1996 saturn sl2

In order of likelihood: 1) Thoroughly clean the throttle body using Throttle Body cleaner, an old toothbrush, and a cotton rag. 2) If that does not fix the problem, then take a look at the Coolant Temperature gauge and make sure the needle moves normally. If it no longer moves to the upper middle range when the engine is warm, then replace the Coolant Temperature Sender (CTS).

The TB should be cleaned regularly since it gets gunked up and the throttle plate does not close completely.

Bob

I agree with the above, with the following possible exception. I'm not sure about 1996, but my 1994 SW2 has *two* temperature senders: one for the panel gauge and one for the engine computer. It is the computer's sender that will mess up performance, even if the gauge's sender is fine. So make sure that there is not a separate sender for the engine computer, even if the panel gauge reads properly.

I had similar symptoms that turned out to be caused by the temperature sender. It was tough (for me) to diagnose, because I did not know about the second sender. I think it took the local garage only a few minutes to find the problem. Also, just a bad connection to the sensor can cause problems; be sure the inspect the connector on the sensor, and make sure it is correctly seated.

I believe 1996 is when they went to one CTS ... I agree with verifying the connector and connection are good, but the CTS design makes it very prone to failure. When it fails, the controller/computer reads it as a cold engine, so it calls for more fuel delivery via the injectors which is why the engine RPM is noticeably higher. Another symptom of a defective CTS is a significant reduction in fuel economy (MPG).

Good luck!

Bob

And if you haven't done so already, have the stored codes read. Autozone will do it for no charge. It may give you an indication of what the problem is (if a sensor is reading out of range), and quite often, it's better than replacing parts based on guesses.

Lane