1998 Other Saturn Models oil leak and water pump

1998 SATURN
104,000 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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YOUN0599
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I took my 98' saturn into to get new brakes, when the guy called me back he said that i have a oil leak that is leaking close to my spark plugs (think saturn engine design). Is there anything I can do about that, or is it a must fix on the gasket?

He also had told me that my water pump was leaking, how bad does that need to be fixed? promptly? or can you drive with that for a period of time?

I am a poor college student, that needs to just get by..
Dec 18, 2007 at 12:18 PM
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JUSTIN FREED
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Everything is a matter of degree. If the leaks are small, you might be able to get by by just making sure your fluid levels are always full. Mind you, this is not a solution to your problem but, I know what being a poor college student is like (although, it's been awhile. I graduated in '81).

On the other hand, if the leaks are of significance (leaving puddles etc.) you really should do something about it, not only because it is bad for the car but it costs you more money (to replace the fluids) and it is simply letting oil and possibly antifreeze loose in the environment.

So, changing a valve cover gasket is not too awful bad on your car. A decent repair manual can guide you thru that. The water pump is a bit of a different story. It is not really all that difficult but it requires more than just cursory interest in doing it.

You might want to try looking around campus for some folks who fiddle with cars - I did odd jobs to make a few bucks when I was in school - and there are always a few "gearheads" around who might be interested in doing a job for you.

Good Luck!
Dec 19, 2007 at 1:15 PM