to get the right socket before you go.

I've had a 94sw2 and 00sl1, both in manual. I can't imagine what a borefest the auto wagon and a/c is.

future repair advice:

prepare to do the water pump -- when it starts dripping it could last six days or six months, I experienced both. it helps to have a bunch of extensions and a wobble.

doing the starter SUCKS. it's in such an asinine location. I'm sure a youtuber shows an easier way but I just leeroy jenkins'd it as it was far from my first starter.

the wiring is tragically undersized. upgrade the alternator to battery positive wire and battery ground to engine/body. at minimum you get a bit brighter headlights.

the stereo is rediciously easy to upgrade, once you get over the fact you should run a power wire from the battery and a new ground. you could also feed the cig lighter with this wire to prevent the fuse block problem.

Not familiar with Ions, but every disc brake system I've seen has a couple of guide pins. If the grease in these pins is old, it can get gummy and stick. This will cause your pads to stay on the rotor when the brakes are used instead of springing back a bit and this may be causing your brakes to be hotter than normal. I'd pull the pins and clean them (or get new ones, as they are generally cheap). Also clean out their holes, and use new brake grease (special high temp grease). I use a synthetic grease, Sil-Glyde

https://www.amazon.com/AGS-BK4-Brake-Lubricant-4Oz/dp/B000CIHTPE/ref=pd_sbs_2/131-3013592-1992414?pd_rd_w=h1kfQ&pf_rd_p=0a3ad226-8a77-4898-9a99-63ffeb1aef90&pf_rd_r=EVW08W07HM09QS59PABV&pd_rd_r=09540248-4e4a-4c87-9cf6-c816564a4ddb&...

If the pads are fairly new then no, they should not squeal. Did you apply anti-squeal compound when you changed them? This is what I use
https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05016-Single-Brake-Quiet/dp/B000CINV88

If they are old the noise could be the pads telling you they need to be changed, you will also feel a slight vibration in the peddle when this happens.

The remote/gob thingie (remote keyless entry / RKE), you can most likely buy on eBay. Or buy one new on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/2005-Saturn-Keyless-Entry-Remote/dp/B00OM9ULI6

You can use the FCC ID number to find other sources. As mentioned, GM dealership (and maybe some indie shops or locksmiths) can do the programming. A Tech II or similar is required.

Before you buy one, call around and see how much different places will charge. Last time I called, one place quoted $35 and another $50. Also ask if the charge is different if they are doing 2 RKE fobs - you may want to buy and get 2 programmed at the same time if it is the same price as 1 or close to it.

Also, check your couch cushions and under your car seats, lol.

> I've already cleaned the head with proper solvents

Back in the cassette days, I learned you could use medicinal alcohol and a q-tip for head cleaning.

You also had to periodically de-magnetize the head. Some of the head-cleaning tapes claimed to do that.

There was also a demagnetizer tool - you plug in in a house outlet, hold the tool near the head, and slowly draw it away.

also, clean any other moving parts and use a needle to add a tiny drop of light oil if lubrication is needed.

> What a small world, I'm having the same issue myself. 2001 Sc2 with 188,000 miles and its been sitting at the mechanics for weeks because they don't know what to do with it, and I don't know what to do about it.

checking to make sure you saw u/Macgyver452 's reply:

> This is a known issue with the plastic intake manifold. GM made the 3rd gen S series cheaper to save on costs. This is the part you need - https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-902-100-Intake-Manifold-Outlet/dp/B00IWNUMAA

There are dozens of threads on this repair in the Saturnfans forum, and at least two very good How To videos. Just do a search for: Dorman-902-100 video (you can show to your mechanic)

It's about $55 on Amazon. It's $60 at Advance Auto Parts, but you can usually find a 20% or more off coupon at https://www.retailmenot.com/view/shop.advanceautoparts.com - order online and either have shipped free (over $35) or choose pickup in store (for most items).

I like the lyric. We have crossbars and want to mount a steel rack/basket mounted on the crossbars. Here's a hyperlink of a roof rack that we would mount.

As others have stated, you can replace the headliner by taking it out and replacing the fabric. It's not that hard to do, I've done it before and I think I was done in under 2 hours or maybe a little longer. Really make sure that you clean the board of all the foam and glue because if any remains it will just sag again in a week or two.

Or, of you really don't want to take it out there is a another solution. Get some of these twist pins for furniture slip covers and stick them in your roof to keep the fabric up. It might damage the board a little and it wont stop the fabric from sagging in other places, but it'll keep the roof up.

I didnt do one before but there is potential for a special tool. An Induction tool. Its a good tool to have but if youre on the fence, it may be worth it to just pay them to do it. You may not need it, but its whats used around the gas tank to loosen rusty bolts when a torch cant be used. And, since theyre gona be in there, maybe see what else they should fix wih the tank off.

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But, are you sure its the tank and not the cap ? Try replacing the gas cap first, with a new one. My Saturn hasnt had this issue but my Chrysler has. A lot of folks get Evap codes and its just an old gas cap.

I got some when I went to the store today, along with oil change supplies. Ordered some NGKs from RockAuto. Got some of this stuff too, since it’s gotten great reviews and I could stand to regain some MPG.