[Kornphlake]

I have a 96 saturn with 115000 miles it that among other problems seems to have a problem burning through plugs in about 15000 miles. I usually buy platinum or double platinum plugs, but after changing the last set of expensive plugs after less than a year of use I decided to just get the cheap ones. Anyway, the electrode is rounding out, that's the only thing I am sure of. It seems like I may have a timing issue that causes the plugs to wear out. I can tell it's time for new plugs because the car will gradually loose power, I notice it mostly as I pull into the uphill driveway at work, if I'm in second gear it will chug pretty bad, with new plugs I can drive right up the hill in second gear. I would just adjust the timing and fix it but it's got an electronic ignition that I'm told is pretty much either working or not, you can't really tune it. Is there something else that would be causing spark plugs to wear out that quickly? I had the rear oxygen sensor replaced last year along with the catalytic converter it had rusted to when the check engine light came on and I failed the smog check, is there another oxygen sensor that could be bad but not bad enough to trip the check engine light?

 

[Crash_Tested]

I don't have an answer for you, but: Soon as you get it running decent, sell it. My sister had a saturn about the same year model and man that thing went downhill fast. Those cars don't seem to like getting up there milage wise.

 

[Kornphlake]

It will cost me less to keep it running than what it would cost to buy a new car. It's got so many problems I don't think I could sell it for more than about $1000 maybe $1500, then all I'd be able to afford is a car with just as many problems as the one I've got. To saturn's credit, the one I had before this heap of junk had 110000 miles on it without a single problem except a jerkoff driving an SUV recklessly in a snowstorm hit it. I thought I would have the same luck buying another one, now I'm wishing I lived in Utah again where people don't know how to drive and freak out even more when it snows so somebody could total this one.

 

[SkaredShtles]

It will cost me less to keep it running than what it would cost to buy a new car. It's got so many problems I don't think I could sell it for more than about $1000 maybe $1500, then all I'd be able to afford is a car with just as many problems as the one I've got.

If you wanna get to Colorado I have a Subaru Legacy wagon I'm letting go for $2500. Good, solid transportation. I'm getting rid of it 'cause I'm getting a minivan and don't need 3 vehicles. And get this - it's got 195K miles on it.

-S.S.-

 

[Kornphlake]

I know I could find a car with high mileage that might keep running. I'd rather just keep the crappy car I have and make it run better than buy a new crappy car. I don't care what you say about your subie (although a wagon is tempting,) any car with 195k miles is nearing its life expectancy. I'll bet it's got a lot of wind noise on the highway, the dashboard is starting to crack, the dome lamp doesn't work, the battery will need replacing in the next 3 months (unless you just did) it'll need a brake job (unless you just had one done) the transmission may or may not have another 50K miles left to give... I'd rather keep the car I have now and keep it running for another year or so until I can afford a much newer car.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> I'll bet it's got a lot of wind noise on the highway, the dashboard is starting to crack, the dome lamp doesn't work, the battery will need replacing in the next 3 months (unless you just did) it'll need a brake job (unless you just had one done) the transmission may or may not have another 50K miles left to give... I'd rather keep the car I have now and keep it running for another year or so until I can afford a much newer car.

Nope. It's a '95, so it doesn't have a crapload of years on it, just alot of miles. Tranny is a manual so it ought to last 1/2 million miles. Dome light works, brakes did get replaced, starter is new, battery is near new.

I'd drive it for another 100K, but my wife's Sub *only* has 110K on it - it's practically brand new. And I gotta get rid of the 3rd vehicle.

-S.S.-

 

[N8 v2.0]

I have 190,100 miles on my 97 4Runner and I am wanting a new Taco but the damn thing runs just like it was new... damn Toyotas!

 

[Kornphlake]

I'm not going to drive down by the river to pick up your car so I guess it's not really worth arguing with you about what's better an old subaru or an old saturn, in the end either I am doing exactly what you've already done with your car, I put a new starter in in august, new tires in september, a new battery yesterday, brakes will come after christmas along with getting this timing thing sorted. The only differance is that you actually like your car where I don't like mine that much, the only reason I even got it was because it was all I could find at a moment's notice with the budget I had.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> what's better an old subaru or an old saturn

That would sorta be like bringing a knife to a gunfight........

-S.S.-

 

[JRB]

I have 190,100 miles on my 97 4Runner and I am wanting a new Taco but the damn thing runs just like it was new... damn Toyotas!

If you can justify a $14,000 tv, you can justify a new truck.

 

[HippieKai]

we are all experts here...didn't you know that

 

[mack]

my subi's got 210k miles and the sun roof still kinda works!

the first owner was actually none other than Demi Moore. Sweat to god, the car is in Sun Valley idaho, where she lives.

 

[JRB]

my subi's got 210k miles and the sun roof still kinda works!

the first owner was actually none other than Demi Moore. Sweat to god, the car is in Sun Valley idaho, where she lives.

Oh god, Lisa is gonna love that you bragged that Demi Moore owned your car.

 

[BurlyShirley]

have you checked the blinker fluid?

 

[HippieKai]

have you checked the blinker fluid?

sounds more like the muffler barings to me.

 

[Honeywell]

Have you checked and/or replaced your distributor cap lately? Have you changed the timing belt yet? That's supposed to be done around 105, 110K.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> Sweat to god,

WTF is this supposed to mean?!?

-S.S.-

 

[JoeRay]

Does the electrode on the spark plug look like its melted a bit?

Could be your fuel injectors running lean. Check your injectors for how clean they are.

Probably not the oxygen sensor when they go usually the engine runs very rich - a self protection system more fuel is better than less.

If not the delivery then maybe the fuel filter or pump is a bit shagged.

Sounds a bit like the fuel/air mix is running on the lean side. Lean burning is hotter than the right air/fuel mix.

You may aslo be getting some pinging under load on hot days if so, this a very bad thing to happen take time to fix it now. Pinging kills engines

Easy fix short term, go get a couple of bottles of that fuel system clean and dump them in with a tank of premium, it can't hurt anyways.

Another way to keep fuel system cleaner longer is throw some premium grade through the system every third tank or so. It contains lots more goodies and has a better over all quality than low grade junk.

 

[Kornphlake]

Have you checked and/or replaced your distributor cap lately? Have you changed the timing belt yet? That's supposed to be done around 105, 110K.

It's got a timing chain, my hack of a mechanic Dad who taught me everything I know about cars insists that timing chains don't need to be replaced the way a belt would. I haven't replaced the distributor cap because it's got an electronic ignition, is there really a cap to speak of that can be replaced?

 

[Kornphlake]

Does the electrode on the spark plug look like its melted a bit?

Could be your fuel injectors running lean. Check your injectors for how clean they are.

Probably not the oxygen sensor when they go usually the engine runs very rich - a self protection system more fuel is better than less.

If not the delivery then maybe the fuel filter or pump is a bit shagged.

Sounds a bit like the fuel/air mix is running on the lean side. Lean burning is hotter than the right air/fuel mix.

You may aslo be getting some pinging under load on hot days if so, this a very bad thing to happen take time to fix it now. Pinging kills engines

Easy fix short term, go get a couple of bottles of that fuel system clean and dump them in with a tank of premium, it can't hurt anyways.

Another way to keep fuel system cleaner longer is throw some premium grade through the system every third tank or so. It contains lots more goodies and has a better over all quality than low grade junk.

The spark plugs don't look melted, the square edges of the electrode just look rounded off.

I replaced the fuel filter about 2 months ago and couldn't tell any differance, I try to change it out once a year or so. It could be an injector that's a little clogged or maybe a fuel pump that's going kaput.

I haven't noticed any pinging and I do a whole lot of driving on hot days, the last 5 miles or so of my daily commute is a 2000 foot grade, I get home and the engine is nice and toasty, if I'm not climbing the grade I'm sitting in near standstill traffic, with the limited air flow the engine runs warm then too, although it's never overheated.

I'll pick up some of the fuel injector cleaner and get a tank of premium, what the heck right? For less than 10 bucks I might be able to get better fuel efficiency that will save me the 10 I'd spend on cleaner and premium gas.

 

[Guntruck]

You should try a colder plug range see if that helps...... if not your timing is off. Uncontroled flame fronts are your enemy. BTW expensive plugs are crap. Always run stockers. Bosch +4's do you about as much good as putting purple anno bar ends on your DH bike.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Have you changed the plug wires, distributer cap & rotor? Those too wear out and you may not be getting full spark. Also has the throttle body been cleaned?

 

[N8 v2.0]

Replace your plug wires... you've got the classic bad-plug wire symptoms.

 

[jmvar]

If you don't have a cap and rotor, you have a coil pack.....start the engine at night, pop the hood and spray some water on the spark plug wire and where they terminate (oppisite end of the spark plugs). If you see little flashes of lightning, you have either a bad coil pack or bad wires....

The coil can get a little expensive if bought new....so try this. Unplug the battery and take the coil pack off the car. Clean the surface with some alcohol and let it dry. Get some JB weld and put a this layer on top of the coil pack to try and cover up any cracked surfaces on the coil pack that are allowing the voltage to jump... If you don't know what you are doing, try to find someone that owns a late model volkswagen with a 1.8T. They will know all about this...

edit. just saw that you have a '96 so it probably has a cap and a rotor, which should be cheap to replace.......give that a shot and buy the Saturn stuff....wires cap and rotor.....it will save you headaches even though it is more expensive.... get your money back for those wires if they are from pep boys.

 

[Kornphlake]

Plug wires are only about a year old, I believe they had a 10 year guarantee if I can dig up the reciept I might give that a shot.