Need help with a 98 Saturn

**Oldblueaccord** · 11-23-2008, 10:06 PM

98 Saturn I was working on. Would not take oil thru the fill on top. It took me like 10 mins to get 2 quarts into it. Motor has about 140k miles on it and seems to be an OK car. Had a front end wreck. My friend also says it uses quite a bit of coolant but he can never find a leak and thinks there a leak inside somewhere. Oil looked clean enough but was very low when we started working on it. I think it was a 1.9 L .

Any ideas?

wp

***2oodoor*** · 11-24-2008, 04:26 AM

I will see if I can ask somebody about that 1.9 Saturn
I wonder if there is condensation under that valve cover?
Coolant, maybe heater core or lines going to it thru the firewall/dash
Is there a breather tube or something that can let it burp when you are putting oil in? Using a funnel with a small opening?

**lostforawhile** · 11-24-2008, 06:33 AM

I wonder if there is a baffle on the bottom of the valve cover? normally there is one for the breather hose,this could have shifted in the wreck, can you shine a light down in the filler hole and see if anything is blocking it? it is on the valve cover right? you might need to pull that cover and look at it.

**Oldblueaccord** · 11-24-2008, 10:18 AM

When you look down the oil fill you see just the baffle there. I suspect its sludged up bad and that where the coolant has been going. I could not find any signs of moisture in the oil any where. I pulled the PVC next to the fill but it did not help.

Im thinking the head gasket or a porus casting in the head somehow. There using the GM Dexasludgecool coolant. We put in a new rad etc since it got smashed and hes checking for leaks in the next few days. He thinks its something to do with the accident and Im trying to explain to him that kinda stuff would not happen.

wp

**lostforawhile** · 11-24-2008, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord

When you look down the oil fill you see just the baffle there. I suspect its sludged up bad and that where the coolant has been going. I could not find any signs of moisture in the oil any where. I pulled the PVC next to the fill but it did not help.

Im thinking the head gasket or a porus casting in the head somehow. There using the GM Dexasludgecool coolant. We put in a new rad etc since it got smashed and hes checking for leaks in the next few days. He thinks its something to do with the accident and Im trying to explain to him that kinda stuff would not happen.

wp

it could be something damaged by the accident, happens all the time. i've even seen cars hit hard enough in the front to bust the crank before, lots of energy going where it's not supposed to go.

**paul** · 11-24-2008, 04:12 PM

Is it sohc (SL1) or dohc (SL2)?

I had a 98 sl2, really fun car.
You shoudn't be having the slow oil fill problem though, and neither engine is sludge-prone, but both almost always consume oil above 100k miles, some as early as 50k miles.

saturnfans.com (saturnalia) is a very knowledgeable saturn forum, definitely post there!

**88Accord-DX** · 11-24-2008, 05:27 PM

I found a bulletin on them year SL series Saturn's. You might need a coolant pressure tester to see where it is leaking though.

Subject: Engine Coolant Leak In or Around Spark Plug Well Area of Cylinder Head (Add One 10 Gram Pellet of Engine Cooling System Sealer)

Models: 1998 - 2001 Saturn S-Series vehicles built up to and including VIN IZ3448617