MY daughter's 1st car-'98 SC2. My 3rd Saturn-great cars! Here's the deal. Sometimes at start-up, engine runs very rough. Kind of like a huge vacuum leak. If you goose it a couple times, it will catch, rev up, and then run fine. If you turn it off right away it might do the same thing again. Once it smooths out, the engine runs great. Sometimes when you goose it you will get a puff of smoke out the exhaust. Acts like it's running too rich. Like maybe gas is draining into the cylinders after it's shut off? Car does not burn a drop of oil.


Don't know if this is related at all, but sometimes the coolant warning light comes on. It does this with a full radiator/reservoir and before the engine has even reached normal temp. The temp. guage will be reading below norm at the time. It usually goes out after a few minutes.


In layman's terms, any ideas on where to look?
Edited by: sw2cam

 

Try getting the codes read off to you, and post back and also check fluids, and also check for a vacuum leak if you can.

 

sound like the fuel pressure regulator. on my car it is a filter/regulator combo located in front of the drivers rear tire. if it fails the fuel pump will pump to much fuel causing other things (o2 sensor) to overcompansate to make the car run correctly. the fuel pump should pump about 30psi more than the regulator and not all is returned to the tank. it will dump into the cylinders causing hard or ruff starting.

 

Your two issues are unrelated.

First issue could be one of two things. Either a faulty engine coolant temperature sensor causing the engine to run too rich at start up, or leaking valve guide seals.

Second issue is due to a dirty float inside the coolant resevoir tank. Try removing the tank and throughly cleaning the tank with hot water and dish soap. If you're lucky this will cure the problem. If not, you'll need a new tank. The sensor/float is not replacable.