Commentary on the Oil Consumption of the Saturn Sl1
Do you own a Saturn? Does it have a lot of miles on it? Does it eat oil like a dog eats steak? If so, join the club! I am the original owner of a Saturn SL1. It has a little over 91,000 miles and about every 1,000 miles, I had to put in a new quart of oil. What is the problem, you might ask? Allow me, an overnight expert on oil consumption problems, explain.
First, Saturn has a common and not a very unique problem of producing cars that have engines with faulty oil control rings. Oil control rings "wrap around" your pistons and help control the amount of oil that assists in lubrication of moving parts within the engine. With Saturn, these rings are typically bound tightly around the pistons and, during friction, burns oil and sends it out of your tailpipe. Punch the gas hard enough, and you will probably kill several insects along the way!
Second, and this is very serious, Saturn engines are equipped with a timing chain instead of a timing belt. Because of this, the engine is very sensitive to low oil levels. If your oil runs low, there won't be enough to lubricate the timing chain, and when the chain snaps, it ruins your engine - and you will find yourself with a several thousand dollar bill to get your car running again. In addition, if the chain snaps while you're driving (which it usually does), you will lose all power in your engine, and it could possibly cause a serious accident.
All hope is not lost, however. If your car is paid off, or for whatever reason you want to keep the Saturn you're driving, there are a number of ways to mitigate, and depending on the seriousness of your problem, eliminate the oil consumption issues. First and foremost, change the oil your using to Mobil 1 High Mileage 10W30. Second, take your car to a trusted mechanic and ask them to perform an engine cleaning procedure. This includes the mechanic using Seafoam (or some other type of cleaner) through the master brake line and/or the throttle body. After the procedure, your car's oil should be changed with the previously mentioned oil and a FRAM high mileage oil filter should be used. Finally, watch your driving habits, if you do all of the above, and don't have a lead food or a jack-rabbit start, your consumption should be greatly reduced or eliminated. If you notice no change after the second or third oil change (there might be some residual cleaner in the crank case) your rings are probably jammed to the pistons. The only way to fix this is to rebuild the engine and will probably cost anywhere from 1500-3000 dollars depending on your local mechanic's labor charges, parts charges and sales tax.
I suggest if you're having this problem to contact your State's Attorney General's office and Saturn headquarters. If you ask any savvy mechanic, they will tell you ALL Saturn's have this problem. It's time Saturn be forced to change this obvious flaw!
