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I have a 2001, Saturn SC1. I recently got stuck in the snow and ice. I have a standard and revved my engine fairly high trying to get out, but did not get anywhere near the red. After that, I got a low coolant notice and added antifreeze. it quickly leaked out again. When I checked the oil this morning, it is half way up the dip stick. So, obviously, the antifreeze is going in the oil. My car is not overheating. What is the mostly likely cause? (blown head gasket, intake gasket, cracked head?)
That's what I was afraid you would say. I just had to replace a blown head gasket in a 2001 Hyundai Elantra in August. This sucks.
Yeah, it does.
There are other reasons you could have coolant getting into your oil pan, but none of them are cheap to fix.
I'd also add that, if you hope to save the engine, get the coolant-infused oil out of there asap, and maybe even do an engine flush. Anti-freeze can make quick work of rod & main bearings.
Thanks. My husband is taking it to our mechanic today. I was just hoping to get some encouraging ideas. I am sure with the way my day went yesterday that it is a blown head gasket and will require the motor to be rebuilt like my Elantra. I will update my post as soon as I find out what my mechanic says.
I'm curious about this as well.. Research shows that older SOHC Saturn engines (Up to 97 or so) had a problem where the head would develop a crack near the camshaft.. The 98 & 99 heads were changed to fix this, and then the 00-02 heads were redesigned again..
The only thing that concerns me is how it happened/started. Cold morning/engine, spinning tires.. The question to me is basically whether this is a cracked head or just a blown gasket... The part that sucks is that you have to (basically) do all the work and pay the labor of changing the head gasket.. And only then would you find out if it were a cracked head.
It's probably the gasket.. But, the circumstances, along with the fact that saturn had some problems with cracked heads relatively recent to that time make me give it a little higher possibility that it's the head..
The mechanic we use is pretty straight forward with us. We have used him for a long time. He will check the heads to make sure there are no cracks. I will post the results as soon as I get them. Hopefully, my misfortune can help someone else.
I got a low coolant notice and added antifreeze. it quickly leaked out again. When I checked the oil this morning, it is half way up the dip stick.
OP, where does it say antifreeze is in oil? Says "leaked out" and says "oil was half way on dipstick" which is no big deal, about half a quart to add. Why have you decided coolant is in oil? Do you have water droplets on dipstick when you pull it out? Do you have milkshake like substance on dipstick? Do you have same milkshake on inner side of oil cap?
I mean, fine by me, go and tare your engine apart cuz you "thought so", but that is not supported by your post.
I got a low coolant notice and added antifreeze. it quickly leaked out again. When I checked the oil this morning, it is half way up the dip stick.
OP, where does it say antifreeze is in oil? Says "leaked out" and says "oil was half way on dipstick" which is no big deal, about half a quart to add. Why have you decided coolant is in oil? Do you have water droplets on dipstick when you pull it out? Do you have milkshake like substance on dipstick? Do you have same milkshake on inner side of oil cap?
I mean, fine by me, go and tare your engine apart cuz you "thought so", but that is not supported by your post.
Dude. "Halfway up the dipstick", as in the halfway up the WHOLE STICK. Not just the marks. Way past the marks at that point. The OP seemed perfectly capable of making that distinction. Not too many other possible ways that additional fluid gets into the crankcase.
It sucks. My first car way back when did this, had coolant leak into the oil, after I had it for several months. Got rid of it at that point.
Thanks. My husband is taking it to our mechanic today. I was just hoping to get some encouraging ideas. I am sure with the way my day went yesterday that it is a blown head gasket and will require the motor to be rebuilt like my Elantra. I will update my post as soon as I find out what my mechanic says.
You don't drive any car with a chance of a blown gasket.
Too late??
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don't drive it..too late???
