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#1
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
My grandparents recently bought me a 1997 SL1 with my money without
consulting me first. I am having a couple issues that I'm not sure where to start. 1. Last week, I blew a tire. While changing the tire I found that the brake drum easily slides off without making any adjustments. I know that it means it's so far out of adjustment that I cannot solve the problem by applying the brakes while going in reverse, but don't know how to adjust them otherwise. 2. I changed the oil maybe a week after they bought it. It was very very black. Since then, I have had to add nearly a gallon of oil. What has me stumped is that I don't see any oil spots where I park, there is no oil being sprayed out under the hood, no sign of it in the coolant and it doesn't seem to be burning it either. Any ideas? |
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#2
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
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#3
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
"Keith" > wrote in message news:Nfx3j.18004$Jy1.284@trndny02...
> wrote: >> My grandparents recently bought me a 1997 SL1 with my money without >> consulting me first. I am having a couple issues that I'm not sure >> where to start. >> <snip> >> >> 2. I changed the oil maybe a week after they bought it. It was very >> very black. Since then, I have had to add nearly a gallon of oil. What >> has me stumped is that I don't see any oil spots where I park, there >> is no oil being sprayed out under the hood, no sign of it in the >> coolant and it doesn't seem to be burning it either. Any ideas? > > Well as for item #2, if you don't see it on the ground then it's going out the tailpipe, which is not good news. <snip> Not necessarily. It could be going into the coolant. |
#4
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
Buy the shop manual either from www.helminc.com or get a Haynes manual.
Chiltons manuals are, these days, the manual of last preference. If you have any mechanical ability and the interest in doing so, a brake job is fairly easy with a decent set of tools. Bummer about the oil consumption. Check the PCV valve. A clogged valve will cause the oil to get dirty fast. What type of oil did you use? Perhaps it is time to use one of the oils made specially for high mileage engines. Try at least a 10W30 if not 20W40(?). How hot does the engine get when running? Oil gets dark from blow-by gasses, from heat and high loads. Saturn advertizes a de-gunking proceedure that is supposed to remove build-up on the piston rings -especially the oil control ring. I have no experience with this - perhaps others will comment. > wrote in message ... > My grandparents recently bought me a 1997 SL1 with my money without > consulting me first. I am having a couple issues that I'm not sure > where to start. > > 1. Last week, I blew a tire. While changing the tire I found that the > brake drum easily slides off without making any adjustments. I know > that it means it's so far out of adjustment that I cannot solve the > problem by applying the brakes while going in reverse, but don't know > how to adjust them otherwise. > > 2. I changed the oil maybe a week after they bought it. It was very > very black. Since then, I have had to add nearly a gallon of oil. What > has me stumped is that I don't see any oil spots where I park, there > is no oil being sprayed out under the hood, no sign of it in the > coolant and it doesn't seem to be burning it either. Any ideas? |
#5
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
Steve wrote:
> "Keith" > wrote in message news:Nfx3j.18004$Jy1.284@trndny02... >> wrote: >>> My grandparents recently bought me a 1997 SL1 with my money without >>> consulting me first. I am having a couple issues that I'm not sure >>> where to start. >>> > <snip> >>> 2. I changed the oil maybe a week after they bought it. It was very >>> very black. Since then, I have had to add nearly a gallon of oil. What >>> has me stumped is that I don't see any oil spots where I park, there >>> is no oil being sprayed out under the hood, no sign of it in the >>> coolant and it doesn't seem to be burning it either. Any ideas? >> Well as for item #2, if you don't see it on the ground then it's going out the tailpipe, which is not good news. > <snip> > > Not necessarily. It could be going into the coolant. > > Quite true, but if you'd read the original post he stated that he checked the coolant... |
#6
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
"Oppie" > wrote in message news:GRE3j.19109$Mg1.6326@trndny03... > Buy the shop manual either from www.helminc.com or get a Haynes manual. > Chiltons manuals are, these days, the manual of last preference. > IMHE the Chilton's manuals are superior to the Haynes and are definitely thicker (almost double), but YMMV. |
#7
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
"Private" > wrote in message news:A0X3j.7455$UQ1.5254@pd7urf1no... > > "Oppie" > wrote in message > news:GRE3j.19109$Mg1.6326@trndny03... >> Buy the shop manual either from www.helminc.com or get a Haynes manual. >> Chiltons manuals are, these days, the manual of last preference. >> > > IMHE the Chilton's manuals are superior to the Haynes and are definitely > thicker (almost double), but YMMV. To each their own. I started learning how to work on things on old (1970's) chilton manuals and got a lot out of them. More recent Chilton's didn't seem to be as thorough. Haynes usually includes a wiring diagram which in today's cars is pretty much a must. In any event, neither was available at the time I bought my lw300 used and I spang for the factory manual. No complaints other than a lousy index. Was meant to be viewed online and didn't make a graceful transition to print. |
#8
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
>> >> IMHE the Chilton's manuals are superior to the Haynes and are definitely >> thicker (almost double), but YMMV. > >To each their own. I started learning how to work on things on old (1970's) >chilton manuals and got a lot out of them. More recent Chilton's didn't seem >to be as thorough. Haynes usually includes a wiring diagram which in today's >cars is pretty much a must. In any event, neither was available at the time >I bought my lw300 used and I spang for the factory manual. No complaints >other than a lousy index. Was meant to be viewed online and didn't make a >graceful transition to print. > Does Saturn sell the "factory manual" ... or do you have connections in the trade ? I asked about buying the shop manual for my 2002 SL1 ... the Saturn dealer said " NOPE we don't sell them. " JT |
#9
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
Even though you don't see any smoke, it is most likely burning the oil.
Easiest thing you can do first is change your PCV valve. Search saturnfans.com forums for 'oil consumption' and you'll come across a thread where others have reported some measure of success in reducing the consumption. I believe it has something to do with a treatment with Marvel Mystery Oil. Many people draw the conclusion that oil consumption leads to premature death of the motor, but with these cars, that is not the case. Keep the level where it should be on the dipstick by checking it often, and listen for telltale signs of timing chain wear, and it should still live a long life. Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ] --- Visit my Saturn Car Audio and Performance Page at http://www.evilplastic.com > wrote in message ... > My grandparents recently bought me a 1997 SL1 with my money without > consulting me first. I am having a couple issues that I'm not sure > where to start. > > 1. Last week, I blew a tire. While changing the tire I found that the > brake drum easily slides off without making any adjustments. I know > that it means it's so far out of adjustment that I cannot solve the > problem by applying the brakes while going in reverse, but don't know > how to adjust them otherwise. > > 2. I changed the oil maybe a week after they bought it. It was very > very black. Since then, I have had to add nearly a gallon of oil. What > has me stumped is that I don't see any oil spots where I park, there > is no oil being sprayed out under the hood, no sign of it in the > coolant and it doesn't seem to be burning it either. Any ideas? |
#10
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Drum Pulls Off Easily
"hubops" > wrote in message ... > >>> >>> IMHE the Chilton's manuals are superior to the Haynes and are definitely >>> thicker (almost double), but YMMV. >> >>To each their own. I started learning how to work on things on old >>(1970's) >>chilton manuals and got a lot out of them. More recent Chilton's didn't >>seem >>to be as thorough. Haynes usually includes a wiring diagram which in >>today's >>cars is pretty much a must. In any event, neither was available at the >>time >>I bought my lw300 used and I spang for the factory manual. No complaints >>other than a lousy index. Was meant to be viewed online and didn't make a >>graceful transition to print. >> > > > Does Saturn sell the "factory manual" ... or do you have > connections in the trade ? > I asked about buying the shop manual for my 2002 SL1 > .. the Saturn dealer said " NOPE we don't sell them. " > JT I got mine through the saturn parts counter. Found out later that could have gotten it also through www.helminc.com Same price - give or take shipping. |
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