1995 Saturn SW engine problems

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

SOHC LK0/L24 (FROM HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/SATURN_I4_ENGINE#SOHC_LK0.2FL24) THE SOHC (LK0/L24) CYLINDER HEAD HAD 8 VALVES AND WAS MADE OF LOST FOAM CAST ALUMINUM. THE CAMSHAFT WAS LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE CYLINDER HEAD AND DRIVEN BY A CHAIN OFF THE FRONT CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET. MOTION FROM THE CAMSHAFT WAS TRANSMITTED TO THE EIGHT VALVES BY THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS AND ROCKER ARMS. THE LK0 ENGINE FIRST USED TBI (THROTTLE BODY INJECTION) FOR FUEL DELIVERY AND WAS RATED AT 85 HP (63 KW) AND 110 FTLBF (149 NM) OF TORQUE FROM 1991 TO 1994. THE L24 ENGINE RECEIVED MPFI (MULTI-PORT FUEL INJECTION) IN 1995 WHICH INCREASED POWER OUTPUT TO 100 HP (75 KW) AND 114 FTLBF (155 NM). THIS ENGINE WAS USED FROM 1995 TO 2002. THE SOHC ENGINE WAS AVAILABLE ON THE BASE MODEL S-SERIES VEHICLES (SC1, SL, SL1, SW, SW1) 1992 THROUGH 1998 L24 CYLINDER HEADS DEVELOPED ISSUES WITH CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE FIFTH CAMSHAFT JOURNAL, LOCATED CLOSEST TO #4 CYLINDER. THE HAIRLINE CRACK WOULD DEVELOP BETWEEN THE OIL FEED PORT OF THAT JOURNAL AND THE COOLANT PASSAGES IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. SYMPTOMS WOULD RANGE FROM OVERHEATING TO LOW COOLANT, HOWEVER, MOST CARS AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE EXHIBITED OIL MIGRATION INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF THE TWO FLUIDS WOULD RESULT IN A THICK BROWN "MILKSHAKE"-LIKE MIXTURE, VISIBLE IN THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK. SATURN RELEASED UNADVERTISED POLICY WHICH WOULD COVER THIS ISSUE, EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE CYLINDER HEAD TO 6 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES (160K KM). REPAIR REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. AND FLUSHING OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM. BADLY AFFECTED CARS WOULD SEE COOLANT IN THE OIL, AS WELL AS OIL IN THE COOLANT, AND WOULD REQUIRE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE ENGINE ASSEMBLY. UNTIL THE CYLINDER HEAD CASTING WAS REDESIGNED ...

NHTSA complaint #10440907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

OIL CONSUMPTION, CAUSED A BLOWN ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10028429 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THIS VEHICLE USES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. I MUST ADD AT LEAST ONE QUART EVERY 200-300 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #765633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

FAN DID NOT WORK, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND EXPAND. YD

NHTSA complaint #785726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

FAN DID NOT WORK, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND EXPAND. YD

NHTSA complaint #785726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER FEELS MANUFACTURERS DECISION NOT TO ISSUE RECALL ON POSSIBLE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKS IRRESPONSIBLE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #546266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WAS DRIVING A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. TOOK TO DEALER & ENGINE OIL HAD LEAKED OUT. THE OIL LIGHT HAD MALFUNCTIONED ON PANEL. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REBUILT. PISTON ROD RINGS/ CYLINDER/CRANKSHAFT & BEARINGS NEED REPLACING ALSO. THE AXLE SEAL WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES. TRANSMISSION LEAKS OIL ON THE HOUSING AREA & IT WAS CRACKED.

NHTSA complaint #838863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WAS DRIVING A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. TOOK TO DEALER & ENGINE OIL HAD LEAKED OUT. THE OIL LIGHT HAD MALFUNCTIONED ON PANEL. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REBUILT. PISTON ROD RINGS/ CYLINDER/CRANKSHAFT & BEARINGS NEED REPLACING ALSO. THE AXLE SEAL WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES. TRANSMISSION LEAKS OIL ON THE HOUSING AREA & IT WAS CRACKED.

NHTSA complaint #838863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

A CRACKED ENGINE GASKET HAS ALLOWED OIL TO CONTAMINATE THE COOLANT COMPARTMENT. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A THICK MIXTURE OF OIL AND COOLANT.

NHTSA complaint #780762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.