Heh, not really, of course... But I did just successfully replace an intake manifold gasket on our Saturn...
I've done the basic maintenance work (changing oil, changing plugs, changing brakes, etc) on cars plenty of times, but I've never gotten into any real engine work...
However, our Saturn has been running like crap for a while now (really rough idling, RPMs shooting up when in park, etc), so something needed to be done...
So, I found a really great forum for Saturn owners ( http://www.saturnfans.com ), and did some searching... Turns out, the exact set of symptoms I have been seeing (including the error codes the guys at Advanced Auto pulled from the car's computer) point to a problem with the intake gasket...
Apparently, there is a common issue with our model and year (2001 SL1) with this gasket being crimped near the cylinder 1 port, causing that cylinder to suck in too much air and misfire...
So, I ordered a replacement, and undertook the long and arduous task of swapping out the old gasket this weekend (and once I had the old one out, it looked exactly as they said it would, the cylinder 1 end was all folded up, caked with soot, and melted/crumbling)
It's not a technically difficult job, basically boils down to taking off some nuts, sliding the manifold back, switching the gaskets, then reassembling it all... But due to really cramped space in there, it became quite a chore to remove (and in some cases, find) all of the nuts holding the thing in place... Not to mention all of the wasted time spent looking for and retrieving dropped items...lol
Of course, it also became necessary to move some other stuff out of the way to get the thing off (like the power stering reservoir/pump assembly, which required taking off the accessory drive belt), but in the end it all went back together nicely...
And the difference is so amazing it feels like a brand new car! Not only is it as smooth as silk, it has a noticeable power increase (of course, this was expected, since there's now 100% of the engine's power being applied as opposed to only 75%)
There are still some issues (the idle is much better, but it's fluctuating a bit, and it threatens to stall when put in reverse), though it is expected that these are caused by the computer trying to "re-learn" the engine's operating status, so they will hpefully clear up in the near future...
But all in all, it was a good experience, and it saved me a few hundred dollars (the gasket was only 20 bucks, but I hear the replacement at a shop would run around 500 dollars)
Now I'm looking for other things to work on in it...lol
ID:29876
 Apr 23 2007, 3:42 am
|
|
Yeah, I just got into auto mechanic work. I really enjoy it. It can be quite hard though. I am into DSM's and I joined a forum called DSMTalk. It really helps alot to be on a forum. I am going to try and rebuild my engine this summer.
| |
Himari wrote:
Yeah, I just got into auto mechanic work. I really enjoy it. It can be quite hard though. I am into DSM's and I joined a forum called DSMTalk. It really helps alot to be on a forum. I am going to try and rebuild my engine this summer. God no, please. Stay away from DSM's, they are the devil. All you'll do is dump your money into it, it'll run for a day, then stop again. I've never known anyone with a reliable DSM, and I've known a lot of fanatics. Many who have given up. DSM's are like a bad girlfriend, she takes all your money, treats you like dirt, and in the end will only end up breaking your heart. | |
Haha, I have known some people with some good DSM's. I already have one now so it's a bit late. And although I must admit it has given me a few problems haha, (it sat in a lot for over a year) it's not that bad of a car. Maybe I will get another car someday.
| |
The only things I've ever done to my car is replace a wheel, change the oil, and replace the thermostat.
| |
As a follow-up:
I mentioned in the post that the engine was still acting up a bit after this procedure: "There are still some issues (the idle is much better, but it's fluctuating a bit, and it threatens to stall when put in reverse)" Well, I looked around the Saturn forum a bit more for other potential issues and found an overwhelming push towards simply cleaning off the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve... So, yesterday morning a little while after I made that post, I went out to the car to do just that... That wasn't the problem, though (it was still very clean, but I scrubbed it up a bit, anyways), but while I was doing that, I noticed the real cause of the new odd behavior... I had accidentally unhooked the wiring to the Manifold Air Pressure (MAP) sensor... The wire was still in the connector on the sensor (which was why it wasn't noticed before), but the little clip that holds it in had been knocked loose, and the wire was only barely making its connection... One little push and click later, and the car's perfectly fine! Good times... I almost wish for something else to go wrong so I have an excuse to mess around in there again...lol | |
Well, also...if you want to reset the computer (adaptive learning) without having to take it into an autoshop, or have a computer, simply disconnect the battery for about 30 minutes to an hour & it'll reset all the adaptive memory to factory. Another thing you could also do to improve idle & engine performance is invest in a fuel injector flush apparatus & some cleaner that goes with it. It'll clean the whole fuel rail & all the injectors & cylinders (not to mention the carbon build-up on the back of the valves). I'm actually an ASE Certified Master Technician. So, if you have anymore problems I can more than likely guide you through it. Heck, I've built my own transmission (it can now hold over 2,000 HP) & am in the process of building my big block Pontiac (7.6 liter) which will be producing roughly 750 HP (>=D).
| |
Mechanics get paid a lot of money =)
| |
Luckily my dad is real good at that kind of stuff and he helps me out. Last week we replaced all the brake lines in my car as they rusted out in several spots. It only set me back about 40 dollars, but with the labor involved I don't even want to imagine what a shop would have charged me.