Hi, I have an issue with my 2002 Saturn sl1 over 200,000 k.

There are no codes. The water pump and starter and etc have been replaced recently. the EGR vale was cleaned.The hoses for the coolant are hot. Fan only works well on high I Have to fix that.There is black soot in the tail pipe.I have not tested to see if there are any leaks in the air intake.could that be the problem. The throttle valve was sprayed. Coolant looks dirty may be oil in it not sure tho.Flush was done six months ago. Help please...

Oh and coolant cap was replaced.

When the oil light is on or flashing you need to hook up a oil pressure gauge and see what the pressure actually is.Those cars are not known for oil pressure issues very seldom have any on those cars.So lets rule out the oil pressure being low causing the light to come on and flash.That is the main thing we need to look at first.I will help you out with the other issues but the oil light needs to addresed first.

Ok, Ill go get the oil tester. All I have is the compression tester. and do it tomorrow morning. The light comes on at starting stays on longer than the others,it goes off then I drive for a while it will come on and then does the flicker when accelerating.. I just hope I don't make it worse. With the burning oil smell and the steam or smoke from the flex pipe. I will let you know what i come up with. thanks.

Alright keep me posted.

Well no luck with getting a oil presser tester. All I could find are gauges no testers.Checked all part stores and pawn shops and kijiji.I priced out getting it cheeked at a few places and they want 150 to 250 to check it. So I think I will try and make one. I think All I need is a liquid filled gauge with 50 to 150 psi. And a fitting for the Oil censer area and tube. I will try that. I will tell you my results of the dry compression test. Cylinder 1 Came in at 135. 2 was at 150. 3 140 4 at 150. Plugs clean no oil Boots and wires Volt tested 1.at 3.9 2 at 3.4 3 at 3.1 4 at 2.6. I also did a air leak test with a air compressor in the cylinder. No air coming from the coolant,No air from the tail pipe No air coming from the oil cap area. But air was coming from the throttle body. The air intake manifold was removed. I checked the PCV valve and it was oily and there was traces of oil in the tube to the throttle body. I'm not sure if that's normal.The valve was changed last year. Now I did notice that the Exhaust manifold got extremely hot after only one minute of the engine running. And stated to smell burning oil. May that be an the issue. Well Ill see if I can get the presser reading. If you have any thoughts please comment.

Your in trouble compression wise min compression on those engines is like 180psi so that engine cant be running too well.when you did the compression test was throttle wide open?Did you do ten compression strokes on each cylinder?

Yes throttle was open and I only did five compressions.They all spiked pretty well at the same rate.

Actually I only did a five count. It may have only been a 4 to five stroke.

To help you out the threads you need to check the oil pressure is 14mm diameter and thread pitch is 1.5.At idle the oil pressure should be 13psi min at 2000 rpms it should be 29psi min oil pressure cold at 2500 rpms 80psi min.

You have to do 10 not four or 5.

Thanks for the info on ratings. Id order a pressure tester online but it would take weeks to get here. I was just going by what the book said to do for the compressing test. I will retry it after the oil pressure test. Maybe it will go up after a few more strokes or maybe one wont.lol. Well tomorrows another day. Ive put so much into this car over the years its hard to give it up to buy someone else problem car.lol.

Keep me posted on what you find.

Well I think I have unfortunate results. I put the oil pressure tester I made n the censer connection. Started the car. Oil reading came in at 59 for idle.At 100 rpms. On the cold engine. After it warmed up.It went down to 10. at 70 rpms.At cold start at 2000 rpms the gauge went up to 70 Also not much of a change when up to 2500.rpms I let the car warm up for 5 mins. Checking the rpms occasionally to see if they went up when accelerated. Only went up to 70. So after the car was warm I went up to 3000 .Then I lost pressure. It would not go back up when rpms raised. Idle stayed at 10 on Gage.

So when warmed up at 2000 rpms what is the oil pressure psi reading?

It was 70 psi.when warmed up. But when I increased the rpms to 3000 it dropped.

Thats high sounds like the oil pressure regulator is failing.How was the compression?

As long as that gauge is right you bought and made.

I bought a Valley Instrument Quality Gauge good for oil gas water. I took it to Green line hose and fittings, Who put on fittings with Hydraulics onto a hose good for 200+ psi.So I think it works well. Now I restarted the car after the pressure dropped and it would not go up again I will retry now that the engine has settled.I don't know the compression? And not sure what you mean. I did that test yesterday but I havent repeated it.

I just quickly stated it up. Gauge read 18,While revving it the gauge whit down in pressure

70 was at 2000 rpms warm engine before

18Psi at idle is good at idle you need to redo the compression test because it sounds like the head is going to have to come off.

Redid the compression test each came back at 175-180. psi

That sounds better compression wise you need to test the oil pressure when the oil light is staying on.How is it running?You dont have platnuim plugs in the engine do you?

Well testing it with the light on is a problem.First the light has not stayed on and on, it only has flashed also It comes on at start up and lasts the longest of all warning lights.Don't I have to have the censer in for the light to come if so how can I have both going.Id have to get under the car install the switch and take it out to put in the oil tester.With hot oil coming from the hole.I'm sure it would have been on if that was the case while I was testing the pressure.Or be running the engine with no pressure with the pressure tester in till the light comes on? Running the engine with out oil pressure is bad and I will end up ruining the engine. I'm not to sure what kinda plugs I just got them at auto value parts. The parts person got them for me. They fit.lol.

It seam to be running ok.I haven't heard any sounds. I just got new brakes last summer.Fuel may be consuming faster than normal. Seams when the oil light comes on the car looses the get up and go. And feels to me like its gonna over heat but the temp gauge says its ok.It stays at about half way mark. The area where the oxygen censer seams to get super hot fast. I replaced the belt a month ago it seams tight. Other than that only the fan or Heater switch thing is broken. Really only goes on high. Last summer There was a spark and smoked that came from the switch when I turned on the air conditioning. I did have a coolant leak but replaced the water pump last summer and Trouble starting and replaced the starter last summer. Now this.lol.

Heres the solution for testing the oil pressure with the light on get a tee install it so the oil pressure sending unit screws in so its straight up and the oil pressure gauge hose screws into the side of the tee.If you dont see if the pressure isnt there when the light comes on then you have to start guessing is it the pressure being low bad wiring connectors pcm etc.You have to pull the spark plugs out if there there platnuim get them out of there and put in stock copper plugs.The platnuim plugs in those engines carbon foul and cause missfires and dead holes.Especailly if your burning oil.

The first thing you would notice from low oil pressure would be the lifters suddenly clicking from lack of oil pressure.

If I get the t connector, hook it up what am I looking for. If the pressure drops again.What would that mean.If not what then. Should I give up and bring it into a shop.I brought it in last week to a place when the light first came on.Dropped it off and 3 days later the guy still hadn't look at it. I got the censer and changed it myself and saved 200 bucks. And it wasn't even the problem.Any ideas on what Im looking at the good and bad.lol.

If the pressure drops when the light comes on then you know you have a pressure issue.Then you will have to replace the oil pump gears oil pump wear plate and oil pressure regulator.Or replace the front cover.If it doesnt drop then you will have to figure out the wiring terminal tightness issue or what ever else is causing the light to come on.One day at a time lol.

I THINK I HAVE CHAMPION PLUGS SILVER AND WHITE.BUT THAT WOULDN'T CAUSE LOW OIL PRESSURE WOULD IT. STILL DIDN'T GET THE FUEL FILTER CHANGED OUT BOLTS ARE SEIZED UP ON THE MOUNT. SPRAYED SOME DW40 BUT WONT BUDGE.WOULD DROPPING THE OIL PAN BE THE NEXT STEP.I THINK I NEED SPECIAL TOOLS FOR THAT THAT I DON'T HAVE.

I told you what platnuim plugs would nothing to do with oil pressure.Why would you drop the oil pan?The oil pump and pressure regulator are inside the front cover right behind where the crank pulley goes thru the oil pump.Untill you see if the oil pressure is causing the light to come on i wouldnt do anything yet.

oK ONE MORE TRY .LOL. Ill get a T connector and see if i can get let light on with out killing the engine.And Ill let you know what happens...Thanks.

Your welcome.

No luck finding a T fitting or any parts to build one. No places carry metric. Even the hose and fitting place I got the last fitting from can't. It would take a few weeks to order something in.

How can I rule out a electrical problem if I cant get the test with the light to come on. Or what else could I do. Assuming I lose pressure on the gauge when the light comes on while driving at 2000 to 3000 rpms.But can continue to drive.And amusing the pressure doesn't not come back on until I restart the car.

Well after coming to no conclusion. I brought my car into Canadian tire, which it the closest place for me.I told them everything and they lifted it up to see what was going on.They think That I have a leak some where at the back of the engine and also from somewhere in the Timing chain camshaft area. He also said he smells fuel in the oil. He said the cost of repairs are not worth fixing it. So I guess I'm looking for a new car. Not sure where to start with that one.lol.Thanks fore everything.

So what were the exact repairs they said you need?Also what did they say about oil light coming on?

He lifted up the front right splash shield a bit and said there is a lot of oil coming from somewhere and said it would be like 900 bucks just to get in a look at that one spot.Then there's a leak at the back of the engine behind the starter. Which he guesses is a head gasket. And then he thinks he smells fuel in the oil and mentioned checking the fuel injectors or something and that maybe to much fuel is getting in. He then said it would not be worth the money to fix it.I don't have a garage I'm doing this on the street in front of my house.lol. And to remove the crankshaft and what not could get messy. I may park it in the back and wait till the summer and have a project on my hands. The guy didn't charge me which was nice. He just kept telling me how impressed he was with me.lol.

He didn't really have an explanation for why the light was coming on.