How To: 01-03 Saturn L-series engine replacement.
 

This one is coming in pieces over the next couple weeks, but I've got the engine from Horseheads Pick-A-Part in Horseheads, New York. It was the only one on the lot, and if they'd been "following the rules", it would have been crushed nearly 100 days ago. Lucky me.

Along with the engine, and for the price of the engine/tax/core charge, I got the complete engine/transmission harness, power steering pump, alternator, EGR pump, both manifolds, O2 sensor, throttle body, etc. All that was missing was the ignition coil and spark plug cover/wires.

I didn't take pictures of the junkyard engine removal because it was quick and dirty, and would not have been good for a pictorial walk through. I will take pics as I remove the engine and other parts from my wife's L-series, though. I may just drop the whole subframe and replace the engine that way, or I may pull it out the top like I did with the replacement. Hard to tell at this point.

Christ -

You should use the "Album" option to store the pictures. Then I could cross-post your thread into saturnfans. There's maybe 1/10th the activity in the L-Series forum as the S-Series forum, but someone is sure to benefit.

CarloSW2

I love Pick-A-Part! I fixed a pair of Chevy Ventures for $20 with parts from there when I was home in the Southern Tier last May.

Good luck with the swap! Can't wait to see pictures!

Unfortunately, I have very limited "shop time" to do this in, so I don't think I'm going to be able to actually document it as a how-to...

The old engine, I've torn the head/manifolds off, found out the OEM exhaust manifold is a tubular design, and has a huge crack in it (good thing I got one w/ the engine I bought).

I'm going to be pulling it into the shop soon to get the old block out, then power washing under the hood, and then installing the new/used engine. Hopefully, it will start up and run without any problems, even though it sat in the yard so long.

I have to drain/flush the engine before I get the car out on the road, but I'm relatively sure it will be OK.

The junkyard engine I put in this car failed again. Timing chain issues, but this time it was the counter shaft front bearing that failed. The engine still ran when it was pulled. The new engine is from an '03, no more timing chain issues. If this one doesn't last, I'm considering a V6 swap.