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After warmed up I am losing power

Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 SATURN SC1
  • 183,000 MILES
I got a 1998 sc15 sp sohc 1.9 liter. I start car and ill drive for about 15 minutes runs great but it starts running rough losing power. Replaced plugs and wires still the same thanks.
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 4:37 AM

18 Replies

Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Start by checking the fuel pressure if its within specs-start here
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 4:44 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Have you checked for a restricted exhaust and for a bad coolant temp sensor?Any codes?
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 4:45 AM
Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Codes 0300 0301 0341 from auto zone
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 5:17 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
What kind of plugs did you put in it?Not platnuims I hope?
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 5:26 AM
Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
At first platinum then changed them to copper, also when problem happens ses light starts flasing. Indicates a misfire So pulled wires from plugs and number 2 seemed like it had weak spark, it was Orange in color not blue as I was told it should be.
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 5:41 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Yeah you want to just run stock ngk in that engine as far as the orange spark sounds like you could have a weak coil. Swap the coils from left to right see if the problem follows the coil it should. Also are you sure you have the spark plug wires routed correctly?Also have you cleared the codes since you changed the plugs and wires?If not you should and see which codes come back.
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 5:53 AM
Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I did replace coil but since it did the same thing with new coil, I put old coil back, like I said on a cold start it runs great but as I'm driving it about 15 to 20 minutes starts running rough idles low, when I take off in 1st it loosed power then picks up.
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 6:07 AM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Check the exhaust for restriction and perform a fuel pressure check-also monitor it-with and w/o the FPR
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 8:20 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
So are all the sparks blue when the engine is cold and when it gets hot the number 2 cylinder turns orange even with a new coil?
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 AT 4:49 PM
Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Alright checked fuel pressure good, drove car again for 20 minutes from cold start, it started acting up see light started to flash and I noticed when I stopped at a light applied brake it would idle real low with foot applied to brake, but when I let go idle came up. Started raining so I had to put it on hold for the night.
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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 AT 6:51 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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That low idle is probably from you loosing the number 2 cylinder from running. Lets try this when its acting up put the car in park and pull the number one cylinder spark plug wire loose see if the running gets worse. Then put it back on and do the same to the rest of the cylinders let me know what you find.
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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 AT 4:29 PM
Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Ok I pulled number one cylinder and the motor started shaking really bad pulled number 2 cylinder nothing much happened pulled number 3 nothing much happened number 4 started to shake real bad.
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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 AT 4:42 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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What color is the spark for cylinders 2 and 3?
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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 AT 5:54 PM
Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
The spark is Orange
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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 AT 6:26 PM
Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Also pulled wires from 2nd cylinder and 3rd on cold start, the spark was blue once car runs for 20 minutes starts acting up so I pulled the 2nd and 3rd cylinder they were orange, I'm wondering if its the icm heating up.
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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 AT 7:36 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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If you already swapped the coil sounds like the icm is heating up and failing.
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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 AT 8:12 PM
Tiny
DILF711
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Just an update on saturn, the icm was heating up and causing failure to one coil, replace it and car is running great. Thanks for the help greatly appreciated.
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Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 AT 11:06 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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Your welcome thats what were here for I figured since the coil was ruled out you had a bad icm.
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Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 AT 11:25 PM

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