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Cracked or warped head . Blown head gasket . blown intake gasket . TIme for a teardown and looksee.

Keep running it - it won't be doing that much longer. It's as R-T said and needs a tear down (take apart) to diagnose probably a head gasket but keep running it and it will make a good mooring,

T

it isn't cracked. there's an oil cooler that the coolant runs through to cool the engine. it can leak. the oil would leak into the coolant because it's much higher pressure, but the coolant wouldn't go into the oil. sorry i didn't reply sooner

We are all glad you didn't reply sooner as you don't know diddle and shouldn't post on a finished thead. Oil/coolant can leak anywhich way the opportunity area allows. You thing YOU know what's going on with this one?

Thread locked to be opened by request if original poster asks a moderator,

T

Yeah, he thinks he's real smart. This engine doesn't have a cooler.

Here's a TSB on the head problem. They even extended the warranty for this.


Bulletin No.: 99-P-01
Date: January 04, 2005
SPECIAL POLICY Subject:
Replacement of Cracked Cylinder Heads Models:
1994-1996 Saturn S-Series Vehicles with Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) Engines (1994: RPO LKO, 1995-1996: RPO L24) Attention: All Saturn Retailers and Authorized Service Providers in the United States and Canada
Condition
Certain Saturn vehicles equipped with 1.9L SOHC engines may develop a crack internal to the cylinder head. Early evidence of this would be abnormal discoloration within the coolant reservoir, and/or the engine may run hot.
Special Policy Adjustment
This Special Policy provides cylinder head coverage for a period of six years from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, or 100,000 miles (160,000 km), whichever occurs first. The policy covers both the original owner, and any subsequent owners for the six-year/100,000 mile (160,000km) duration. The qualifying repairs will be made at no charge to the customer.
Vehicles Involved
All 1994-1996 Saturn S-Series vehicles equipped with 1.9L SOHC engines.
Parts Information
Parts required to perform a cylinder head replacement are to be obtained from Technical Information Bulletin 96-T-65B.
Service Procedure
When replacement of the cylinder head is required, refer to the service procedure as outlined in Technical Information Bulletin 96-T-65B.
Customer Notification
Customers will be notified of this special policy on their vehicles by Saturn Corporation via first class mail.
Customer Reimbursement
Customers with claims for previously paid repairs to replace the cylinder head for the subject condition are requested to contact their Saturn Retailer or the Saturn Customer Assistance Center to arrange for reimbursement. Repairs must have been performed within six years of the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, or 100,000 miles (160,000 km), whichever occurs first. If the repair was performed at a non-Saturn facility, customers will need to provide the original paid receipt or invoice verifying the repair, and proof of ownership of the vehicle at the time of repair.

This engine is well known for cracking cylinder heads and causing that.

what all needs to be replaced, if that is the case? how long would be estimated time to complete work?

It's a major repair at considerable expense, $1000 or more. The cylinder head will have to be replaced and all that oil has to be cleaned out somehow.

I haven't examined your car so this is nothing but a suggestion that should be checked. Don't plan a repair around my guess.

That depends. Can you determine whether it's engine oil or trans fluid?

You need to find out which it is. ATF could mean a broken cooler in the radiator. Engine oil could mean broken engine oil cooler if it has one, cracked head, bad head gasket.

Correct me if I'm wrong but if it's a bad head gasket wouldn't there be antifreeze in the oil when checking the dip stick?

Possibly but not definitely.

Would a radiator pressure tell me if a gasket is bad or compression test?

No, you need to first determine what kind of oil it is like I already said.

I checked this morning and I cannot see any traces of oil, just the fluid in the reservior. I listened to the kid who's vehical it is.

DaveO - I'll at least give this "kid" credit for seeking some help if he/she thought there was a problem. For now it seems there isn't a problem,

T

I completed several tests and determined it was overheating just like he said. All it needed was a thermostat! someone he works with told him it was a head gasket. He saved alot of money. Thanks for all your help.

Be careful with the 3.4L in those. Just had one last week that was overheating and I put a T stat in it. It also had a burnt out fan motor on the driver's side. I thought I had it solved, but it came back. I never thought to block test it previously, but it ended up being combustion gases getting into the coolant system. Took the heads off and found that one of the dummy coolant passages outboard was eroded past the firing ring on #1 cylinder. Dex-cool, aluminum head, and cavitation erosion don't mix.

Thanks, I never thought to check the cooling fan. you are right about the dex cool. I told him to have everything flushed out and replace it with regular anti-freeze. He told me about a year and a half ago that he indeed have the head gasket replaced and it seemed to be doing the same thing as it was this time and that was overheating.

I told him to have everything flushed out and replace it with regular anti-freeze.

I wouldn't advise that at all. There is nothing wrong with running Dexcool and it is in fact recommended highly. The problem only occurs when it is left in too long or run low with air in the system.

Well the coolant level was if fact low, but not to bad. i added dexcool to fill level. He works with my son and drives about 18 miles a day and has run the vehicle two days in a row without any problems so far. I just hope the kid doesn't have any more problems because he only make minium wage and cannot afford much, and I didn't charge him anything except a thermostat.

There isn't much question that there is a leak somewhere that hasn't been found yet. the system needs to be pressure tested to see if there is any leakdown and where.

I have a pressure tester and my son is going to tell him to stop by after work tomorrow and I'll test the pressure. The car is missing in #1 cyclinder and I will test compression. I put in new spark plugs and one new wire because that's all the wire I had. The miss stopped but not sure what's it doing now.

It could be leaking coolant from the intake gasket into the #1 intake port and then into the cylinder fouling the plug.

Thought about that but didn't see anything when I took out the plug but very difficult to see anything. Sure hope thats not the problem but definitely could be. I also looked at the plug and some of the ceramic was gone. I also didn't see any coolant on the plug itself and it wasn't wet.

They also have bad intake gaskets very often.

I checked around the intake and visually didn't see any leaks, but thats not to say it wasn't leaking somewhere else. I want him to bring the vehicle back this weekend so I can check some more and someone told me that the lines have to be bled more than once.

Thanks and in the morning I'll do that!

also this is a bettr picture