Quad4 Coolant Loss & Milky oil EDIT: MIGHT BE OK

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

Went to go for a little spin tonight in the Quad 4 Cutlass (I am here at school, which is about 360 miles from home), and noticed the Low Coolant Light on the dash when i started it up. So i shut it off, pop the hood and have a look.

 

This is what i see:

 

The dipstick pictures aren't really that good but the oil sure looked milky in some spots. I don't think its a head gasket...car runs fine its been running cool. The previous owner said that it just had gotten a new head gasket. Who really knows though.

 

I'm thinking its the water pump...The water pump was changed at about 50k when the factory recalled the original head gasket. I read on the internet that a bad water pump would leak into the oil.

 

Looks as if my dad may be coming with a truck and trailer to get his car, and bring me back Old Red (my '94)

[slick]

Most likely waterpump. Waterpumps on Quad 4's are a PITA to repair though.

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

yeah...either way he's probably got to come get his car...

[R Dubya]

headgaskets on those things are famous.. depending on who did it and how hard you drive it when its cold. Could likely be a water pump too.. that bitch is hard to get at and that front cover is loads of fun to remove. good luck, I sold my quad 4 before I had to deal with any of that..

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

well...I won't lie, it doesn't really get babied when cold, but like i said it still runs great...but i guess you could have leakage between the oil and coolant even if it ran fine...there is no oil in the coolant, just coolant in the oil. That is why i am thinking water pump.

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

Well, since my dad really bull headed, he told me to get some more coolant, fill it up and see what happens. Well, it took about 32oz of Coolant (used a gatorade 64 oz to mix it up), topped off the overflow tank, and preceded to drive it over 30 miles. The oil still looks the same just a few milky spots above the oil level on the dipstick...He seems to think its just condensation and that the O-ring is bad at the fill plug/dipstick combo that a quad has. I guess that would explain smelling oil faintly at idle hot when its not leaking/burning it.

 

We'll see.

[Crazy K]

I have heard of condensation at the dipstick tube too. Quite possible. Change your oil and keep an eye on it. -ken

[kknobl]

It sounds like condensation. I had that issue with my Skylark - thought the headgaset was bad, but it turned out that the hoses were bad, allowing the condensation to form. Once the hoses were replaced, the problem disappeared.

 

Kevin

[Regal_GS_1989]

put a little drop of the oil on you finger and taste it. If Its sweet tasting, than its obviously coolant. If it tastes kinda bitter, than its most likely just condensation. With the oil being that milky, it would definately taste sweet if there is coolant in it.