Great Saturn Feature

I changed the oil on my girlfriend's 1998 Saturn SL2 over the weekend. She has about 38,000 miles on the car. The car had some problems stalling out when new, but for the last few years has been trouble free.

I found changing the oil on this car interesting. Changing the oil in the transmission on this car is as easy as changing the engine oil. Both have a drain plug on the pan and both have a spin on filter. The only problem I imagine with this set up is some new owners might mistakenly drain the tranmission oil and remove the tranmission filter and then wonder why four quarts of engine oil causes an overflow. The tranmission filter is marked "TRANSMISSION", but I know that is not enough to enlighten some people. One other possible source of confusion is that the oil level dipstick goes through the transmission.

Car makers should have had spin on filters and drain plugs on transmissions long ago. The filter in the transmission pan is a mess to change.

Alexander
President
Lincolns of Distinction

RE: Great Saturn Feature

I've never even noticed that! is hers a stick or an automatic? i've only been under mine a couple of times i guess i'll have to look under mine again in the morning... what were the other problems that she has had with her car?? just so i know what to look for, i've already had the control module changed for the cruise control if it wasn't for the warranty i would have had to pay $416 instead i only had to pay the $100 deductible anything else major i need to look for??

Josh

98 Saturn SL2 Gold/Tan w/55,500 miles

RE: Great Saturn Feature

It's an automatic. I will ask her what the cause of the problem of the stalling was. She has had no other problems.

The original tranmission oil filter is red and is located on the driver's side.

Alexander
President
Lincolns of Distinction