Mazarin Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 How's everyone doing? Long story short, due to the length of my commute(about 4 hrs a day in a car) I dumped the Jag and got a... Saturn. I turned my balls in w/ the keys to the Jag when I made the trade, if anyone's wondering. Obviously this was out of nececsity, and not the yearn to be green. Anyway, as expected, this POS has had more problems than Broadway production of a comic book. I've got a bunch of things replaced since February and plenty more in need of repair. But then this happened: http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/4619/imag0225a.jpg That's the power steering resivior. With oil spilling out of it. The only thing I can think of as to why this is happening, is that durring one of the may repairs that someone may have routed the PS and an oil line wrong. Not that this makes much more sense than any other idea I can come up with. It looks like I'm losing about 4Q a week in oil. Ever see this happen? I've never even heard of something like this. Something this batty would be a far reach, even for an SQ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopDawg_43 Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Are you sure that's oil, and not some old tranny fluid? Something would have felt funny from the get-go, if that's not the proper fluid in your reservoir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazarin Posted June 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 That's what I thought too, but I haven't noticed a thing. Trany fluid level is fine. It's DEFINATELY oil. Especially paired w/ the fact I'm losing so much oil per week. BTW: The power steering pump's been leaking for a while. After a couple rounds of stop-leak, it was good. Then this happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 That's what I thought too, but I haven't noticed a thing. Trany fluid level is fine. It's DEFINATELY oil. Especially paired w/ the fact I'm losing so much oil per week. BTW: The power steering pump's been leaking for a while. After a couple rounds of stop-leak, it was good. Then this happened. power steering fluid is NOT oil , but i sounds like the stop leak has done a little more then you bargan'd for , like distroy'd the inside of one of the hoses , that fluid is is dire need of a replacement stop leak is like pouring brake fluid in to the system and does exactly the same thing softens and swells rubber,, some times rubber you didn't want to soften Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patra_is_here Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 i can't see any reasonable way that engine oil would get in to the PS res. now a better question is what type of PS fluid are you suppose to be using with that saturn, because maybe it's suppose to be similar to engine oil as far as viscosity is concerned (not sure myself). Too high of pressure on the PS return line could cause it to blow out the top, or, the feed line pulls fluid slower than the return line fills the res, and the overflow is the volume difference contained within the lines. also, how could you have made as big a mistake as to buy a saturn in the first place? those things are garbage new, let alone many years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud81918 Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) Could be burnt PS fluid. I'm guessing that is an L series or an ION. Saturns are seldomly loved and most live a harsh life. Edited June 20, 2011 by Cloud81918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazarin Posted June 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 It's an L-series. L200 2001 2.2L ecotec. Even if the stop leak jacked something up, how would motor oil get in there, and with enough pressure to push it out thru the breather hole AND under the cap gasket? I'm using PS fluid within the rating per the manual. Yeah, I hate this thing so far. Only thing I like is no monthly payment(now replaced by repair bils, so it cancels out) and still in this crappy state, I'm getting 30 MPG. In Chicago, that's definately a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) Having owned, built, and even resto'd Saturn's ( ), I have NEVER seen this happen. My best guess would be that is burnt fluid. Losing so much oil is more than likely something else. Hows your valve cover gasket? Does the valve cover have any oil on it? Its an Ecotec. I hate those things. Only really played with the 1.9L.If you want something economical, get an S-Series. With the 5speed, crazy gas mileage, and ACTUALLY kinda fun to drive. Edited June 20, 2011 by 87Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rabbit1 Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 one of your lines sealed itself or detached from within causing the pump to overflow. my diagnosis based on the pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazarin Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I hate this car: "The L200 has the power steering pump running off the camshaft on the drivers side of the engine. It is not belt-driven. You can clearly see in the picture the OP posted, that the pump is on the drivers side of the engine (read: There are no belts there). The camshaft seal can fail and it will fill up the reservoir with motor oil. Not the first time Ive heard of this. To the OP: The car needs the PS pump removed, and the camshaft seal replaced on that side." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I hate this car: "The L200 has the power steering pump running off the camshaft on the drivers side of the engine. It is not belt-driven. You can clearly see in the picture the OP posted, that the pump is on the drivers side of the engine (read: There are no belts there). The camshaft seal can fail and it will fill up the reservoir with motor oil. Not the first time Ive heard of this. To the OP: The car needs the PS pump removed, and the camshaft seal replaced on that side." I thought this was going to be a thread about jokes... turns out it is. LOL... Can't you buy an old honder or somethin' better than a Saturn?? -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
averse Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 My junk car is a 97 saturn sc1 and I have abused the tar out of it. Went like 60k w/o changing oil even. Still runs good. So far I have only had to replace the radiator (found one on CL for 40 bucks, EASY install), and replace valve cover due to leak (Doesn't even use a gasket, just RTV sealant), one motor mount, and one tranny mount. Car has over 140k and still chugging away for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rabbit1 Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I hate this car: "The L200 has the power steering pump running off the camshaft on the drivers side of the engine. It is not belt-driven. You can clearly see in the picture the OP posted, that the pump is on the drivers side of the engine (read: There are no belts there). The camshaft seal can fail and it will fill up the reservoir with motor oil. Not the first time Ive heard of this. To the OP: The car needs the PS pump removed, and the camshaft seal replaced on that side."hell of a piece of trivia. I'm going to start a mechanic's game show one day with riddles like these, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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