How similar are '96 and '99 Saturns?

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Doug Miller - 06 Mar 2008 02:26 GMT

I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of factory
service manuals for it almost immediately.

Just bought a '99 SL-2 earlier this week, which is obviously a very similar
vehicle. My question is, *how* similar? Certainly the '96 manuals will be
adequate for at least some repairs on the '99, but I don't have a feel for
whether that portion might be 5%, or 95%, of the tasks.

Any guidance would be appreciated. TIA.

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Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

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marx404 - 07 Mar 2008 01:32 GMT

they should be comparably similar, not much different at all, same 1.9L
engine and same trannys in both..

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marx404

> I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of
> factory
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Any guidance would be appreciated. TIA.

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BläBlä - 07 Mar 2008 04:46 GMT

> they should be comparably similar, not much different at all, same 1.9L
> engine and same trannys in both..

IIRC 'Lane' knew most of the ends and outs of the changes in the S-
series. I dont think he has posted here for some years. I think there
were a number of changes in 97 and I think the heads were altered as
well. Also at some point the resistance for the shift solenoids changed.

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Lane - 16 Mar 2008 05:19 GMT

You can refer to the ultimate swap guide for engine/drivetrain differences:

http://www.saturnspot.com/performance-modifications/15149-ultimate-swap-guide-th
anks-tsn.html

I was in the same boat with purchasing the correct service manuals for a car
when I had some that were a few years different. I decided that no matter
how similar the cars were, it would only take one difference to potentially
mis-diagnose or fix something incorrectly. I sold my old FSMs to a friend
and bought the correct ones.

Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]
---
Visit my Saturn Car Audio and Performance Page at http://www.evilplastic.com

> they should be comparably similar, not much different at all, same 1.9L
> engine and same trannys in both..
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>>
>> Any guidance would be appreciated. TIA.

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DLR - 07 Mar 2008 04:39 GMT

> I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of factory
> service manuals for it almost immediately.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> adequate for at least some repairs on the '99, but I don't have a feel for
> whether that portion might be 5%, or 95%, of the tasks.

Any suggestions on where to get a set of manuals (or DVDs?) for a 98 SL-2?

Thanks
David Ross

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Doug Miller - 07 Mar 2008 11:59 GMT

>> I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of factory
>> service manuals for it almost immediately.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>Any suggestions on where to get a set of manuals (or DVDs?) for a 98 SL-2?

I got mine on eBay. You might also be able to order them from a Saturn dealer.
IIRC, I checked into that, and went the eBay route after finding that they
were indeed available from Saturn, but at a price higher than I was able to
afford at the time. I paid about $75 for a three-volume set of printed manuals
in three-ring binders. These are Saturn factory service manuals, the same ones
used in Saturn dealership service departments, not Haynes or Chilton manuals.

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Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

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