What should I do in this situation?

I recently just bought a 98 Saturn SC1 as my very first car. I wasn't looking for anything special, just something to get me to point A to B. I don't know how Veeky Forums feels about Saturns so im sorry in advance, I don't know anything about cars except changing tires and even that's a challenge for me. I will read up and watch videos on the basics like changing tires and oil and other basic stuff when I have the time in the future.

When I first bought it, for only $800, it had an oil leak and the flywheel was lodged in backwards somehow. My cousin, currently working on becoming a diesel mechanic, fixed it up for me for merely $100. It works, it drives good, no leaks happening. But recently I got the Service Engine Soon and Check Engine light showing up. I'm not exactly asking 'what does this mean' but rather what should I do in this situation? I'd hate to keep bugging my cousin, so where should I go and what exactly do I have to do? Last I heard I should get it checked and some "code" for a couple of dollars. How true is this?

Go to an auto parts store, like autozone, oreilys or advance auto. They will pull the code for free, then reaearch the code they give you.

If it's free, I can definitely do that tomorrow.

Personal question, how do you feel about Saturns?

>flywheel was lodged in backwards somehow

What? That doesn't even make sense.

That's what I have been told.

Man up. Get a code reader yourself. I highly recommend torque pro and a bluetooth obd2 adapter (bafx one on amazon) if you have android. Or i suggest getting a cheap standalone code reader.

Whoever told you that had no idea what the fuck they were talking about.

If the car runs and drives, I wouldn't be terribly concerned about the check engine light - CEL codes are usually not indicative of imminent disaster - unless of course you'll require emissions testing soon - CELs auto-fail smog checks. But these guys are right, parts stores will check the codes for free on any car 1996 or later, and will tell you what part you need to fix it.

Of course, they'll be happy to sell you that part...

So, what about the Service Engine Soon light?

Not him but Saturns are good a to b cars. Simple and easy to work on.

They can check that with a code reader too

It's a gm diagnostic light. The Check engine light conforms to the ODB2 standard but google says the ses light is mostly for emissions. You might have a bad o2 sensor or a misfire. Don't throw parts at it once you find out. Diagnose it properly.

Usually some emissions bullshit like o2 sensors.

Unless the previous owner thrashed it and never changed the oil or something.

Ill have to ask the cousin about the sensor. It was one of the last things he worked on before giving the car to me.

no. he might not know what the fuck he's doing. get the codes read and proceed to diagnose by yourself with the help of youtube.

I would deff get them read, could be as simple as somthing becoming unplugged. I dont personally know much about Saturns. My sister has an ION that has been pretty reliable.

Finally a fellow Saturnfag! I got me a 99 Saturn SC1 a few months ago and so far it hasn't giving me too much shit. The only thing I've replaced so far is the TPS due to a high idle, and a fuse for the cigarette lighter so I could use it to charge my phone. I would suggest you buy the repair manual for yours; it was one of the first things I did.

You talking about that Haynes manual? Because I have been thinking about getting it around the time the car was halfway done.

Don't expect anything more than an A to B car. In my experience they're pretty reliable, and they don't rust or don't for obvious reasons. I may be mistaken, but doenst the SC1 of that generation mean it doesn't have the third door? C'mon OP, muh suicide doors

Other than racing, I fail to see another use of a vehicle other than A to B.

don't rust or dent*

My point was more about how people will take a car that's made for getting from A to B and think it's a race car. I can never really see how anyone can think of something like that and Saturn

yeah that's the one

Saturns actually did fairly well in racing. They were competed in SCCA's showroom stock division, and were competitive but didn't dominate. SCCA showroom stock was generally dominated by Dodge Neons and Chevrolet Cavaliers, which had a significant horsepower advantage (The Saturns made 124 HP from a 1.9L DOHC I4, the Neons made 150 HP from a 2.0L DOHC I4, and the Cavaliers made 155 HP from a 2.4L DOHC I4). Saturns were also competed in rally events and American touring car races to decent success, though Saturn's racing program was killed when the Saturn Ion was killed off in 2007.

Saturns are cool. GM killed them because they were too good.