96 SL1 burning oil... Suggestions?

I just bought this car about 3 months ago, and so I know nothing about it
yet.
This is my first Saturn and only my 2nd GM vehicle, and I didn't have good
things to say about the first one...

When I take off in the mornings, as well as if I nail the gas to get up a
hill, the car belches out alot of blue smoke.

Can anyone lead me in the right direction?

Also, the idle seems to be set pretty low. How do I turn it up?



Thanks!

On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 09:41:24 -0500, "SMoo" > wrote:

>I just bought this car about 3 months ago, and so I know nothing about it
>yet.
>This is my first Saturn and only my 2nd GM vehicle, and I didn't have good
>things to say about the first one...
>
>When I take off in the mornings, as well as if I nail the gas to get up a
>hill, the car belches out alot of blue smoke.
>
>Can anyone lead me in the right direction?
>
>Also, the idle seems to be set pretty low. How do I turn it up?
>
>
>
>Thanks!
>

Year and model and mileage and maintenance schedule used?

How as the car cared for before? Did someone use the 'extended'
maintance period oil changes?

Also, check your oil frequently.

imho,

tom @ www.CarFleaMarket.com

Monitor usage by checking the dipstick, and do it frequently. If it is low,
add oil. People report that excessive oil usage is commonly caused by a
gunked-up PCV valve. They're less than $3 so it would be a good idea to
change it to rule that out.

Idle is controlled by the PCM and should be around 800 RPM (if I recall
correctly) when the engine is warmed up. If it is not, you may have a
malfunctioning idle air control valve. Refer to a Haynes or Chilton manual
available for $10 at any auto parts store to know where this is on your
engine.

Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]
---
Visit my Saturn Car Audio and Performance Page at http://www.evilplastic.com


"SMoo" > wrote in message
...
>I just bought this car about 3 months ago, and so I know nothing about it
>yet.
> This is my first Saturn and only my 2nd GM vehicle, and I didn't have good
> things to say about the first one...
>
> When I take off in the mornings, as well as if I nail the gas to get up a
> hill, the car belches out alot of blue smoke.
>
> Can anyone lead me in the right direction?
>
> Also, the idle seems to be set pretty low. How do I turn it up?
>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>

The year and model are in the title, but it's got a little under 141,000
miles.

I've only had this car for 3 weeks, and I didn't get a maintenance record
with the car.
But, I got the oil changed as soon as I got it, as well as put a new
radiator and thermostat in it.

Tonight I'll check the PCV and see if the IAC needs to be cleaned.


"Tom The Great" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 09:41:24 -0500, "SMoo" > wrote:
>
>>I just bought this car about 3 months ago, and so I know nothing about it
>>yet.
>>This is my first Saturn and only my 2nd GM vehicle, and I didn't have good
>>things to say about the first one...
>>
>>When I take off in the mornings, as well as if I nail the gas to get up a
>>hill, the car belches out alot of blue smoke.
>>
>>Can anyone lead me in the right direction?
>>
>>Also, the idle seems to be set pretty low. How do I turn it up?
>>
>>
>>
>>Thanks!
>>
>
> Year and model and mileage and maintenance schedule used?
>
> How as the car cared for before? Did someone use the 'extended'
> maintance period oil changes?
>
> Also, check your oil frequently.
>
> imho,
>
> tom @ www.CarFleaMarket.com
>
>
>

On Wed, 19 Jul 2006 07:50:40 -0500, "SMoo" > wrote:

>The year and model are in the title, but it's got a little under 141,000
>miles.
>
>I've only had this car for 3 weeks, and I didn't get a maintenance record
>with the car.
>But, I got the oil changed as soon as I got it, as well as put a new
>radiator and thermostat in it.
>
>Tonight I'll check the PCV and see if the IAC needs to be cleaned.

Yeah, remember the year and model was in the the subject line after I
replied.

I had a 1996 SL2, oil change every 3k miles, sometimes sooner. It ran
like a champ, before it was smashed at about 128+k miles. It did eat
oil, about a quart per 3k miles. This is typical for saturns I've
been told.

Monitor the engine's oil, and other than rebuilding it, the highly
suspect oil/piston rings cannot be replaced.

Remember to use an oil with proper weight, per saturn's instructions.
Like right now I have 10w30 in my 97SL2, rather than the 5w30. Meaning
it might be eating less oil on me now.

Good luck, and if you want real advice, you might have to take the car
to someone that can actually look it over physically.

tom

>
>
>"Tom The Great" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 09:41:24 -0500, "SMoo" > wrote:
>>
>>>I just bought this car about 3 months ago, and so I know nothing about it
>>>yet.
>>>This is my first Saturn and only my 2nd GM vehicle, and I didn't have good
>>>things to say about the first one...
>>>
>>>When I take off in the mornings, as well as if I nail the gas to get up a
>>>hill, the car belches out alot of blue smoke.
>>>
>>>Can anyone lead me in the right direction?
>>>
>>>Also, the idle seems to be set pretty low. How do I turn it up?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Thanks!
>>>
>>
>> Year and model and mileage and maintenance schedule used?
>>
>> How as the car cared for before? Did someone use the 'extended'
>> maintance period oil changes?
>>
>> Also, check your oil frequently.
>>
>> imho,
>>
>> tom @ www.CarFleaMarket.com
>>
>>
>>
>

"SMoo" > wrote in message
...
>I just bought this car about 3 months ago, and so I know nothing about it
>yet.
> This is my first Saturn and only my 2nd GM vehicle, and I didn't have good
> things to say about the first one...
>
> When I take off in the mornings, as well as if I nail the gas to get up a
> hill, the car belches out alot of blue smoke.
>
> Can anyone lead me in the right direction?

My '95 SL2 (bought it new) started burning oil last year (at about 100,000
miles). The local shop, which I trust, decided the leak was in the engine,
and it needed a ring-and-valve job. That was a big deal, very labor
intensive (it's one notch below an engine rebuild), and it wasn't clear it
was worth sinking the money into an old car. But I did it because I figured
the car was overall in good shape, so my best bet was to stick with it. This
would be your worst-case scenario, because it's obviously not a thing you
want to find in a car you just bought. Hopefully your oil consumption is
caused by some other factor.

>
> My '95 SL2 (bought it new) started burning oil last year (at about 100,000
> miles). The local shop, which I trust, decided the leak was in the engine,
> and it needed a ring-and-valve job. That was a big deal, very labor
> intensive (it's one notch below an engine rebuild), and it wasn't clear it
> was worth sinking the money into an old car. But I did it because I figured
> the car was overall in good shape, so my best bet was to stick with it. This
> would be your worst-case scenario, because it's obviously not a thing you
> want to find in a car you just bought. Hopefully your oil consumption is
> caused by some other factor.
>
>
When you say your car started burning oil after 100k miles, am
wondering how much oil it was burning? Also am wondering if you
could ball park what you had to pay for your ring/valve job? Did
they replace the jugs too? Am assuming you didn't do the clutch
at that time cause you probably have an automatic right? I'm
over 120k and am at that decision point myself. Ouch.

In article >, cbrooks11
@rochester.rr.com says...
> >
> > My '95 SL2 (bought it new) started burning oil last year (at about 100,000
> > miles). The local shop, which I trust, decided the leak was in the engine,
> > and it needed a ring-and-valve job. That was a big deal, very labor
> > intensive (it's one notch below an engine rebuild), and it wasn't clear it
> > was worth sinking the money into an old car. But I did it because I figured
> > the car was overall in good shape, so my best bet was to stick with it. This
> > would be your worst-case scenario, because it's obviously not a thing you
> > want to find in a car you just bought. Hopefully your oil consumption is
> > caused by some other factor.
> >
> >
> When you say your car started burning oil after 100k miles, am
> wondering how much oil it was burning? Also am wondering if you
> could ball park what you had to pay for your ring/valve job? Did
> they replace the jugs too? Am assuming you didn't do the clutch
> at that time cause you probably have an automatic right? I'm
> over 120k and am at that decision point myself. Ouch.
>

Jugs? are for air cooled engines.
Start off with the less complex first and read the following.
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38790

> When I take off in the mornings, as well as if I nail the gas to get up a
> hill, the car belches out alot of blue smoke.

Blue smoke on hard acceleration would be rings. Hard deceleration is
valves. PCV valve can vary do to location.

"CBrooks" > wrote in message
...
> When you say your car started burning oil after 100k miles, am wondering
> how much oil it was burning? Also am wondering if you could ball park what
> you had to pay for your ring/valve job? Did they replace the jugs too? Am
> assuming you didn't do the clutch at that time cause you probably have an
> automatic right? I'm over 120k and am at that decision point myself. Ouch.

It was burning about a quart every 1,000 miles. The car is a manual
transmission; didn't do the transmission and I don't know what jugs are but
I don't recall the term coming up. The total bill came to about $2000. They
told me I could get the engine rebuilt for another thousand, which I might
have done if I'd had higher mileage, but I guessed that it shouldn't be
necessary. Then again, I'm not sure why the ring/valve job became necessary.
By the book, I assume the car isn't worth much more than that, but it serves
me well. If I lose it, I'll probably want a new car, so in my mind it's
worth the price of a new car.

Jugs is an old slang term for pistons. Just wondered if they
replaced those as well. Did they replace the clutch also while
the engine was out? After this engine was repaired, is your oil
levels holding as you had expected from this ring job?


Talkin Horse wrote:
> "CBrooks" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>When you say your car started burning oil after 100k miles, am wondering
>>how much oil it was burning? Also am wondering if you could ball park what
>>you had to pay for your ring/valve job? Did they replace the jugs too? Am
>>assuming you didn't do the clutch at that time cause you probably have an
>>automatic right? I'm over 120k and am at that decision point myself. Ouch.
>
>
> It was burning about a quart every 1,000 miles. The car is a manual
> transmission; didn't do the transmission and I don't know what jugs are but
> I don't recall the term coming up. The total bill came to about $2000. They
> told me I could get the engine rebuilt for another thousand, which I might
> have done if I'd had higher mileage, but I guessed that it shouldn't be
> necessary. Then again, I'm not sure why the ring/valve job became necessary.
> By the book, I assume the car isn't worth much more than that, but it serves
> me well. If I lose it, I'll probably want a new car, so in my mind it's
> worth the price of a new car.
>
>