2001 Chevy Impala water in the oil

JIM COX

MEMBER
2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA

Engine Cooling problem
2001 Chevy Impala 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

recently purchased a vehicle for my daughter. It appears the radiator has been filled with stop leak. I suspect they used the bars pelletts suspended in some sort of liquid. Reason being the inside of the radiator feels oily on the walls by the filler neck. Also I checked the oil and it now appears to have some sort of a black grainy material in it and the pvc valve is starting to appear milky. They hid this real well when I purchased the vehicle. So my question is what is the best way to trouble shoot the problem to tell if it is an intake gasket leak, head gasket leak, or possibly a cracked head. I utilized a radiator pressure tester and pressurized the entire cooling system and it will not hold more than fourteen pounds of pressure. With that said I did not notice any external leaks nor does it appear that any coolant got into the water. I know it is just a matter of time before the stop leak breaks down and the water will return to the base. So my question is are there any tricks that I can utilize to help isolate the problem. The car is currently maintaining a temperature of about 180 degrees. Dad in a bind, can you help.

1 Reply

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,885 POSTS

Hi:
I'm a dad too so I will help. First, you said the PCV is creamy which indicates there is moisture in the engine. Is the PCV valve still good? Have you checked the hose to see if it is plugged? Also, if the coolant is in the oil, I would drain it to see what comes out. If there is coolant, chances are it is the intake or head gasket which you already know. So, you need to take it to the next step. The compression will need tested to see if there is a low cylender indicating a head gasket. If they are all the same and good, chances are it is the intake. Is this the 3.1L V6? If so, they are known for intake problems. Check closely around the corners of the intake to see if there is any evidence of a leak. Also, pressurize the system to see if that helps.

Let me know what you find.

Joe