Car problem: watery brown oil(how'd water get in there?)

[platinumike]

The coolant pipes are rusty, there might be a leak possibly. There is no white smoke coming from the exhaust, so that rules out a cracked cylinder head, correct? how could have water possibly gotten in the oil. Also, the alternator on the car is good and so is the battery. Yet after a few days the car completely looses its charge. Just need some help here, thanks!

 

[platinumike]

bump before bed

 

[Conky]

Cracked block? Hard to tell.

And on the battery thing, do you drive it daily?

 

[CrackRabbit]

Need Car, and what motor it has in it.

 

[grrl]

Water won't create smoke, although a transmission leak among other things will do that. You probably have a crack somewhere in the engine block (it doesn't have to be the cylinder head). I had a V8 Lincoln many years ago and the 407?? blocks were known to have a casting flaw. Sure enough at a 100k+ coolant started leaking into the oil.

 

[platinumike]

sorry, the car is a 96 grandam gt. v6. Yes, the car is driven every day. A cracked engine block? man i hope thats not it.

 

[deadlyapp]

water wont smoke, but it will steam when it hits hot engine parts.

For the battery problem, which is the one I might be able to answer, do you have anything aftermarket? Stereo, subwoofers, amps, w/e? If so, check for shorts in the cables where it may have pinched.

 

[skyking]

Don't need a cracked block for water in the oil and steam/smoke in the exhaust. A blown head gasket will do that just fine, and is much more common. It may not show up as much of a low cylnder either, but give a comression test a try.

 

[Vic]

If there is water in the oil (i.e. "milkshake oil") then you have a bad headgasket. There is no other way. Even if you're not smoking white, as no smoke just means the headgasket leak is between a water jacket and an oil passage, and not next to a cylinder. Next you will start overheating.

As to the 2nd question, you have a short somewhere.

 

[CrackRabbit]

3.1 ltr right? The 3.1 and 3.4 Ltr GM motors are notorious for having a leaking intake manifold gasket. You need to get it taken care of ASAP, you will kill your motor in short order if you don't.

 

[platinumike]

damn, you guys are good. Thanks. How much you think i'll end up spending to have that gasket replaced at the typical auto shop?

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: platinumike
damn, you guys are good. Thanks. How much you think i'll end up spending to have that gasket replaced at the typical auto shop?

Hard to say, I have seen people on here say they got quotes anywhere from $400-800

 

[RU482]

3400 engine...right??

Upper intake manifold gasket is a likely culprit. Major weakpoint of this engine, and it wasn't even addressed in production until Feb 2003.
Gotta love GM's respect for the ole customer

 

[platinumike]

ya..vise grip isnt working. It just keeps slipping and making it worse. Im gonna try a rag and pipe wrench tommorow.