I have a 97 monte that i just bought a few months ago. I had to put antifreeze in everyother day and it was leaking around the water pump. Well today my car started making noise like it was low on oil. I stopped and put a quart in and checked the level. It looked like mud. I started home and it started to over heat so i pulled over and shut it off. I put more antifreeze in and had to wait for it to cool. But where it was leaking at it had the same mud crap that was on my dipstick. The car ran very bad and was very hot. Also by the time I had gotten 8 miles down the road, my brake lights and turn signals quit working. Any ideas to what is wrong???

Get it to a repair shop asap, no driving, tow it. This indicates serious engine problems.

I have a 97 monte that i just bought a few months ago. I had to put antifreeze in everyother day and it was leaking around the water pump. Well today my car started making noise like it was low on oil. I stopped and put a quart in and checked the level. It looked like mud. I started home and it started to over heat so i pulled over and shut it off. I put more antifreeze in and had to wait for it to cool. But where it was leaking at it had the same mud crap that was on my dipstick. The car ran very bad and was very hot. Also by the time I had gotten 8 miles down the road, my brake lights and turn signals quit working. Any ideas to what is wrong???
muddy looking oil on the dipstick could be signs of water/antifreeze getting into the oil---possibly bad head gasket or cracked block. also, any white crud found on dipstick is signs or water getin in. if you live where its real cold, if you were low on antifreeze, you may have blown out a freeze plug. anywho, get thee to a shop asap!

muddy looking oil on the dipstick could be signs of water/antifreeze getting into the oil---possibly bad head gasket or cracked block. also, any white crud found on dipstick is signs or water getin in. if you live where its real cold, if you were low on antifreeze, you may have blown out a freeze plug. anywho, get thee to a shop asap!



Ok, so how screwed am i if i had put "stop leak" in the radiator the day before this happened?

Uh, do we have it at a shop yet for a proper analysis??

I'd guess lower intake gasket, real common on GM's engines these days. Can destroy an engine pretty quick. Not a cheap fix for it, $500 at an independent shop, $800 at a dealer when all said and done. Welcome to the leaking intake club, about a million members so far.

Intake gaskets.I have replaced 3 or 4 3100s because someone drove them with intake gaskets leaking going too far with them.It take a long time to drain the crankcase to the point is to drain overnight.An engine replacement is the only option now if it got really hot,the antifreeze will eat up the main and rod bearings.

hopefully block isnt cracked...that would suck. it is prolly just gaskets...a little bit lighter on the pocketbook

If there is no damage to the valve train you are lucky, what happens most of the time is that the water creates a hydrualic condition and wrecks the valve train as it screws up the timing mechanicaly

I had the same problem with a 96 monte. I did the dumb thing and thought it would go away. I stopped at a light and my oil pressure light came on and two seconds later the car dies. I spun bearings. Do NOT DRIVE THIS CAR HAVE IT TOWED AND CHECKED OUT. I had to put in a rebuilt engine and blew 3200 bucks. It is not worth it get it checked out.