Oil and coolant leak issue

Hi again :-)

This time, I'm posting for a friend that isn't usenet savvy.

She has a '96 Dodge Intrepid that has been leaking coolant for about 2 months.

Previously, she was simply topping off the fluid level every 3-4 days, as needed, as she's not intending to keep the car beyond the winter months. In the last week or so, the leak has gotten much worse.

During the progressively worse stages, the engine would "smoke" a tiny bit when she drove it say, 40+ miles, after she shut it off.

Now, she can't drive it 5 miles without it smoking while idling at a stoplight, and she notices that she's blowing smoke from the rear of the vehicle, as well. Yes, it's cold here, but this isn't the typical exhaust you'd see, it's billowy and abundant when she accelerates, but not constantly.

She said she'd smell a "burnt antifreeze odor" previously, but that odor has diminished some with the increase in "smoke".

She took it to a mechanic who didn't do a pressure test, but told her he thinks it is leaking from the intake gasket and it would cost at least $600 to fix. That is more than she wants to pay for the car since her plan all along was to dump it in the spring.

However, she does know she's losing oil somehow, as there is oil on the engine, surrounding the area of the fill cap. She's wondering if the "smoke" is oil burning, or coolant? Or both?

Her biggest issue is that the vehicle limp along at least another 2 months, if possible. If she continues to make sure there is sufficient fluid in the radiator (there is no oil in the radiator, so that's a good sign) is there a major worry that the engine will 'seize' or die out on her?

She does say that the other day she heard a "boiling sound" under the hood when she got home, but the temp gauge was okay, and the engine wasn't hot. What's "boiling"? Or bubbling?

Anyway, thanks for any advice/suggestions and I'll pass the info on to her :-)

Nan

Reply to
Nan
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She isn't very auto savvy either.

She has no idea if the car has overheated or not.

Coolant could be spraying out of a leak in a hose or suchlike, and hitting the exhaust. That would cause smoke, and the smell. If you let the coolant get too low, it WILL overheat and the whole engine can be lost (if it is not already toast).

A corroded freeze plug can do the same sort of thing.

The leak may not have been a serious internal engine problem. It is hard to say without checking it out.

If coolant is leaking into the engine via gaskets or cracked heads or block, you can often determine this by simply looking at the oil on the dipstick.

If she keeps coolant in it, and oil, she may limp along for another month or two. Or not.

Reply to
<HLS

Insofar as one can tell without looking at the car, but this all sounds to me as though a head gasket ought to be on the short list, though the intake gasket might be bad too.

Not all head-gasket failure modes admit antifreeze into the oil. A cylinder compression test and sometimes a pressure test of the cooling system are classic ways to figure out more about it. A sharp mechanic can sometimes use a smog-test probe to look for exhaust gases in the coolant.

When you see lots of visible white smoke (it is white, not blue, right?) out the tailpipe... well, if she is in a financial position to replace the car at this time, she might consider that; or else have this diagnosed and repaired by somebody who knows what he's doing.

--Joe

Reply to
Ad absurdum per aspera

Which is why I've posted here for her.

We don't believe it has. She has kept fluid in the radiator, and no other sign of the car overheating have been noted, save for the "boiling" sound, but as I'd stated, the temp. gauge was fine and the engine was not hot.

The oil on the dipstick is fine.

Thanks for your input.

Nan

Reply to
Nan

From what she's said, it is hard to tell, but possibly both.

The problem is that she's not in a position to replace it immediately, or to pay too much for repairs. Thanks for your input.

Nan

Reply to
Nan

What part of the country are you in? There may be someone in the group who is near enough to at least take a look.

It really bothers me that some mechanics will seize an occasion like this to take advantage of someone.....especially someone who doen't know what is reasonable and what isn't.

I'm not saying her mechanic is like this, but some are.

Reply to
<HLS

Northern Indiana.

She's planning to take it to another mechanic and have him look at it more thoroughly, but she has to figure out the logistics. She works full-time and goes to college part-time, so time is limited and she doesn't have anyone she can borrow a vehicle from while it's being checked out.

This is what she was wondering... she's a single female without any family or anyone that can step in for her. My husband could take it someplace and we could avoid the possible "taking advantage of a female" factor, but he's just not car savvy and wouldn't know what is reasonable, either.

Unfortunately :-(

Thanks,

Nan

Reply to
Nan

There was/is a Dodge motor from this era that is notorious for head gasket failures. I believe it was a four cylinder engine, but I'm not a Dodge expert. I've heard of the gasket being replaced by a few people and the fix doesn't hold for long. Care to comment, Dodge experts?

Reply to
Kruse

Indeed. On diesel VWs, you will get cylinder pressure shooting into the water jacket thus boiling over the coolant resevoir cap, but usually no oil in the coolant or vice versa. Cylinder pressure in the coolant system certainly could cause a boiling sound too.

I'm skeptical it will last two months. Normally, I advise against using radiator stop leak as it can really fubar your engine, but if you're going to throw the car away anyway, wouldn't hurt to use some in this case. Don't use it on an engine you care about, though.

Reply to
tylernt

Intrepids are KNOWN for blown head gaskets.... drive it long enough, engine go BOOM!

is that clear enough for ya??

Reply to
markansas859

Well markie honey, not everyone is as car savvy as you.

Nah, what's clear is you lub me.

Nan

Reply to
Nan

Sounds like you have water entering a cylinder. The only way it can do this is from an intake manifold leak or head gasket leak on most engines. I would think the mechanic was at best right about the intake gasket or at worst wrong and it is a head gasket leak that would be even more expensive.

Will it last another two months? Who knows....

The leak could suddenly get worse causing the engine to lock up and ruin the engine.

There could be a cold rainy morning where she doesn't check the water "just this once" and it overheats

It could continue on just like it is for another ten years.

Were I to make a wild guess I would say #2 scenario is the most likely winner with number #1 trailing by a nose and #3 following up at least a half track behind the other two pony's.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

Absolute horse shit.

Reply to
aarcuda69062

one of these days I am gonna lub you really good, and call verizon abuse department

you MOOS need to learn to read headers

Reply to
markansas859

I dunno....

type in INTREPID on ebay....

and see how many are there, for sale , with ENGINE PROBLEMS, ENGINE BLOWN, etc.

don't trust me, go research for yourself

Reply to
markansas859

No, I trust you. Really, I do!

Tell me, what engines are blowing up/blowing head gaskets and what model year are they?

Reply to
aarcuda69062

Thanks for your input, Steve. She's out looking at other cars today, so hopefully something will work out for her.

Nan

Reply to
Nan

For responding to your post on usenet? Good luck there.

And this has *what* to do with my question in this group?

Nan

Reply to
Nan

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