ghostmechanic

iTrader: (1)

2009 Cobalt SS that's bone stock except 3" complete exhaust with catless downpipe & Injen upper charge pipe. It has 80K miles & it does get driven aggressively quite often. But maintenance is done regularly.

I'll start off by saying I'm not a noob mechanic. I've got many years of experience & my daughter owns a Saturn with a 2.2 Ecotec that I changed a head gasket, timing chain & water pump on last year so I have some experience with the Ecotec. Also I've owned several turbo cars in the past. But I am kinda new to these LNFs & I know when to ask for help. Yesterday I got home from work & parked my car. My son & I went to take off for a short trip & it said low coolant. I found that odd. I checked it & added some. Looking for leaks & finding none. We drove 25 miles & after stopping at a store & coming out to start it, it said low coolant again. I added more & we decided to limp her home & watch the temp gauge closely. It fluctuated way more than normal. Like 186 up to 208 & back down. We got home & I decided to check the oil. It's WAY higher than full. So... I'm thinking head gasket or cracked head. Basically the worst. I did a compression leak down test to see where it's at & number 1 cyl was at 30%. The other 3 cyl were around 25%. So that's good. By the way when driving we checked & it boosts like normal. No lack of power that's noticeable.

After seriously thinking this over I'm about to decide to change the water pump first to see if it's leaking. it makes sense to me that if the front seal in it is leaking, antifreeze is mixing with the oil. Plus I don't wanna change a head gasket if I don't have to.

Here's my questions... How prone are the water pumps to going bad? Coolant is a nice orange color & I just changed it out last year with new Dex-cool & distilled water.

How prone are the oil coolers to go bad? Is it possible it's leaking coolant into the oil?

When removing the charge pipe (Injen), thinking I'm gonna change the head gasket, there's way more oil in it than I'd like to see. Also taking the inlet pipe off the turbo there's goopy oil in it. Wiggle test on the compressor wheel... It seems fine but possibly a little more play than being perfect. What are the odds the turbo is causing this?

Thanks for any help

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

Typically when the turbo goes bad it's the oil seal, and you would noice it smoking more coming from the exhaust. Water pumps at your mileage don't usually go bad, not do head gaskets. I hate to say it but you may have what people call "porous block". The late 08-09 and some 10's suffer from leaking in the coolant passages due to them being foam cast instead of sand cast like the later Buick motors. There are quite a few in here who have had this and have more experience so I will let them comment. I haven't had it yet (mine is a 09) but it probably will at some point. If that is the case you can get a shortblock fairly cheap if you want to do more work yourself, or a complete ldk long block setup from ZZP for a little over $2k that utilizes the much stronger sand cast generation 3 block. Sadly the blocks have leaked on these cars with very low to very high mileage. Some don't make 30k before they are done. Gm never did a recall even though they should have.

heeter_33

Ya, it sounds like porous block if there are no other obvious signs.

ghostmechanic

iTrader: (1)

Oh that's just beautiful. I sure hope you're wrong lol. I don't wanna put that kind of money into this turd.

Canadia

Ugh, hearing this happening to people still makes me even more inclined to trade my 09 in on a new GTi or R. :/

ghostmechanic

iTrader: (1)

I don't mean to be THAT guy.... But I've searched & read I promise. It's hard to cipher through all the threads. What locations on the block are affected that I should look for? I'm at the point of having it torn down some if needed. I'd like to get the timing cover off & check the water pump & check out any common spots on the block that go bad.

ghostmechanic

iTrader: (1)

I've not been a fan of this car since I bought it but because of finances I've been stuck with it. And it's funny you say that because if I was able to trade it in my first choice would be a Gulf R.

08VRSS

Usually between the coolant jacket and oil drain passage. You won't see it. Best bet if you're going to keep the car, get an LDK short block from either zzp or member mongorat on here can set you up for probably cheaper. Then swap over your rotating assembly and dress the block. Sorry to hear about this, but it's common for 08-09 unfortunately.

ghostmechanic

iTrader: (1)

Actually I'm pretty sure it is in fact a failed water pump. I'm ordering one today along with timing cover gasket etc. I'll put dye in the water & keep a close eye on it after. If it turns out to be the block after all... Nope I won't be keeping it. I was never a Chevrolet guy before I bought this car. So I'll trade it off for something else.

Thanks guys.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

I feel sorry for the next guy if it is the block and you trade it in.

Snail_SS

iTrader: (3)

Yeah poor person kinda messed up imo. But I understand if you don't have the funds or really don't care about the car

exninja

iTrader: (1)

Guaranteed your water pump is fine. Your block is toast. Welcome to the club!

ghostmechanic

iTrader: (1)

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the first person to trade a car in with issues to a dealership.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

Speaking from experience here I can say when the timing chain let go on a car I bought my son after driving 50 miles since it was purchased, I would have loved to introduce my fist to the previous owners nose. I'm sorry but I have too much integrity to do that to someone else. Dealer wouldn't do anything about it.

exninja

iTrader: (1)

People think you screw the dealer when you do that but usually you're screwing the next owner.

FLASH1970

how would the water pump going bad introduce water into the oil? I could understand if the oil cooler went bad it could do this. or the headgasket. but if the pump goes bad, I would think you'd have rising coolant temps.

user 72239

iTrader: (4)

this sounds exactly like a porous block. not water pump. The water pump does connect to the balance chain assembly, but there is almost no way for the water to actually get behind it and into the oil.

Snail_SS

iTrader: (3)

So you did a 50/50 of dexcool with distilled water? Dexcool is already 50/50

FLASH1970

I saw pre and non diluted containers of coolant when I bought mine...

Snail_SS

iTrader: (3)

Ah I've only seen the 50/50 containers

heeter_33

Truth. My sister traded her Cavalier into a Honda dealer with a blown headgasket and they didn't even care or look under the hood. I straight up told the salesman it had a blown headgasket and was leaking oil pretty bad, and he said as long as the body was in good shape they'd just sell it at auction anyway. It was a new car sale for him, so the used car didn't matter.

tomj77

iTrader: (2)

I'm pretty sure it's porus block just like with every other 09 balt with this issue

tomj77

iTrader: (2)

Nope, u can get it pure or 50 50

CudaJoe

iTrader: (1)

Can you at least post a photo and vin number of the car so anyone asking in here about a cobalt SS in S.E. Kansas for sale can make a educated offer for the car from the dealer?

Hope your next used car you buy has a cracked sleeve, good luck with the new water pump you wasted money on.

ECaulk

iTrader: (6)

Just gonna add this in for more info