SmoothSteve3 Posted February 13, 2004 Report Posted February 13, 2004 Ok, here's one for all of you 3.1 MPFI guys out there...... About a week ago, I notice that I had an oil leak. So I popped the hood and started looking around. I found this little tube that comes out of the upper radiator on the driver's side. Its metal for the first few inches, but curves down and becomes rubber after that. I cant really see where it goes, but the rubber part of the tube is wet. Now naturally, I'd deduct that the wet liquid on the tube was coolant. But I believe that it has a browner color, and is right above where my leak seems to be. So my question is, did the 1990 3.1 MPFI engines have engine oil coolers built into the radiator? If so, then I've found my leak, and its just a matter of fixing the rubber tube. If not, then its a whole different ballgame...... Thanks everyone! SmoothSteve Quote
phantomFE3 Posted February 13, 2004 Report Posted February 13, 2004 can you tell what the liquid is? look in your coolant reservior, that will be the color of your coolant, and if the liquid coming off the hose is around that color it might be the coolant. but oil is generally a dark brown color, looks almost black. also, can you tell from the thickness at all? like taking a bit of it and rubbing it between your fingers or maybe tasting it? Quote
patgizz Posted February 13, 2004 Report Posted February 13, 2004 it is your transmission cooler Quote
SmoothSteve3 Posted February 13, 2004 Author Report Posted February 13, 2004 Hmmm.......Haven't tried tasting it yet.....but I'm pretty sure that its not coolant. Now it might be transmission fluid.......but I was under the impression that the transmission cooler was mounted on the lower frame of the car.......along the part of the frame that is below where the oil filter is.....in fact, i'm almost positive........ But still, thanks for the suggesstions.......keep em' coming, and I'll go check on the ones ya'll just gave me...... Quote
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 13, 2004 Report Posted February 13, 2004 it is your transmission cooler not if the lines are on the drivers side of the radiator. i have seen '90/'91 3.1 Cutlass Supremes in the j/y that have auxillary oil coolers. they are not actually part of the radiator tho. the lines come from a sandwich adapter under the oil filter (i think), but then go up and around the drivers side of the radiator, back behind the grill and to the auillary oil cooler. joshua Quote
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 13, 2004 Report Posted February 13, 2004 ...but I was under the impression that the transmission cooler was mounted on the lower frame of the car.......along the part of the frame that is below where the oil filter is.....in fact, i'm almost positive........ the tranny cooler lines do run along the bottom; they come from the tranny and go to the passenger side of the radiator. the tranny cooler itself is part of the passenger side end tank of the radiator. joshua Quote
SmoothSteve3 Posted February 13, 2004 Author Report Posted February 13, 2004 I'll see if i can post some pics of my problem.......with what everyone has said, it sounds like it could be an oil line, coolant line, or tranny line..lol.... Quote
joey b Posted February 13, 2004 Report Posted February 13, 2004 isnt the engine oil cooler run from a tube in the block back to the block? my 92 had a tube come out of the engine and wrap the base of where the oil filter would be and then return. Quote
patgizz Posted February 13, 2004 Report Posted February 13, 2004 the lines that snake down around your frame on the right and front and then back are the power steering "cooler" the lines that come from the bottom of the core support and up and go into your radiator on the drivers side tank are the trans cooler if you have and oil cooler its what joshua said Quote
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