Why? Was it planned that way? Is it a design error?
Saturns burning oil?
- Thread starter KevGuy
- Start date
- Status
low tension oil rings.
I think it also has a fair amount to do with maintenance. My Grandmother's SL with a DOHC didn't use any oil.
You could ask the same question about Mitsubishis. It seems to almost be a design philosophy- low tension oil rings (aid efficiency), small ring lands (which aid emissions), and a bunch of other seemingly little things add up to a very common problem, given the spectrum of maintenance that the engines do or don't receive. A big percentage of engines sold get a big dose of neglect, and a less delicate set of design choices would tolerate it better.
In the archives/search section in here are over a zillion post on Saturns related to oil issues, best thing maybe by now is melt the poor old things down and buy a Honda...lol
I just picked up a 95 sc2. Oil was nasty n just changed it. Looking forward to getting it on the road n see if it burns oil
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
In the archives/search section in here are over a zillion post on Saturns related to oil issues, best thing maybe by now is melt the poor old things down and buy a Honda...lol
Except that many Saturn models are more reliable than many Honda models....LOL
In the archives/search section in here are over a zillion post on Saturns related to oil issues, best thing maybe by now is melt the poor old things down and buy a Honda...lol
Except that many Saturn models are more reliable than many Honda models....LOL
On the Saturn I just sold, I had it from 117k to 292k miles and all I couldn't fix was the stretched timing chain. Drove it that way with a check engine light and reduced economy for 70k miles.
It did burn a pint every 1500 miles until I did an mmo soak and doubled the consumption. Great cars if cared for, we'll, the s series anyway.
It did burn a pint every 1500 miles until I did an mmo soak and doubled the consumption. Great cars if cared for, we'll, the s series anyway.
There's a number of reasons why these cars use oil. It's not only the rings, but the OEM S-series cylinder heads also had rubber valve stem seals that wore out by around 80k miles. The replacement Federal Mogul parts use DuPont Viton in the seals, which virtually eliminates them as a source of leaks. The valves and valve guides also are not that great and can cause oil issues as well, more so with stock valve seals. This is often why you see more complaints about DOHC motors using oil than SOHC motors.
The pistons themselves were never made with oil drainback holes. They had 'oil reliefs' casted into the sides of the pistons, and as stated, they often got clogged up with varnish and carbon deposits, leading to stuck rings. All aftermarket pistons have oil drainback slots.
Even with a good valve train and aftermarket pistons, sometimes they still use oil. I'm breaking in my dad's 96 SL2 right now with a motor I assembled. It has probably the best valve job I've ever seen on a Saturn cylinder head, Viton seals, and Sealed Power stock pistons. Granted, I did re-use the rings because they were still 'new' from the last time I rebuilt his engine. The rings are Sealed Power and measured within the OEM gap specs. After 1500 miles, it's used a quart so far.
The pistons themselves were never made with oil drainback holes. They had 'oil reliefs' casted into the sides of the pistons, and as stated, they often got clogged up with varnish and carbon deposits, leading to stuck rings. All aftermarket pistons have oil drainback slots.
Even with a good valve train and aftermarket pistons, sometimes they still use oil. I'm breaking in my dad's 96 SL2 right now with a motor I assembled. It has probably the best valve job I've ever seen on a Saturn cylinder head, Viton seals, and Sealed Power stock pistons. Granted, I did re-use the rings because they were still 'new' from the last time I rebuilt his engine. The rings are Sealed Power and measured within the OEM gap specs. After 1500 miles, it's used a quart so far.
Sometimes, in the wee hours of the mornings, I wonder why the American car maker guy does not just buy their engines from say Toyota,Honda for example and place them in our American made body cars and go on with life----might have made Saturn a better automobile, imho.......
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Sometimes, in the wee hours of the mornings, I wonder why the American car maker guy does not just buy their engines from say Toyota,Honda for example and place them in our American made body cars and go on with life----might have made Saturn a better automobile, imho.......
Saturn actually did this - the later Vue has an optional Honda 3.5L V6.
Sometimes, in the wee hours of the mornings, I wonder why the American car maker guy does not just buy their engines from say Toyota,Honda for example and place them in our American made body cars and go on with life----might have made Saturn a better automobile, imho.......
Saturn actually did this - the later Vue has an optional Honda 3.5L V6.
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Sometimes, in the wee hours of the mornings, I wonder why the American car maker guy does not just buy their engines from say Toyota,Honda for example and place them in our American made body cars and go on with life----might have made Saturn a better automobile, imho.......
Are you considering that many Toyota engines had problems with engine sludge due to hot spots in the engine. No thanks.
Sometimes, in the wee hours of the mornings, I wonder why the American car maker guy does not just buy their engines from say Toyota,Honda for example and place them in our American made body cars and go on with life----might have made Saturn a better automobile, imho.......
Are you considering that many Toyota engines had problems with engine sludge due to hot spots in the engine. No thanks.
Originally Posted By: tig1
Are you considering that many Toyota engines had problems with engine sludge due to hot spots in the engine. No thanks.
Thank you for mentioning this.
Are you considering that many Toyota engines had problems with engine sludge due to hot spots in the engine. No thanks.
Thank you for mentioning this.
The MMO soak made it worse? ?
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Using Japanese engines didn't work out all that well for Chrysler either FWIW. The Mitsubishi oil burner in the Caravan for example....
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Sometimes, in the wee hours of the mornings, I wonder why the American car maker guy does not just buy their engines from say Toyota,Honda for example and place them in our American made body cars and go on with life
Yeah, those mosquito-fogging head-cracking Mitsubishi-engined Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth products of the 80s and 90s were a GREAT idea... :-/
Sometimes, in the wee hours of the mornings, I wonder why the American car maker guy does not just buy their engines from say Toyota,Honda for example and place them in our American made body cars and go on with life
Yeah, those mosquito-fogging head-cracking Mitsubishi-engined Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth products of the 80s and 90s were a GREAT idea... :-/
Seems to me we're talking about ONE brand of engine here, and we all know it had problems. Mitsu knows engines, I could never understand why they had so many problems with those they supplied Chrysler unless there was a price point involved. On the other hand, Yahama made some VERY nive V motors for the Ford SHOs.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Seems to me we're talking about ONE brand of engine here, and we all know it had problems. Mitsu knows engines, I could never understand why they had so many problems with those they supplied Chrysler unless there was a price point involved. On the other hand, Yahama made some VERY nive V motors for the Ford SHOs.
Other than the timing chain sprockets falling off of course.......
I think there are some serious cases of rose coloured glasses going on here.
Seems to me we're talking about ONE brand of engine here, and we all know it had problems. Mitsu knows engines, I could never understand why they had so many problems with those they supplied Chrysler unless there was a price point involved. On the other hand, Yahama made some VERY nive V motors for the Ford SHOs.
Other than the timing chain sprockets falling off of course.......
I think there are some serious cases of rose coloured glasses going on here.
Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
In the archives/search section in here are over a zillion post on Saturns related to oil issues, best thing maybe by now is melt the poor old things down and buy a Honda...lol
Except that many Saturn models are more reliable than many Honda models....LOL
Do you mean, as in the Saturn Vues, that had Honda motors?
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
In the archives/search section in here are over a zillion post on Saturns related to oil issues, best thing maybe by now is melt the poor old things down and buy a Honda...lol
Except that many Saturn models are more reliable than many Honda models....LOL
Do you mean, as in the Saturn Vues, that had Honda motors?
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
