That would be...best case scenario...a blown head gasket. Worst case scenario...a cracked block. Check the coolant in the radiator when the engine is cool. Is there an oily film on top? Sounds to me like you definitely have oil and water mixing which could run from fairly easy, inexpensive, to time consuming, costly repairs.

 

ttt ~ please respond to original thread!

 

First off the GM 3.1L is a total POS. Mom had one in her 96 Grand Prix. The water in the oil is from the intake manifold gasket (I changed hers twice) it is a known issue with these motors. If you're lucky it was not run hot and the heads are not warped. The heads are made out of cheapest pot metal ever known to man. I think that GM bought the slag off of a beer can factory to make them. Most of the rocker arm mounts had a heli-coil in them because the threads would come out with the bolts. That car ate water pumps, had a thing for alternators and in general was the worst thing that I ever turned a wrench on. Personally I would not own a car with this engine on a drunken dare.

 

Yeah, that doesn't sound good, it does have a new water pump too. I appreciate your honesty and input.

"Personally I would not own a car with this engine on a drunken dare."

If it was free would you take it and sell it?

 

I have a 92 Century I just replaced the V-6 engine in it when it had 124k on it. Picked up an engine and installed for $600 (Fluids and all). runs great and gets about 24-27mpg. I think I can live with that at the price of gas. The salvage place claimed the engine they sold me had 43k on it, maybe not but it runs fine.

 

If and only if, I hated the seller and there was no way possible for him to get even with me. If I like the person I would not sell it to them. If I sold it to a stranger, I would only communicate through an anonymous e-mail account, meet at a neutral venue and I would wear a mask and throw my voice. He must pay in small untraceable bills. Basically I would not want the buyer to know who I was.

While this sounds a bit extreme, most of it is true. I hate that motor that much. It really is that bad.

 

So Wookie, I've got this car for sale and I think you might really like it ...

I'm still up in the air on this one.

 

If you get that turd you will go from up in the air to under the hood.

And no, I ain't buyin' no stinkin' car.

 

Even if you get $60 at the recyclers.
$60 to drive it across town......... How often can you get paid that?

And knowing your getting free money and it's geting crushed I am sure even Wookie wouldn;t pass up on a free $60.... even if it meant driving that motor across town......

 

The problem is getting that heap across town. Knowing how reliable those things are I would be afraid that pushing might be involved. But $60 does mean a free stop at the liquor store on the way home, tough call.

 

Screw that, that's why I bought a truck! Tow that SOB if I had too.

 

Been there, done that. That piece was drug behind my '01 and '03. He!! that's how mom learned how to pull a car home with a tow strap. I was yelling into the cell phone the entire way, both times. By the time we got home the last time she had gotten the hang of it. I did not have to yell anymore.

 

I'm towing it home Saturday, it will likely be sold for scrap or donated for a tax deduction. Does anyone know about the new tax deduction law? My understanding is that the most I can get is $500.00 since the car can't be auctioned? Does that sound right?

 

I've done bare chain/tow strap before but hate it.
Worst one was dad pulling me, him pulling in his new truck and me being pulled in his farm truck. Taking it to the shop to have a tranny put in. 10' of log chain betwen us for 20 miles, up and down hills, around corners. 5 miles and the farm trucks brakes glazed over. I couldn't stop him any longer, I could barely stop myslef and didnt have anyway to tell him....... The further we went, his confidence grew so by the end he was running 50+ mph.....
That was an 8.5 on the pucker factor scale. We made it some how. After that, I'll use a a trailer or atleast a dolly or tow bars at the very least run the chain through a steel pipe. I'll never never never do bare chain strap again for more than a mile on a county road or across the farm.

 

^^^ x2 i very found myself in that same scenario many times.. a few times the tranny shelled out, some times complete engine, and other ones because someone didn't look at the fuel gauge.. don't ya' just love the sudden yank when the slack is out of the chain