Hello Saturn forum. I'm a new owner of a 2002 sl1, automatic, with 113k on it. Got it for fairly cheap and expected to do some repairs. Cleaned the throttle body, replaced the CTS and intake manifold gasket with the help of some threads here and richpins videos. It drives great and throws no codes. My coolant light came on the other day. Noticed some drips coming off the body on the passenger side. Took off the wheel and splash guards. Looks the wettest right around the alternator and the tensioner pulley. I'll include a picture. Valve cover gasket look dry. Water pump is dry. Intake man gasket is new. I'm afraid it's the head gasket. No milk on the dipstick...yet. Seems like all that's leaking is coolant not oil. Any thoughts? Tips to diagnose further? I put in some CRC stop leak into the radiator and that seems to have slowed the leak. Is it worth tearing into the engine block or just nursing the leak. I only drive it two days a week. I know the auto trans are known to fail so I'm hesitant to put much more money into that car. Richpins headgasket video is very thorough but I'm no mechanic. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Do a hydrocarbon test.

 

Please elaborate, sir.

 

There's a kit you can get at most auto parts stores, derf. It contains a chemical that will turn color when you test the coolant in the radiator. I have one around here somewhere that I got when I had my PT Cruiser GT. Advance sells the chemical for it,but I had to show the employee what it was and where it was in the store. That was 7 years ago when I was (unfortunately) living in Florida.

 

Thanks for the tip. From what I've seen about the hydrocarbon test, you need to attach the test tube to the radiator cap. Saturn's just have the overflow res cap right? No radiator cap. Not sure the test would work on the reservoir.

Is it possible that the leak is from just the timing cover and not the head? Like i said, theres no oil leak and my oil level has barely gone down.

 

Do you smell a sweet smell coming out the tailpipe or have any white smoke? If it's a head gasket issue, you will likely smell something before everything gives way, coolant hits the cylinders big time, and there's a big white cloud blocking the view of the drivers behind you on the highway, usually leading to a multicar pile up. I can't give you legal advice on that, but most people just keep driving when that happens because no one can read their license plate anyway.

Man I'm an interesting mood today. I don't know if you guys are lucky or effed

 

Haha no smell, smoke or pile up thank God.

 

When I looked at the picture, the first thing I thought was why is there so much freaking oil all over the place?

It's just a picture but it looks more like oil mixed in with a dirt that would have been sitting there. I don't see a drop of orange or whatever color coolant is in there. I see some funny light-colored stuff but I can't tell where it came from because there is no trail unless I'm totally missing it. Cool and up by the belt tensioner is bizarre.

We've had one or two users over 20 years find that the reservoir tank, from vibrating, has rubbed a tiny hole that is part of the way up the side of the reservoir such that if you fill it to the top, it will slowly leak out the hole, but once the level gets below the hole, the coolant stops disappearing. Totally whack but true. As for the coolant getting on the block, when you are driving, remember that the air flow under the hood is completely different than the complete lack of air flow minus the fan when the car is sitting still. So look in front of where you see the coolant on the block and see what is there because you may find your source is actually in front of where the coolant is landing and the wind is blowing it back onto the next surface. Meaning it could be your radiator? The radiator has plastic side tanks and often those seals to the radiator will fail and a little bit of coolant will start leaking, and then more. If you suspect the radiator, look very carefully at the upper and lower radiator mounts which is where many an s car radiator leak. I think it's from vibrations but that's just what happens a lot of the times.

With the above perspective, go back and poke around under the hood and see what you find.

I know you said you're not losing oil and I believe you. So the question remains where is the cooling going. Oh, and you can end up in a situation where the coolant because of the air flow, will end up hitting the serpentine belt and getting distributed all over the effing place, making it very difficult to figure out where it's leaking so start at the front of the vehicle and work backwards.

 

Yeah that belt is flinging it all over so it is hard to pinpoint the source. I'll start with the radiator. Thanks for the help.

 

Here is the best way.

Go to auto parts store and get phosphorescent dye for coolant.

Jack the car up in front (or go up on a lift).

Open the petcock on radiator snd drain a couple quarts.

Pour measured amount in burp tank and refill coolant.

Start and run car for 30 seconds.

Check for leaks in the dark with a blacklight.

(Walmart has LED blacklight bulbs for 110v - cheap - that throw lots of light)

The leaks will show up bright green.

If nothing found - restart car and run longet - heat might be a factor.

On the passengers side leak - it can be the hoses, fittings, thermostat, burp tank or radiator.

I have seen all of them develop leaks...