Hi,
I have a 1998 Saturn SW2 with 160,000 miles. It's a four cylinder engine. The car is definitely worth less than $1,000, but it’s pretty good on gas and it’s paid for, so I want to keep using it and I am seeking your help. Any and all comments and opinions are much appreciated.
For the last 2+ years, when I start the car and it has not been running in the last 10 minutes or so, I first need to pump the gas twice and keep the gas pedal pressed in and then start it – it will usually start this way, but not if I don’t prime it like this. It has been getting worse over the last 2 years in that on warm days (say about 75 degrees and above) it would start more easily, and often without me priming it so much. But now I need to prime it all the time. When it starts, there is also sometimes a puff of smelly white smoke that comes out and it runs rough for the first 30 seconds, and if I take my foot off the gas, it will stall and I will need to prime it again for it to start and the puff of white is usually much bigger after such a stall. It has been doing this rough start thing for about 20,000 miles.
I know that the fuel filter has not been replaced in over 60,000 miles. Also, in order to save the brakes, which are near the end of their life, I have been downshifting when getting to a red light, and I’m wondering if this is not a good thing to do given that it has an automatic transmission. About 1. 5 years ago, based on the suggestion of a mechanic, I began adding Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer and that seemed to improve things a little and I have continued using this product.
So, I am trying to figure a few things out.
1. Roughly how much life expectancy should I expect out of the engine because of this rough start issue.
2. Could replacing the fuel filter fix the rough start problem.
3. Is downshifting to slow down maybe making things worse.
4. Is adding the Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer a good thing and should I go to a ratio of 60% Lucas and 40% oil as is recommended for badly worn engines. I’ve been going with a ratio of about 20% Lucas and 80% oil.
Thanks a bunch!
I have a 1998 Saturn SW2 with 160,000 miles. It's a four cylinder engine. The car is definitely worth less than $1,000, but it’s pretty good on gas and it’s paid for, so I want to keep using it and I am seeking your help. Any and all comments and opinions are much appreciated.
For the last 2+ years, when I start the car and it has not been running in the last 10 minutes or so, I first need to pump the gas twice and keep the gas pedal pressed in and then start it – it will usually start this way, but not if I don’t prime it like this. It has been getting worse over the last 2 years in that on warm days (say about 75 degrees and above) it would start more easily, and often without me priming it so much. But now I need to prime it all the time. When it starts, there is also sometimes a puff of smelly white smoke that comes out and it runs rough for the first 30 seconds, and if I take my foot off the gas, it will stall and I will need to prime it again for it to start and the puff of white is usually much bigger after such a stall. It has been doing this rough start thing for about 20,000 miles.
I know that the fuel filter has not been replaced in over 60,000 miles. Also, in order to save the brakes, which are near the end of their life, I have been downshifting when getting to a red light, and I’m wondering if this is not a good thing to do given that it has an automatic transmission. About 1. 5 years ago, based on the suggestion of a mechanic, I began adding Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer and that seemed to improve things a little and I have continued using this product.
So, I am trying to figure a few things out.
1. Roughly how much life expectancy should I expect out of the engine because of this rough start issue.
2. Could replacing the fuel filter fix the rough start problem.
3. Is downshifting to slow down maybe making things worse.
4. Is adding the Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer a good thing and should I go to a ratio of 60% Lucas and 40% oil as is recommended for badly worn engines. I’ve been going with a ratio of about 20% Lucas and 80% oil.
Thanks a bunch!
