Thanks for the info 👍 I ❤️ My 2004 SATURN Ion Coupe. 2.2 5spd Purchased New 2004... I'm at 346000 lately. 😁 1st clutch lasted 255000 miles. Auxillary fan every 3 years is about the only hassle. Brake cylinders 3rd set 2020. 3rd belt... Same timing chain. Oil leak lately, valve cover gasket. Guess, I'll have at look at that timing chain. 👍 Original AC running cold. 2nd Alternator 2015.

Exactly what happened ion my wife's 04 Ion. Plastic timing guides broke and caused slop in the chain which bent all the intake valves. At first I thought it was a broken timing chain. Fixed that and still no compression. I told her to prepare to have it hauled to the junkyard and I thought she was going to cry. She loves that car. So instead I tore it down in our driveway. Pistons just had slight indentations. Cleaned everything, New intake valves, head bolts and gasket kit. All in all about $500 doing the work myself and she was back on the road. So yes - get the timing chain and guides replaced. Don't wait!!! Our car now has 233k miles.

@ 2:15. I didn't know that those piston thingies under the cams bent . Buy a good used motor for around $600 oil, filter & A freeze $50.00. Charge another $600 for a 1 day job , that's right a 1 day job 2 if you're slow or inexperienced ! Pull it out the top NOT the bottom like all the books say ! I've even did one with a 5 speed through the top. It was tight but it came out & went back in .

I leased a 96 Saturn SC2, Blew the engine getting on the freeway (was told timing chain "slipped" due to me mis-shifting the engine). They handed me a big bill to fix it , I handed it back, pointed at the "transmission: Automatic" on the details page and walked away from that car. Best lease ever! :P At Least the plastic bodies on the 90's series were cool, someone sideswiped me once, and I didn't have a scratch afterwards.

good ! i got one , cranking no go!

Well, that sucks! sorry to hear this.

We had some cars way that had timing belts that were interference. But on the other hand a timing belt swap is rather easy. My 2.3 has a non interference engine with a belt. Push down the tensioner and replace the timing belt. Simply beyond easy and can be done in around 10 minutes

Todd Harrison, you get a like and subscription from me today, because I didn't know Colonel Sanders is also a Mechanic. 😅

If my rocker rollers are still intact could my head still be good?

That's too bad,. It looks like he changed oil regularly any way. Chances are pretty good that the pistons are shot too.

Its funny how im curious about these issues even though i never had this problem with my 03 chevy. My new car has this engine and i think its fine as a daily as long as you stay particular about the oil. Im a little suspicious if they handle synthetic all that well.

Reminds me of the earliest Toyota Corolla (1970s) timing chains that would stretch and stretch ... until ...

Junkyard that head & get a timing chain kit baby $300 🤩

Hahahah he said the car is scrap send it here to Cali I’ll give you 500 for it put a motor in it and call it a day I have an 06 ion and just out a used motor in it and runs great scrap it hahaha fix it better than a car payment

Nothing ever costs that much when you do it yourself! Over priced bulshit, I have repaired this issue for under $300 shopping right

I have a 05 Saturn ion. I bought it new, and have had nothing but problems with it. It only has 98,000 miles on it, but it’s crap.. at 100 miles the mass airflow sensor died, this was bad because they did NOT warentee the issue. Then just about everything in the front suspension does at 35,000 miles, had to put 2 sets of injectors on it, the infamous key cylinder 3 times, the bcm once, the float for the antifreeze level, now sometimes I crank it, and the power steering doesn’t work., and the gas pedal (it’s electronic assist) gets out of sync. Not to mention the seals in the doors have worn out bad enough that I just drilled a few holes in the floorboards to let the water drain.. no use putting money in a car that horrible... the sad thing is, I know I’m forgetting things... btw thanks for letting me know the timing chain can get loose like that and jump timing.. I thought that was the 1 thing I wouldn’t have to worry about, because it was not a belt.... oh well, wishful thinking..

Where is he pulling these numbers from? Go on Summit racing or Jeggs. Cloyes BOTH Cam and balance shaft timing sets around 200 bucks complete premium top end gasket set 130 bucks, rebuilt cylinder head 300 350 bucks. In fact you can pick up a rebuildable / parts core engine no warante at a bone yard for 350 bucks. You recondition rebuild that head and any needed and switch parts over. I have done dozens of complete rebuilds on ECOTEC engines. Without machine work at most I have a grand into it.

How many miles did it have

Are these 2.2 ecotec engines hard to change on a Saturn Ion sedan with a auto for a D.I.Y.

But no rust on the fender

Where's the fried chicken?

Just lazy to do it....I did mine 300 in parts and the know to do it...then sell it...get 3000 for it...

Those engines have had that problem since day 1 they have had a recall back to 2001 look it up another g.m junk failure

Probably had symptoms prior, right?

I have a 07 ion 2, I keep getting reduced engine power, I paid $600 to a mechanic to fix it, he did the timing and it still did the same thing, I then checked the code and changed the accelerator pedal sensor, same thing, mechanic is useless... anyone know what my issue could be? Btw, 5 months after timing replacement I have to re do it because it jumped, like I said, worthless mechanic

I've only worked on one Saturn, but wasn't a fan of it at all.

$2200??? A rebuilt head $300, Top end gaskets + head bolts $150, Timing chain set $150 w/ water pump, 2 six packs of Guinness $20

Probably best the engine grenaded. The Ions are awful, awful cars.

Yet another lazy and unskilled baby boomer. The valves and rockers are shot; but the pistons are reusable 95% of the time