# Saturn burning oil and fouling plugs



## wahoowad (Sep 7, 2010)

I think I recall we have a couple Saturn experts here. Probably pertains to most any car. Our 2000 Saturn 4 cyl. burns oil. I usually see a nice white cloud when I start it in the morning but have never noticed it burning oil while following my wife driving it. I check the oil and have to put a quart in every couple weeks. It isn't leaking, must be burning it.

A few weeks ago it started missing bad. I found several plugs completely fouled with crusty white residue that (according to a spark plug guide) says it is due to burning oil. I replaced the plugs and it ran fine. Now, maybe a month or so later, it is starting to miss again at high RPMs. I check the plugs and can see all developing white crust but look good enough to clean off and put back in. Some worse than others. Is there a treatment to add or something I can do short of fixing the internal oil leak to keep the plugs from fouling at such a fast rate? Adding oil was OK but pulling and cleaning/replacing these plugs isn't going to cut it. Car runs like a top except for this!


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## ANeat (Sep 7, 2010)

It really depends on how its (oil) getting into the combustion chamber.   It could be something as simple as valve guide seals,  valve guides worn or something as bad as the rings/cylinders wore.

 How many miles are on the car??  How many miles between "quarts"


   A compression test would be a good start.  Or just get used to adding oil and cleaning spark plugs


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## wahoowad (Sep 7, 2010)

engine has between 110k and 120k. I suspect it is valve guide seals allowing oil to get past. Maybe 1000 miles between quarts, if that much. Just back and forth to work every 3 weeks or so.


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## ANeat (Sep 8, 2010)

Thats really not too high of miles for todays engines.  I dont know if Saturns have a rep for wearing out rings or some other problem.

 If its valve seals its not too bad of a DIY job with a few of the right tools.  If the valve guides themselves are wore the head would need to come off.    A good indicator of bad valve seals is if you get a puff of blue smoke when you let off the accelerator when slowing down.  The engine vacuum goes high and draws oil down past the valve guides.   


   I assume its all cylinders that are fouling the plugs?


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## wahoowad (Sep 8, 2010)

yes, all cylinders. some slightly worse than others but none are clean.


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## heatwise (Sep 8, 2010)

sounds familiar. i have a 1995 sc2 with about 150.000 mi. i clean out the throttle body about every 3 months. after the clean out i check the plugs. im noticing that when the oil level falls to the low level on the dip stick it seems to smoke more?. this oil consumption of about 1 quart every 1000 mi or so has been with the car scince it was new. our other saturn is a 2002 and doesnt have an oil consumption issue. pete


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## woodsman23 (Sep 8, 2010)

You could try some anti plug foulers. They screw to the ends of the plugs and help keep them clean. Here is a pic of them and there many uses..

http://forums.evolutionm.net/evo-ho...k-plug-anti-foulers-remove-ses-cel-light.html


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## ANeat (Sep 9, 2010)

I did a quick search on Saturns burning oil and it seems like its a common problem with some years.


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## ironpony (Sep 9, 2010)

those anti foulers do work
I had a Monza with the famous all aluminum 4 cyl
that burned oil bad, and those helped


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## rustynut (Sep 9, 2010)

wahoo.....
  You might speak to the guy at the auto parts and ask him about going to a slightly hotter burning plug.
Got to change that oil regularly !
rn


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## wahoowad (Sep 9, 2010)

rustynut said:
			
		

> wahoo.....
> You might speak to the guy at the auto parts and ask him about going to a slightly hotter burning plug.
> Got to change that oil regularly !
> rn



I appear to be changing the oil about every 1000 miles. LOL! I will certainly look into those anti-fouler things. Sounds like a gimmick to me but will investigate further.


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## vvvv (Sep 9, 2010)

white smoke = water. blue smoke =oil. ??????????


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## woodsman23 (Sep 9, 2010)

wahoowad said:
			
		

> rustynut said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Not a gimmick they do work and work well and the best thing is they are only a couple bucks...   try them and be surprised,,,,


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## backpack09 (Sep 10, 2010)

Those spark plug antifoulers are also great for moving the rear O2 sensor out of the exhaust flow to mask a failed catcon...


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## Mroverkill (Sep 10, 2010)

ok here is what you do (mechanic by trade) and done tons of saturns.


problem is that the pistons DO NOT have oil drain holes behind the oil rings and after time they gum up 


take the car get it up to temps     pull all 4 plugs      pure 2 caps of seafoam in each cylinder and turn motor by hand ONE cycle. let it sit for 45 mins and  repete.


put the plugs back in  and start it up you might have to floor it to get it started. BEWARE when it does start it will smoke a bunch so dont do this where you have shitty neighbors on second thought do it lolol

take it for a drive and your good to go   it will help the oil smoking/burning a bunch and i tell my saturn customers to do it once a year plus it helps out the cat to keep it clean


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## wahoowad (Sep 10, 2010)

I might try the seafoam. How do I turn the moor by hand? Can I just bump the ignition a time or two?


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## woodsman23 (Sep 10, 2010)

Mroverkill said:
			
		

> ok here is what you do (mechanic by trade) and done tons of saturns.
> 
> 
> problem is that the pistons DO NOT have oil drain holes behind the oil rings and after time they gum up
> ...



Great idea, this place never lets us down there is always someone that just knows............... i use seafoam in boat and mowers wonderful stuff


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## pgmr (Sep 10, 2010)

Might also be a bad PCV valve.  You can usually remove it and give it a shake to see if there is a rattle inside.  If so, it's probably ok.


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## Mroverkill (Sep 11, 2010)

if all 4 plugs are out you should be able to grab the belt and turn it but the right way would be to put a socket on the crank bolt  if you bump it it might turn to fast and push out the seafoam


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