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Idles rough/Changed ECTS

Tiny
HUBLIZZY
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 SATURN SL2
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 93,000 MILES
I have a 1995 saturn SL2, the car runs fine but the collant light kept on flickering and idels really rough and hesitates when accelerating. I changed the Coolant temp Sensor and the light no longer flickers but the car still idles really rough and bounces from 800 to 600 back up to 800 when sitting at a stop light and feels like it wants to stall. What else could be the problem?
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:27 PM

37 Replies

Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Clean out the idle air control valve and see what happens
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:29 PM
Tiny
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Where is that located? And does the cpu have to be reset in order for the engine to read the new sensor?
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:30 PM
Tiny
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Also when I got the car it had water in the spark plugs due to the person cleaning it. I soaked up all the water I believe. Could this also be the problem and make it idle rough and hesitate then accelerating
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:33 PM
Tiny
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Could mean a blown headgasket, cracked head or block-Yes it will cause your problem-is it overheating?
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:37 PM
Tiny
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No not over heating at all and does not leak antifreeze at all.
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:39 PM
Tiny
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Have it block and pressure tested to find out why water is in the cylinders
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:43 PM
Tiny
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If the block was craked or head gasket blown would it leak fluid? The car engnie was washed with a high pressure washer which is what im guessing did it not sure.
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:45 PM
Tiny
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You need to have it tested and then comeback with the testing results
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:48 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Just to add to this if the water was in the spark plug well that the plug wires sit in and not the cylinder itself washing the engine will fill those wells up with water really common on those cars the plugs sit down in a well empty cavity a good 3 inches. When I worked at the saturn dealer the wash guys used to fill the plug wells up with water all the time and make me look bad. Because the car would run real bad when the customer drove off. So I would inspect the plugs themselves clean all that water out. Also pull the plug wires off the coil towers see if the towers are all corroded thats very common on that car for the coil towers to get corroded. Also did you change the top coolant temp sensor with one wire or the bottom one with two wires going to it. Did you inspect the connector to the coolant temp sensor they get corroded also real common. If the terminals to the coolant temp sensor connector are green or blue its corroded and needs to be replaced. Have you checked for codes yet?
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:16 AM
Tiny
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I replaced the bottom one with 2 wires. I checked the plug and seemed fine, I havent yet checked the plugs yet again but will tonight and also check the coils. Tonight as well. Thank you very much for the response to that. Havent checked for codes since the check engine light is not on. Would it still read codes of it is not on. Also would reseting the CPU help?
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:20 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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You replaced the correct coolant temp sensor but make sure the inside of the connector isnt blue or green. Do you know how to get the codes out of your car by flashing the codes out of the service engine soon light?
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:26 AM
Tiny
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No, I didnt think you could get codes if the service engine light was not on. It didnt look blue or green when I changed it and since I have changed it the coolant light has not came on. When I first got the car I thought I got all the water out of the spark plug wells but I may not have gotten it all out. What is the best way to do that? Just soaking it up with a paper towel or? Your help is greatly appreciated
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:30 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Even if the light isnt on you can still get codes out of the computer you could have codes stored in the computer.
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:34 AM
Tiny
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O ok, I didnt realize that. How do you do that?
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:34 AM
Tiny
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Also would water in the plug wells make ir idle really low and bounce from 800-900 to 600-700 and then back up to 800-900 and feel like it wants to stall out when sitting at a stop light.
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:36 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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As far as the water goes I put a rag over the hole and blow the water out with my air compressor. But I guess you could use rags or paper towels.
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:36 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Water in those plug holes makes it run real bad because the spark is getting shorted out instead of firing the plug.
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:37 AM
Tiny
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I kinda thought that but wasnt sure and everything I have read points to the ECTS or IAC Valve sensor or EGR valve id just hate to keep putting money into even tho its not much to get it running like its supposed to. It rean fine for 2 days after I initially got the water out then it started to run rough and hesitate when accelerating, I thought I got all the water out bt maybe there is a little left in there. Im going to check the IAC valve to see if its dirty as well
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:42 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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I posted how to retrive codes by flashing your service engine soon light. If the low coolant light starts flashing while retriving codes get those codes also those would transmission codes.
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:42 AM
Tiny
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Is this autozone could do cause I dont have the gadgets to do this my self
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Friday, July 15th, 2011 AT 12:44 AM

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