Car

Ask a Car Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Car question?

42 Auto Mechanics are Online Now

characters left:

Not a Car Question?

Question

99 SATURN SL2 UPON COMING TO A STOP, THE RPM JUMPED UP, AND THE ENGINE DIED. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECH. THE ONLY TEST THEY COULD DO TOLD THEM #4 CYLINDER MISFIRED, THEN THE CAR STARTED. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED 2X''S IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM.

Submitted: 603 days and 12 hours ago.

Category: Car

Value: $15

Status: AWAITING CUSTOMER ACTION

Optional Information:
1999 Saturn SL2 4 CYL

Already Tried:
FUEL PUMP

Posted by Ted G. 603 days and 12 hours ago.

Answer

Your ignition system gets a signal from the crankshaft sensor. Many times thy will fail unexpectedly and then allow the car to restart fairly soon after. Since you had the tach jump it is quite possible this is your problem. If it is not acting up it will check fine and rarely will set a computer code. This is the first place I would look.

603 days and 11 hours ago.

Reply

Reply to Ted G.'s Post: When this happens, the car does not have any power. door locks, ign. ect everything is dead. Is there any way to test the crankshaft sensor

Posted by Ted G. 603 days and 11 hours ago.

Answer

Oh, you didn't mention all the other faults. A crank sensor will not kill the rest of the car. It sounds like you have a bad connection or possibly a bad ignition switch. First thing to try is wiggling the key back and forth while it's running and see if that changes anything, same thing if it dies, wiggle the key and see if everything comes back. If that doesn't do it each major power point needs to be inspected, starter, body grounds, fuse box, bulkhead connector. I would also check the battery for a loose post or corrosion, but that should cause other problems also.

602 days and 11 hours ago.

Reply

I am have a sensor installed, but they tell me it is a guess, and will not know if this corrects the problem until driven

Answer

As I said, if all those other things are failing it is not due to a crank sensor. It has to be something else.

Accepts:
Expert:	Ted G.
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Answered:	4/1/2008

ASE Certified Technician

20 years auto repair experience, ASE Master Tech, Mechanical Failure consultant, Expert Witness

Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.

Car

Have your own Car question?

Question

99 SATURN SL2 UPON COMING TO A STOP, THE RPM JUMPED UP, AND THE ENGINE DIED. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECH. THE ONLY TEST THEY COULD DO TOLD THEM #4 CYLINDER MISFIRED, THEN THE CAR STARTED. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED 2X''S IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM.

Optional Information

Optional Information: 1999 Saturn SL2 4 CYLAlready Tried: FUEL PUMP

Answer

Reply

Reply to Ted G.'s Post: When this happens, the car does not have any power. door locks, ign. ect everything is dead. Is there any way to test the crankshaft sensor

Answer

Reply

I am have a sensor installed, but they tell me it is a guess, and will not know if this corrects the problem until driven

Answer

As I said, if all those other things are failing it is not due to a crank sensor. It has to be something else.

Related Car Questions

Optional Information:
1999 Saturn SL2 4 CYL

Already Tried:
FUEL PUMP