1999 Saturn SL1 Intermittent Hard Start & Stalling

DARKSTORM

MEMBER
1999 SATURN SL1
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
70,000 MILES

Sometimes, especially in morning the car doesn't want to start unless I use starting fluid in the air box.

After that it will run fine. Can turn it off, go in store for 5-10 min, come out and will start.

Now if I come out later maybe 1-2 hours it's a 50/50 chance of starting without the fluid.

Also every once in a while it will stall while driving at slow speeds and try to stall at higher speeds. Higher speeds when it does this the engine will "buck" (for lack of a better word) but will keep running.
If it stalls at the slower speed it will be the same as a hard start. It wont without the fluid.

Spark plugs were never changed so I did but seems to be the same if not a little worse.
Also I don't know if it's me or not but it seems to also be worse when its high humidity.

Can anyone help me?

1 Reply

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,869 POSTS

The first thing I would do is change the coolant temp sensor there only 10 make sure you get a brass tipped one it's really common for them to go bad and they cause all kind's of problem's including hard start's. Also inspect the connector to it if it's corroded replace it too. Also get the car scanned for code's if there is any code's let me know what the number's are.