Mechanical Curiosities, 94 GA Quad 4

[automan9482]

I have a couple of problems with my Grand Am SE 2.3L SOHC,
non H.O.......

1. Recently noticed white snotty stuff on dipstick when checking oil.
1st thought was head gasket....I looked thru some older posts and found 1 with this exact question. I followed some advice, changed the oil, checked the intake manifold bolts torque, but still have this crap. I really don't believe it's a head gasket because it's not overheating, losing coolant, the oil level doesn't change, and it doesn't smoke....
I wasn't getting this stuff until I replaced the oil/air seperator. Today I was checking things out, and two of the o.a.s vacuum lines are full of this stuff, & the "heater" line going into the right side is covered with oil blowby. What the hell is going on?? Engine only has 68K on it, and has been well cared for and not abused.........

2. Getting an intermittent "miss" at idle for sometime. Replaced the crank sensor and oil/air seperator a few moths ago thinking it would stop. No, it's just gets progressively more noticeable, but only while idling. Only other clue is when I run the car thru a good automatic car wash with an underbody spray, the engine will bog down & miss out bad, & check engine light comes on. Shutting the car of and restarting fixes it (somtimes it misses for a few minutes of driving after this, but soon goes away.)
Car runs fine otherwise; could it be a failing fuel injector(s)?

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any help....

[nate87]

Originally Posted by automan9482

I have a couple of problems with my Grand Am SE 2.3L SOHC,
non H.O.......

1. Recently noticed white snotty stuff on dipstick when checking oil.
1st thought was head gasket....I looked thru some older posts and found 1 with this exact question. I followed some advice, changed the oil, checked the intake manifold bolts torque, but still have this crap. I really don't believe it's a head gasket because it's not overheating, losing coolant, the oil level doesn't change, and it doesn't smoke....
I wasn't getting this stuff until I replaced the oil/air seperator. Today I was checking things out, and two of the o.a.s vacuum lines are full of this stuff, & the "heater" line going into the right side is covered with oil blowby. What the hell is going on?? Engine only has 68K on it, and has been well cared for and not abused.........

2. Getting an intermittent "miss" at idle for sometime. Replaced the crank sensor and oil/air seperator a few moths ago thinking it would stop. No, it's just gets progressively more noticeable, but only while idling. Only other clue is when I run the car thru a good automatic car wash with an underbody spray, the engine will bog down & miss out bad, & check engine light comes on. Shutting the car of and restarting fixes it (somtimes it misses for a few minutes of driving after this, but soon goes away.)
Car runs fine otherwise; could it be a failing fuel injector(s)?

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any help....

i had the same problem on my car and it turned out to be the head gasket i didnt think it was until it finally over heatd on me for the first time. i took it apart and the gasket was gone between cylinders three and four

[skibum1111]

Sounds like either a head gasket or the head is cracked. The quads are well known for this problem, but usually its around 120k miles. I changed the head on my 95 dohc quad last summer with 237k miles. The intermittent miss you are getting when you start the car is most likely caused by coolant getting into the combustion chamber through either a failing head gasket or a crack in the head. As much as I hate to recommend this, I used bar's stop leak to buy some time until I could get the parts for my car, it got me 6 weeks and I changed the head. Just follow the directions so you don't clog the radiator or heater. As for the problem with the car not running right after the car wash, change your plug wires (yes a quad does have them, the cost around $20) and inspect the coils for cracks and carbon tracks. If the coils are cracked replace them, this should solve the problem. Check this first before you try running stop leak. I'm also guessing that you drive short distances, this will cause water buildup in the oil as well. My wife drives 1.5 miles each way to work, every now and then I take her car to work to run it for a longer time, giving it time to warm up and evaporate the water that builds up in the crank case.

[xeroinfinity]

automan9482 , dont jump to conclutions just yet. Ok the white stuff is water/moisture, lik skibum said short trips kill! Try and do a compression test on all 4 cylinders to see if you can find a leak.

But from what you've described almost sounds like an intake leak(the missing out @ idle). Try blowing cleaning out all the vacum line of the white stuff, this all could just be tracking back into your oil little by little.

You get the Oil seperator on right? with all the hoses hook'd up in the correct places?
When its wet most likly its under the car, lik some wires shorting out. Maybe the starter or some sending units to you motor are shorting when wet, just my Good Luck

[automan9482]

Originally Posted by xeroinfinity

automan9482 , dont jump to conclutions just yet. Ok the white stuff is water/moisture, lik skibum said short trips kill! Try and do a compression test on all 4 cylinders to see if you can find a leak.

But from what you've described almost sounds like an intake leak(the missing out @ idle). Try blowing cleaning out all the vacum line of the white stuff, this all could just be tracking back into your oil little by little.

You get the Oil seperator on right? with all the hoses hook'd up in the correct places?
When its wet most likly its under the car, lik some wires shorting out. Maybe the starter or some sending units to you motor are shorting when wet, just my Good Luck

Thanks for your replies.
I don't normally have many short distance trips; a daily hour long round-trip to work, some stop and go, and a lot of driving around the city mixed freeway/city driving.
The Oil seperator is on correctly....however, when I had the intake off to access the crank sensor, there was no gasket, I'm positive. I didn't think about it at the time, but there probably should be one..?
The miss was present before I had the intake off....
it's about time for new plugs, etc., but all that was all replaced when I bought the car, about 25K ago.
Are the plug "wires" the boots that slip over the ends?
Here's another kinda dumb question: if putting a gasket on the intake and new plugs don't fix it, what do I need to run a compression test?
I'm in denial about it being a head problem, but if it is, I've been told a compression test will make it worse....friggin' GM's.

Thanks, all.

[gmack221]

I would let it idle and spray some carb cleaner around the intake, if its an intake leak the car will stumble when you hit the leaky spot, but I would also suspect a head or head gasket (since you have water in your oil). If the intake gasket is fine i'd do a compression test, and fix it before it overheats and cracks the head! When you have head off take it to a machine shop and have it checked for cracks & flatness. Thats cheap to do compared to a new head, especially since its extremely hard to find a SOHC head in a junkyard! If its a head gasket get it fixed before you do more damage!

[xeroinfinity]

Originally Posted by automan9482

Thanks for your replies.
I don't normally have many short distance trips; a daily hour long round-trip to work, some stop and go, and a lot of driving around the city mixed freeway/city driving.
The Oil seperator is on correctly....however, when I had the intake off to access the crank sensor, there was no gasket, I'm positive. I didn't think about it at the time, but there probably should be one..?
The miss was present before I had the intake off....
it's about time for new plugs, etc., but all that was all replaced when I bought the car, about 25K ago.
Are the plug "wires" the boots that slip over the ends?
Here's another kinda dumb question: if putting a gasket on the intake and new plugs don't fix it, what do I need to run a compression test?
I'm in denial about it being a head problem, but if it is, I've been told a compression test will make it worse....friggin' GM's.

Thanks, all.

HArd to say exactly where the moistures coming from then, since the longer trips should dry it out pretty good.
May be a gaskets needed on the intake, did you notice any leaking around it?
The plug wires are the boots, they're short. Under the top engine cover along with the coiils. If a coils going out it'll miss out.
A compression test, test how much PSI the cylinders of the car is holding if its really low PSI you hav either leaking valves or a blown Hgasket. But just because you hav 100 psi on all cylinders, you still could hav a leaking Hgasket.
If the moisture continues to be in the oil, better take it to a mechanic and get her fixed ASAP. Water in the oil will fry you engines bearings and thas not good at all! Big Money$$. Good Luck sorry I didnt get back with ya soonr