will it die?

i have a 1993 sl1 1.9 sohc 5spd w/182k on it i've had the tran service ,motor flushed,water pump,cts, and all that goes w/ the cooling,full tune up,and filter,(it uses no oil)all within the last year. but w/ that many miles i've thought about getting a newer saturn. because i'm not sure how long it will last .should i be able to get another 20,30k miles out of it . let me know what you all think. thanks

Reply to
itsa93sl1
Loading thread data ...

It all depends on how well you take car of the car and it's previous history. If it's been a good reliable car and has been kept in good shape mechanical wise, you may find it will run another 50 to 100K miles with little or no problems. Our 97 base SL has over 200K. If otherwise, or it's showing it's age, take a look at a newer Saturn.

marx404

Reply to
marx404

It will not die overnight and likely has a lot of miles left in it. One thing to consider though is the timing chain because if it has never been replaced, it is beyond its service life and it can fail suddenly with bad results. If you what to run the car for a while, replace the chain and go for 300K.

----------------- The SnoMan

formatting link

Reply to
SnoMan

If he's changed his oil every 3000-4000 miles it wont likely fail anytime soon. With its age he can probably run it until the wheels fall off for what its worth. Just stick with regular maintenance and repair things as they come IMO.

Reply to
blah blah

No so sure. With close to 200K it is well past its prime. Normal suggest service life is about 100 to 120K ( less if you do not change the oil enough) He has got his monies worth out of that one. I might not say change it at 120 K but I will say that with close to 200K as it is not worth the risk.

----------------- The SnoMan

formatting link

Reply to
SnoMan

Our local dealer has an SL1 on the showroom floor (not sure of the year), 5 spd that has 479k kilometers on it (300k miles). I don't see your car going all that quick...though depending on how its been driven and serviced, it may start "nickel and dime-ing" you a bit more.

Psycho Mike

Reply to
Michael Halliwell

i'm in sales,95% of the miles are high way.i change the oil every month and add slick 50 every other. and yes i drive 3k each month some times more such as march when i had 2 oil changes as far as the timming chain is that a do it your self or better to have done? thanks.

Reply to
itsa93sl1

There are many contradictory opinions here regarding the timing chain replacement issue. IIRC, Most of the failures reported seem to result from lack of proper lubrication leading to failure of the chain tensioner or excessive chain wear rather than catastrophic chain failure. Put me in the practice proper maintenance with frequent oil changes group, but listen for any increase in sound coming from the front of the engine that may be due to wear of the chain or chain tensioner or of the coolant pump or serpentine belt tensioner. Hold a piece of 3/4" hose to your ear to help isolate the source of various noises. It takes a minute or so (and more in winter) for full oil to reach the timing chain and I would suggest letting the motor run to allow oil to reach timing chain and valve train before driving. As machinery ages it requires longer for warm-up and to allow oil to reach all the engine parts.

Almost any automobile will give lots of very cost effective service long past 150,000 mi. PROVIDED that you DO NOT run them low on coolant or oil. Most really expensive repairs are caused by lack of lubrication or coolant or by abusive operation. Check your coolant and engine and transmission oil regularly and keep them changed at proper intervals. Change the transmission oil more frequently than mfg recommends, (IMHO use 50000 mi change interval) Do NOT ride the clutch. Check the CV joint boots and investigate any unusual oil or grease leaks, (when the leak stops it is usually because it has run out of lubricant and is about to fail.

I would also change the brake fluid by complete bleeding if this has not been done. Check the serpentine belt and all coolant hoses frequently.

The biggest wild card and the most likely sudden large repair you may be faced with is the clutch. How long this is likely to last is totally dependant on usage and any previous replacement. If you did not buy this car new you have no way of knowing how long the clutch will last and all you can do now is to treat it gently by shifting gently and avoiding downshifts at high speed.

Just my .02 Good luck, YMMV

Reply to
Private

There are many contradictory opinions here regarding the timing chain replacement issue. IMHO replacing components because they might fail at some time in the future is a slippery slope as where do you stop? The common rubber timing belts do require replacement but Saturn timing chains are IMHO a component that should last the life of the engine and should give warning of wear by becoming noisy before failure. IIRC, Most of the failures reported seem to result from lack of proper lubrication leading to failure of the chain tensioner or excessive chain wear rather than catastrophic chain failure. Put me in the 'practice proper maintenance with frequent oil changes group' and 'if it ain't broke don't fix it', but listen for any increase in sound coming from the front of the engine that may be due to wear of the chain or chain tensioner or of the coolant pump or serpentine belt tensioner. Hold a piece of 3/4" hose to your ear to help isolate the source of various noises. It takes a minute or so (and more in winter) for full oil to reach the timing chain and I would suggest letting the motor run to allow oil to reach timing chain and valve train before driving. As machinery ages it requires longer for warm-up and to allow oil to reach all the engine parts.

Almost any automobile will give lots of very cost effective service long past 150,000 mi. PROVIDED that you DO NOT run them low on coolant or oil. Most really expensive repairs are caused by lack of lubrication or coolant or by abusive operation. Check your coolant and engine and transmission oil regularly and keep them changed at proper intervals. Change the Dexron transmission oil more frequently than mfg recommends, (IMHO use 50000 mi change interval) Do NOT ride the clutch. Check the CV joint boots and investigate any unusual oil or grease leaks, (when the leak stops it is usually because it has run out of lubricant and is about to fail.

I would also change the brake fluid by complete bleeding if this has not been done. Check the serpentine belt and all coolant hoses frequently.

The biggest wild card and the most likely sudden large repair you may be faced with is the clutch. How long this is likely to last is totally dependant on usage and any previous replacement. If you did not buy this car new you have no way of knowing how long the clutch will last and all you can do now is to treat it gently by shifting smoothly and avoiding downshifts at high speed.

Just my .02 Good luck, YMMV

Reply to
Private

This is the least severe operation possible and you can expect long engine life in this service. It is also easy on the clutch and usually on the brakes. Hope for good luck but always be prepared for a breakdown on the road. I like to carry a snowmobile suit and a blanket in case I breakdown at night. I also carry a simple toolkit.

I am not a fan of any oil additives and Saturn does not recommend them. Rotate your tires regularly.

Good luck, YMMV

Reply to
Private

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.