I bought a project 96 Saturn SC2 car.

[pinballlooking]

How many miles where on it? Was it at a Upick it type place?
What year is it?

[jeff5may]

Nope, I got it out the door for like $477. Came out of this '01 SC2:
V see below V

Vehicle was rear-ended at a stoplight and immediately totaled by insurance adjuster. I have been looking around for a while for the right motor at the right price. Went and drove this one a couple laps around the salvage yard Friday, dickered with counter guy, and pulled the trigger. They pulled it Monday and I went and got it this morning. I was pleasantly surprised to see they left just about everything on the block. Intake, injectors, sensors, clutch, etc. are all still there. Should be real easy to swap.

Not sure if I'm going to build up the motor out of my car or not. It depends on how this one performs. My '02 SC2 did fine driving to work and back 6 days a week, 50 interstate miles each way for a year or so, then I got a job across town. The stop and go traffic, stoplight every mile or less, did it in. It seems the previous owner tried to overhaul something and chipped a piston on reassembly. The rapid heat cycling broke the chip off enough to lose most of the compression in that cylinder. The head and block look ok from above, plus I took the car off the road before something bad happened to the engine. Once it comes out, I'll do a better autopsy.

[pinballlooking]

Black Friday parts for my sons Saturn rebuild. $281.49 shipped.
We hope to work on it over this Xmas break.



Here are some pictures of just how nice the cars under carriage is. Southern cars sure hold up.



Look at the brake lines no rust. This car is a 1996





Here is how I was able to get those pictures.

[jeff5may]

Looks better than the one I have underneath. What's up with the taillight? Mine needs new headlight assemblies: no amount of "wipe new" or polishing pads can bring them back. They don't look all that bad from the outside, but from the headlight's source, the light that makes it out is scattered.

I was seriously considering rebuilding (and may in the future if I decide to run a supercharger instead of air conditioning) my original engine. I believe the whole job costs out at around 800 bucks. Parts weren't much more than what you have. The only real difference was pistons and valve springs. The main expense was machine shop work. All the checking, clearancing, balancing, grinding and polishing adds up. From past experience, it's definitely worth it.

[pinballlooking]

Originally Posted by jeff5may

Looks better than the one I have underneath. What's up with the taillight?

The guy that owned it before us painted all the lights with black paint. We still need to do more work on the taillight on the trunk.

We saved the turn signals (before and after picture.)


My son has Xmas break so to work on the car we go.
The motor is out and apart the cleanup begins.
Everything looks pretty good so far.

My son excited to get his car running again.


The barn cat wants to help.


Before


Block


New pistons


Head is apart it is DOHC


Head is ready for cleanup.

[jeff5may]

Ooh, shiny! I like those pistons. I'm still not sure if I will be overhauling my old motor. It looks about the same, except for the plastic intake. Black plastic valve cover, too. The new motor remains string and smoke free...

[Daox]

Nice progress!

[pinballlooking]

I ordered plastic gauge, all new hoses, new Belt Tensioner, spark plugs and wires, Front Transmission seal, Transmission Temperature Sensor, Oil Filter Bypass Valve. Assembly lube.
I have vale lapping compound on hand but I ordered a new lapping tool and a ball hone.

The car came with new water pump, belt, idler pulley and thermostat.

We are all set with parts.
Rock auto can really save money with these parts.

[pinballlooking]

I saw where super clean would help clean up the block and the head. We tested it on the head it was 30 degrees outside so we did not spend that much time on it yet. But it worked well. I look forward to using it on the block and the head again.

Before and after (I just sprayed it on let it sit pressured washed it off)




$9 at Walmart


Some or my parts

[pinballlooking]

We have a setback I went to Columbia SC to get my timing cover and some other parts.
We spent a fair amount of time cleaning it up. We finished cleaning it up yesterday and we very happy how it turned out. Then I noticed it has a big issue the part that holds the idler pulley is broken off.
My old cover has the top right bolt ear broken ½ off. I wonder if I could cut off the bolt ear of this one and weld it on the old cover?

Issue highlighted in yellow.




My son cleaned up all the valves and more parts came in the mail including valve lapping tool.