Project Saturn SW2

^+1 to that. It virtually is a 'resto', too. I love your commitment to this - you sought out exactly the car you wanted, then went nuts refurbishing it .

Also, muchly jealous of your shop. So clean and well-lit.

that valve cover fits? I thought the bolt pattern shifted a little between the years.

Took off the old valve cover and cleaned the sealing surface well. I was happy to see the top end looked good. Not major/ abnormal wear or marring on the cam lobes an overall it looked good...not major sludge or anything that would raise red flags.

Put the new gasket on and RTV/sealer on the correct spots.

Threw the valve cover on it and torqued it down. Put the plug wires on it too. Dielectric on connections and placed the exhaust manifold on just to see how it looked. I like it. Wish the exhaust was not so flat black thought.

Cleaned battery cable ends, cleaned battery, and re did the battery tie down.

Shot of the engine bay coming together:

Still not clean though. Gotta detail it but not for another week or so

gamby wrote: this is going to be one of the finest SW2's in the country!!!

Yay?

I had a Saturn that I bought new in Hawaii in 1993. I miss that car. Thanks for saving this one.

i am surprised by the amount of carbon buildup on the cam lobes themselves. Can a guy put more valvespring in there?

Tonight my girlfriend and i bled the brakes. Twice. A lot. The old fluid that came out was nasty so did lots of bleeding to push through the new fluid.

Also put on the air intake tubing and the air filter. All cleaned up and looking good.

Finished the night off with putting on the rear wheels. Its getting close ti being road ready. I just finished making a list and its down to only ten items.

Been trying to figure out a way to lower the car and add two air assist bags in the rear so the rear end does not droop. If you guys have any ideas or can help me out PM me or something.

Thanks

I have an idea...raise it instead of lowering.

In reply to CarKid1989:

What about air shocks? I've had them on numerous cars with and without an air pump. As long as there's no leaks they'll hold air for a while.

its got struts all around though

and lifting it is trickier on this thing then it sounds...

Momumental night tonight.

First time since i started the project could i close the hood. Things are coming together fast I have a list of 6 things left to do and its drive time.

Not doing the suspension at this moment of the wheels because my brother totaled his car and we need another car in a pinch

But struts are quick to do so after christmas ish season ill do suspension. I did have some ideas about lifting it still. Ill have to draw up some plans.

As a short term cheap solution, you could get a couple of those rubber donut coil spacers and stick them in your rear springs. That should help prevent some sagging, and firm up the ride a little. We used them on all four corners of the $2004 Challenge SL2.

Update:

just ordered the front pipe and cat online. Cheap too. 150$

Been working but more slowly over Christmas Break.

Took off the front bumper cover because whilst under the car i noticed the plastic bumper support was all cracked up. This makes the bumper rattle and move a ton. Not that uncommon i guess cause when i went to Pull- A- Part almost all were cracked. WELL i finally found one that was in one piece and then i took it home and quickly (al biet a bit less then my usual attention to detail) reinforced the mounting points.

Also, i installed the inner fender plastics. Fixed the passenger side a bit as it was cracked up a bit. Some aluminum strips and rivets and good as new. Cant even tell. The picture is not the greatest but you get the idea.

Lastly, and i may get some flack for this, i bought a cat back exhaust. I dont want a Boy Racer type but had few options. I had to have SS cause everything else rust to bits up here in the north. I thought about building but chickened out. Its not a Thermal unit cause its too expensive. Ill post pics up when it come. (might buy me some time to think of creative comebacks/ excuses about the exhaust )

nice work

if you ever need it again i have a motive pressure bleeder you are welcome to come borrow then just drop off at my sister's place.

My OBX exhause came today. Looks great. Welds are nice looking. From its looks it looks like a well built piece.

Put it on tonight but did not get it "dialed in" so to speak. Gotta adjust it. That will be tomorrow.

The tip is the only thing that bothers me. Its 3" and although its not HORRID its too boy racer for me. Well see how it looks when its on the ground/ lowered.

Bottom line....its full stainless and looks well built. Ill be the guinea pig and see whats what

cool. how much...and from where?

$316 shipped. $249 for parts? I was not really wanting to spend that much but.

Eracingzone was the supplier

That's where I got mine, too. It was the best deal I could find. $316 is cheaper than buying the muffler and resonator, and then taking it to Meineke and having them fab up a system with it. Plus this one is mandrel-bent, and is (supposedly) 304 stainless. I put it on myself...but it's a chore, and the little section that bolts to the cat flange is too long on mine, which means the system sits too far back, so it rests on the rear subframe, and I had to weld an extra piece onto the muffler hanger. But otherwise, it's nice. The sound is ok, not terribly loud. If I were you, though, and had access to a welder, hack off that muffler tip and weld a straight section of stainless piping on, that's the only part of the system I don't like, wayyyy too ricey.

Oh, yea, buy new hardware to mount it to the cat flange. I had to grind the bolts off and then hammer the studs out because they were so rusted on my car.

I don't think that tip looks too boy racerish. I don't remember, but does it sit below the bumper or tuck up into it.

$316??? For my swift, we're talking near a grand. Great project. I never thought I'd like wagons, but Doin stuff demands utility. Kudos

This is the kind of thread that keeps me coming to this site! You guys are amazing. I only wish I could hang out with the lot of you and refine my minimal talents.

great work on that bumper support btw.

Finished the exhaust with the help from the smartest, most handy and mechanically minded person in the world--my dad.

OBX fits nice. Pics and details tonight.

Then we ran it.

And it runs like a champ!

Back to do more cleaning