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98 Saturn SC2 Leaking/Burning Oil

Tiny
CLAMBERT1
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 SATURN SC2
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
Car: 98 Saturn SC2

First off I don't know if this matters, but the car has 143, --- on it. It has a replaced engine put in it with 63, --- miles on it. The engine has been in the car for at least 15,000 miles.

I so far have replaced the valve cover gasket, which seriously only seemed to make it worse! Put a seal around the engine which helped for a bit but now it is not helping anymore. I also added thicker oil to it to see if that would slow it down. Normally had 10W-30 in it, now has 15W-50 in it and a bottle of the stop leak stuff.

The car seems to loose a lot of oil in just a few days. When I checked the oil after driving maybe 100 miles in those 3 days the oil barely registered on the dipstick!

Like I said since the valve cover gasket replacement it has made it worse. The oil leak/burn started out at about a quart for 2200 miles, now it leaks out a bunch in less than 100! Does anybody have any suggestions. I read somewhere stuff about a PCV system, what is that and could that be the culprit? I also have read stuff about pistons and rods being broke/bent or other types of seals being bad! I am not car savvy and have no idea what to do :(
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 10:17 AM

13 Replies

Tiny
RASMATAZ
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If its not actually leaking externally could be burning in the cylinders due to valves/seals/stems, rings and cylinder wear
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 10:29 AM
Tiny
CLAMBERT1
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Well after I DRIVE the car it appears that there is oil dripping down onto something (and I don't know what) on the upper right hand corner of the engine.
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 10:31 AM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
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Recheck the valve cover gasket-give us a pic on where its suppose to be leaking down on something
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 10:38 AM
Tiny
CLAMBERT1
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I had the valve cover gasket replaced, drove 5 minutes and had oil all over the underneath of my car. Then the guy who put the valve cover gasket on put some seallent on it which helped for a couple days but then the oil came up "missing" again. I do not have the car at my house and I don't know when it will be here, but the pic attached is identical to my car. It would be like I said the top right hand corner of the engine when you are looking under the hood. I don't know if the pic attached helps any. Sorry
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 10:50 AM
Tiny
CLAMBERT1
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Here a bit more specific pics for you. I don't know if any of these help at all.
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 11:03 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Just to add to this one it sounds like when they changed the valve cover gasket they never put a bead of silicone across what is called the T joint if you dont it will leak oil really bad where your describing. Its the short straight part of the gasket by the belt you would put the bead of silicone on the engine side across where the front cover meets the head.I dont see how replacing the valve cover can make the car burn more oil then it did before. That makes no sense saturn spec on oil burning on that car is 1qt in 2,000 miles which is was doing good when it was at 1qt in 2,200 miles. Sounds like you need to find another guy to fix your car.
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 4:40 PM
Tiny
CLAMBERT1
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So should I buy another valve cover gasket and use that sealstuff? Rightnowthere is some black gunky seal stuff around the whole seal area.
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 6:52 PM
Tiny
CLAMBERT1
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Also would it hurt anything if I was to just put the sealent stuff all the way around where the cover meets the engine?
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 6:54 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Sounds like he didnt put any silicone the first time then smeared it all over the second time. You could try cleaning up the silicone and reusing the gasket a new gasket is like 20.00 you have to put a bead of silicone across where I told you not a smear.I recomend you use permatex ultra grey silicone.
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 7:09 PM
Tiny
CLAMBERT1
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Ok I will try that and see what happens. Thank you for the advice. I will comment on here with what happens.
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 9:17 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Your welcome keep me posted.
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011 AT 9:35 PM
Tiny
CLAMBERT1
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Got the valve cover gasket put on CORRECTLY and got the seal put on CORRECTLY and so far everything is fine. Let everything sit for probably 2 hours and have been running it on and off all day to make sure it's still working right. Gonna double check tomorrow to make sure its still all ok. Thanks everyone who gave me advice!
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Saturday, August 6th, 2011 AT 8:50 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Your welcome thats what were here for keep us posted.
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Saturday, August 6th, 2011 AT 2:33 PM

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