GranPrix Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 I have a grand prix with the 3100v6 motor, and I have been losing coolant steadily, and also have been losing oil. Is it possible that the oil and coolant are both leaking externally but not into each other? The oil has no coolant in it, and the coolant has no oil in it. Also there are globs of RTV on the corner of the intake where it meets the valve cover so I assume that the gaskets were changed before. Car has 175K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 3 hours ago, GranPrix said: I have a grand prix with the 3100v6 motor, and I have been losing coolant steadily, and also have been losing oil. Is it possible that the oil and coolant are both leaking externally but not into each other? The oil has no coolant in it, and the coolant has no oil in it. Also there are globs of RTV on the corner of the intake where it meets the valve cover so I assume that the gaskets were changed before. Car has 175K HOW MUCH coolant are you losing? HOW MUCH oil are you losing? Sure, they can leak externally. How big are the spots in your driveway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 Stick a large piece of cardboard under the engine overnight and when you park it. RTV is used in the flat valleys of the lower manifold where it meets the block only, you should have plastic or composite like gaskets going up the sides that seal to the top of the cylinder heads. Check the sides of the radiator as well as your hoses, also there is a plug on the back of the engine where the oil drive shaft is. It tends to leak oil from there as well. Check all these after you`ve been driving with the engine on and running. Sometimes things only leak when hot and under pressure. Its possible to lose both externally from the front timing cover, there is a coolant passage near the top between two bolts and the bottom seals off an area that holds oil for the chain. If the engine is wet and grimy underneath the crankshaft pulley and the valley is dry behind the power steering pump its probably the front cover gasket. If going that far I`d replace the head gaskets too at 180k miles. IIRC the manual has the service life on most of those at 150k anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GranPrix Posted October 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 The spot behind the power steering pully is damp but I dont see any coolant. The whole bottom and sides of the motor are covered in oil and grease buildup over the years. Some people do put some RTV where the intake meets the head. So i think they have been changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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