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1995 Saturn SL2 95 Saturn SL2 high idle

Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 SATURN SL2
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 160,000 MILES
Hey guys,
I've read a lot of posts about this problem, and have been chasing it around my car looking for a solution.
I have a 1995 Saturn SL2 with an intermittently high idle. It usually happens when it's hot, but lately it happens even more randomly. My car has 160,000 miles, a manual transmission, and I've replaced the air intake with a cold-air intake, replaced the fuel injectors, just replaced the IAC, cleaned the throttle body, changed the fuel filter, and did a small tune up (spark plugs, plug wires, changed oil). I can't seem to figure out what my problem is. Oh, I also changed the EGR gasket, the old one was in pretty bad shape. Any help would be greatly appreciated, if you guys need any more info just ask. :)
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Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 AT 5:57 PM

24 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
What code's do you have?Also how high is the idle when it idle's high?
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Thanks for the quick response. Sometimes a code flashes, but I can never catch it in time, and I haven't seen one in 3 weeks or so. Usually the idle raises up to 2 or 2.2, but it also never seems to want to drop, it'll stick at 1.3-1.5. So its usually somewhere between 1.3-2.5 at the most. After I replaced the IAC today and started it, it shot up to 3 then calmed down. Also. I'm not sure if this is relevant, but it seems to run great with less fuel. (Almost empty). And also I took off the EGR, it seemed a little sticky. I hit it with some carb cleaner and a coat hanger, I'll let you know how it runs when I put it back on tomorrow.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Alright let me know how it idle's a sticking egr cause's stalling not high idle's.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
My egr was pretty darn stuck, it stayed in about half the time I pushed it, I went to town and now it doesnt stick at all. It seemed to act a lot better, but the idle seemed bouncy. I would push in the clutch, and it would drop to 1, then bounce +/-.2 around 3 times up and down. It likes to stick around 1.2 or 1.3 lately. Eventually I got it to sit at 1 after running her around a little, but it still wavers +/-.1 you can feel it and hear it more than the tach shows, it seems. The cars kinda loud, I got it with a fart can on it.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Oh, also replaced the ECTS a little while ago, I had a cracked resin tipped, replaced it with a brass tipped when it started overheating at idle. It was causing the fan to not run. Figured i'd give a full history.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
I have never had any luck cleaning those egr valve's they stick at the opening and they stick open which mean's the pintle or the shaft stick's and cleaning that is impossible.Your best bet would be to change it with a new one.I posted how to retrive code's let me know what code's you have.


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1993_SW2_code_retrival_part1_2.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1993_SW2_code_retrival_part2_3.jpg

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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Yeah, I keep a paper clip in my car for this very reason, lol. But the engine light usually goes off after 30 seconds or so, I can never seem to catch it. And I haven't seen one in weeks.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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  • 30,869 POSTS
There will still be a code stored find out what it is.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Just kept flashing 12.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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They all have code 12 that's normal so your still getting the high idle?
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
New news!
I was going over the bridge, and the check engine light finally came on again. I pulled over and checked it with the paper clip trick, got code 22. Is this the tps? The revs would drop and bounce, down to 400, then when the light went off, it would resume high revving at idle.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1995_sl2_code_22_part1_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1995_sl2_code_22_part2_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1995_sl2_code_22_part3_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1995_sl2_code_22_part4_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1995_sl2_code_22_part5_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1995_sl2_code_22_part6_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1995_sl2_code_22_part7_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_1995_sl2_code_22_part8_1.jpg


Code 22 is tps sensor it is also 2nd gear ratio error but sound's like you your looking at the tps code.I posted a trouble tree for it.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Ugh, new problem, much more important. I drove to work and when I tried to leave, my car 1/4 cranked, then the lights and everything shut off. No more crank, no nothing. We tried to jump it and it did it again. It used to be that I could slam the hood a few times and it would run, that didnt work either. We tried jumping it with the jumper on the red terminal (took the terminal off the battery) to see if it would do anything, nothing happened. What could it be?
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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First thing I would do is have the battery charged and tested. Then make sure the battery cable's are clean and tight. Then if it start's test the alternator. You could have a bad alternator or bad battery or both.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
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Thanks for the quick response. Who would be able to charge the battery? And do you have to take your alternator off to have it tested?
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
If you take it out a auto part's store like auto zone should be able to charge and test it. Also if you can get the car started you can test the alternator in the car. Do you have a multimeter?
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
No, I dont. I might be able to get one thursday, when I get paid.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Alright let me know what you find with the battery if the alternator is bad you won't be able to drive it.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
95SATURNSL2
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Well, I managed to fix the high idle for the most part, there were some faulty wire spices behind the TPS (doh!) And the start problem was just a ot of buildup on the terminal (couldn't see it at night, didn't have a flashlight.) Now i've got some orange, frothy coolant. I;ve mostly just been filling it up with water because i've got a slow leak. Then one day when I got off the highway I went to check it. My coolant was a little low and I had orange frothy coolant! Someone told me it may be a symptom of a blown head gasket, i'm a little worried. Are there any tests for this? And what else might it be? I haven't noticed any performance problems yet at all, in fact I thought it had been driving much smoother than normal.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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  • 30,869 POSTS
You can rent a blown head gasket tester at auto zone auto part's they just make you buy the chemical for the tester.I have never seen one turn the coolant orange though. Did you ever put any gm dex cool in your car because that is orange?Is your car overheating or any big cloud of steam coming out of the tail pipe?
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 11:35 AM

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