98 Saturn SL2 Problems

Use an aerosol can of a good throttle body cleaner (as opposed to carburetor
cleaner) as this is what it is intended for and based on my first hand
experience does a much better job!

Bob


"RKHenry" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> > When I was researching my problem I also ran across a note about a
buildup
> of deposits in the throttle body causing some of those problems. Carbon
> deposits build up a little ridge behind the throttle valve and the
> disruption of airflow allegedly makes it act funny at low throttle
openings.
> You take off the air intake and clean it with carburetor cleaner.

This is a long shot, and not to question your husband's ability to
change the spark plugs, but:

- Was the gap set properly with the proper tool?
- What about the resistance of the plug wires?

Previous threads or a Haynes/Chilton manual will tell you what the gap
and wire resistance should be. Many people have mentioned that they
have found one of the wires in a new set to be bad. Granted, this
doesn't explain the racing, but it could explain the engine misfiring.

Like others have said, unless you have strong evidence that there is
another problem, I would work with the plugs and wires since those
appear to have precipitated these issues until you're sure you've
eliminated those two things as the culprits. Did you purchase some kind
of special plugs or wires? Did the mechanic(s) you took the car to
check the plugs and wires?

-rj
98SL2

Shanyeah wrote:

> I have a 98 Saturn SL2. I have taken this car to three mechanics, and
> am dumbfounded as to why no one can fix / tell me what is going on.
> Now I am being told it is the transmission. My husband changed the
> spark plugs and wires. When he did the that car started to do
> something wierd. Whenever you would turn it on, it would rev up REAL
> high, 4000 RPM or so, then slowly go back down to a normal idle 800 -
> 1100 RPM. While driving, you can feel the transmission jump a little
> when you hit the gas. (It is worse with the Air Conditioner on) When
> you come to a stop, the car dies if the air conditioner is on, hands
> down, if you do not have it on (The Air Conditioner) then the car will
> choke, and die, if you do not gun it. I have had various mechanics
> change things, but I am at the end of my rope with this. Also, I would
> like to know if it is normal for saturns when they have more than
> 100,000 miles on them to burn alot of oil. I had two of the three
> mechanics tell me "Saturns Burn OIL" I am going through atleast 1
> quart a week, but closer to 1 and 1/2 quarts and it is burning it and
> not leaking it.