Saturn, a subsidiary of General Motors, produced the SL model for the 1991 through 2002 model years. The company slogan was, "a different kind of car company -- a different kind of car." Saturn had a "no haggle pricing" policy, which was supposed to make its customers feel like they were getting a fair deal, while not having to worry about their neighbor getting a better deal on the same car. The 1998 SL base model came with a 1.9-liter, single-overhead-cam engine.
Park your Saturn on a solid, level surface. Install a memory saver, following the directions from its manufacturer. Disconnect the negative battery cable with a combination wrench. Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels. Place a floor jack under the center of the front crossmember and raise the front end of the SL1. Place jack stands under the pinch welds behind the front wheels and lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.
Locate the starter. It's on the back side of the engine, next to the oil filter. Disconnect the ignition wire by removing the 10 mm nut securing it to the starter solenoid. Remove the 13 mm nut securing the positive cable and fusible link to the solenoid.
Remove the upper starter mounting bolt with a 13 mm socket; it is obstructed by the starter, so you will need an extension between the socket and ratchet to reach it. Remove the lower mounting bolt, while supporting the starter so it doesn't fall. Remove the starter.
Guide the replacement starter into position. Install the lower mounting bolt, but do not fully tighten it yet. Install the upper mounting bolt. It will be tricky, but you can use a piece of paper or tape to hold the bolt in the socket as you guide it through the hole. Tighten the mounting bolts to 27 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.
Install the positive cable and fusible link on the solenoid and tighten the nut to 89 inch-pounds. Install the ignition wire on the solenoid and tighten the nut to 44 inch-pounds. Lift the front of vehicle, remove the jack stands and lower it to the ground. Install the negative battery cable. Remove the memory saver.
