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That's not going to be a head gasket. It's going to be a cracked head. Those DOHC are notorious for that and that's about the only way you get oil in the coolant. Head gaskets don't generally do that.

Oil cooler is probably leaking. The 3.0L is known for that.

Its located in between the cylinder heads under the intake.

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Alright guys. You have all been really helpful so far. As soon as I find out more details I will let you know.

Basically praying for something that doesn't lead to buying a new motor :/

I remember reading an article in Motor Age where they had a Saturn with your symptoms. Found a link to the article if you want to read about it.

http://www.searchautoparts.com/motorage/maintenance-repair/out-production?page=0,0

P0E2005 : No matter what you find it's better to know. ATF (usually reddish) could turn dark if mixed with coolant but generally not so fast. Also know that all the 'rubber' products in cooling system won't like oil in them and ATF is an oil.

Just factor that even if expensive to stop the oil invasion. You could just feel some cooling system hoses and note they are way too soft or perhaps lucky and not enough time to have done that.

Hard stuff at a distance like that to know the best attack. Fix there or somehow get it back locally. Lots is not fun or cheap on top of fixing the problem!

T

Well guys, I have a buddy with a Blazer and a tow bar. So I believe next weekend we're going to run up and haul it back down here where we can actually work with it.

IF it is the Oil Cooler, any of you guys have an idea of about how much that will cost?

IF it is the Oil Cooler, any of you guys have an idea of about how much that will cost?

Alldata says 5.2 hours

Ok guys, I have another question. I am shopping around for this "Oil Cooler" Online, and upon entering the make and model of the car, the only results are a TRANSMISSION oil cooler. And it doesn't look like the Cooler pictured in the above Diagram, or the Article in the link above. Am I not searching for the right thing?

I went on Ebay and typed 2000 Saturn engine oil cooler. Found several of them, all AC Delco and new. About $190 for any of them.

See, I didn't try Ebay. I don't understand why I can only find it there, none of the other reputable Auto parts sites have it, they have a Transmission oil cooler that runs about $70.

that would do your transmission fine and do nothing to help your engine. Square pegs don't fit in round holes. This engine isn't a small block chevy. Parts aren't cheap and plentiful everywhere you look for them.

Rockauto sells just the engine oil cooler assembly

AC Delco p/n 13101668

Ok, I am finding it with that part number now. Awesome! :D

I just wish that the ONLY mechanic within distance to service the car was as smart as you guys are.

Here's an excerpt from the conversation on the phone with him:

Him: "Well the cooler would be a Transmission oil cooler, and attached to the radiator, so just buy the whole radiator, they should come together."

Me: "Well....From what I am finding there is a separate engine ENGINE oil cooler, under the intake between the heads. I believe that's what's ruptured."

Him: "Well....If it's separate it wouldn't be causing your oil in the water, because usually the radiator is cracked and it leaks that way..."

Lord help me... :/

Your engine is a Saab design and not a whole lot of them around, so a local independant shop may have never seen this setup before. I've never seen one like it on any of the other engines I've worked on. Go figure the whole brand was discontinued and small wonder why. If there is a shop that specializes in european cars you may find someone who knows exactly what you're talking about.

Ok guys, I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here, and I need some advice.

I got in touch with a local mechanic, who agreed to use his truck to come and tow the car back to his shop, and look at it for us. AMAZING! Right?

Well, I made the mistake of saying, "We need to see if we can save it or have to junk it", and it turns out, Mr. Friendly Mechanic ALSO....Junks cars.

Now that he has the car, I dunno if he's being honest, or trying to get me to scrap the car, or if he's just stupid!

He called me and said : "I don't really know where the oil is coming from, but with that, the poor interior, and cracked windsheild, I would just scrap it."

Me: "Have you ruled out a cracked Block or head gasket yet?"

Him: "No, I can't do that unless I tear it down, replace the gasket, and it still may not fix the problem."

Me: "Well...General consensus is the oil cooler, I believe that's the problem, can you look at that and see if it's the problem?"

Him: "Where is the oil Cooler?"

Me: "Under the intake, between the heads."

Him: "I can tear it down, probably $150 labor. But if I do get the part out I won't know if it's leaking."

Me: "You...can apply some air pressure...with some soapy water...and see if it's leaking..."

Him: "Yea I could do that."

So that's what's going to happen, $150 for him to get to the part. I am afraid he's conning me. Gonna charge us $150, Tell us it's NOT the problem. And then recommend scrapping, and with the labor we owe him....Get a free car basically...

What do you guys think? He IS my only option, there is no moving the car, You think he's just stupid? Or conning me?

I scrap cars too, and I still give the truth to my customers. I wonder if this guy is though. Seems like he has an eye for it or is incompetent. Either way he isn't the only option. Rent a u-haul dolly and get the thing out of there. Pay him for his time. Then get out of there. If he has to have you tell him there is a cooler under there and tell him how to test it you don't want him to do it.

See, the car is 300 miles away. We have thought about renting a Uhaul and Dolly, but that plus round trip gas. If the car DID need to be scrapped. We'd end up in the hole.

And he was the only choice because the car is in the middle of BFE Missouri, and he was the only mechanic within 50 miles, and agreed to tow it for us.

I tell myself, that he is just a hometown MOzura Mechanic, used to fords and chevy's, and is maybe just a little confused by the foreign motor, and I HOPE that's all it is. As it stands now, He's pulling down to the part. He's supposed to let me know by wednesday. But I have news for him, In case he is slightly crooked, and is after a free scrap car. IF the oil cooler isn't the problem, which I know it is, but if he tells us it isn't.....I will pay him for his labor, and scrap that car with a competitor right outta his driveway.

"If the car needed to be scrapped we'd be in the hole."

Cars aren't an investment unless you have a model T or a numbers matching Hemi Cuda with 50 miles. They are an expense. a 300 mile road trip isn't much, and worrying about gas mileage and a Uhaul is a minimal expense compared to the local Cletus in BFE tearing up an engine he knows nothing about.

Get that car out now before he tears it up. He doesn't know what he's working on and will make your nightmare a reality with your wallet on the chopping block. Even if he puts it together who knows what may be surfacing down the road from his work. Pull the pin now and go get it or leave it there and see it recycled into new saran wrap and beer cans.

Ok guys, He pulled down to the part, and said you could visibly see the crack with the naked eye. That it IS the problem. Thank goodness. All I need to do is order the part and an Intake gasket and the car will be ok.

Now before I order this part, I am finding the AC Delco part # to be 13101668. You guys think that is correct? The part search on ACDelco says it fits my model. But for SOME reason Amazon is saying it won't, Figure Amazon may be wrong. You think I should just order it anyway?

Links not allowed

That is the actual link to the part I am wanting to buy.

Well gee Hammertime, thanks for swinging by and removing that menacing link, and not to provide any input . lol



And TECHNICALLY, as it was not clickable, it wasn't a link anyway. It was an address....Just sayin lol

Sarcasm isn't going to get you too far. The only links we allow is the photographs or youtube videos.

The Delco number is the right one. Amazon and EBay don't fix cars, and I've seen their compatibilty charts a mile off regularly. Delco made the part, they know what the right number is.

I'm sorry Hammertime, lol I was only messing with you. In all seriousness. I can't express to you guys how much you have helped me in this matter. For real. You guys do something really good here.

I went ahead and ordered the part. It's on it's way there, and we'll see how it goes. :D

You think he's just stupid? Or conning me?

Probably a little of both. I don't know how you came up with this choice but it sounds like it was a bad one.

Get a good Delco part number and try a search with that.

And also, that article pretty much nails what we were experiencing.

Oh god...Cracked head. That's a terrifying notion...We actually drove up to a nearby Mechanic and he did say that those engines had TONS of problems.

If it is in the reservoir and mixed with water. How could I tell whether it's Oil or Tranny fluid? Judging by the color. I am worried it's Oil. But the oil level read ok.

Also. After it filled with oil when we ran it. I killed it and flushed it again. Completely dry. And filled it back up. And DIDN'T start it up again. When I came back and checked the reservoir. The oil was there again. Without the car even running.....

The color is about the only way to tell between engine oil and trans fluid. The engine oil doesn't have to be low, it only takes a little oil to make a complete mess.

See, It's kind of hard to explain. But this wasn't a small amount of oil. I had to throw down Kitty Litter. It was flowing out of the reservoir like a little oil volcano. Went everywhere. If there is a crack somewhere...it is substantial.

Someone said since it is an Automatic it may have Engine oil coolant lines that may have broken near the radiator?

I don't believe your car has an engine oil cooler but if it does, that's entirely possible.
Oil floats on water so even a small amount mixed with coolant will seem like a lot and it's very hard to get it all out.

Is this car 5 hours away from you? A maybe is if automatic that trans fluid if it uses radiator could be leaking inside to engine coolant - at first would float and be expelled to recovery tank. You would see low trans fluid level with this amount so fast in front of you.

This car is NOT up to that drive till fixed,

T

We left it there. That's what's making it difficult is that it is so far away and we can't move it till it's addressed.

Stupid me didn't check the Transmission Fluid. But some of the "Oil" in the reservoir was jet black in color. I figured transmission fluid would be more reddish pink?

If it is in fact Tranny fluid what would that indicate?