Oldsmobile/Buick: OIL IN RADIATOR, blown head gasket, oil filler cap

Question
MY LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED RADIATOR CAP I HAD BLACK GREASE ON THE CAP. WHAT COULD THIS INDICATE?  IT IS A 2000 BUICK CENTURY.3100 ENGINE OR 3.1 L.  THANKS BILL F.  P.S. HAD A NEW RADIATOR REPLACED ABOUT JULY.

Answer
Bill ,

Is the oil actually in the radiator or just on the exterior of the cap ? If you have oil in the radiator cap then you may have a BLOWN HEAD GASKET . And this is very very serious .

Here are the signs (including the coolant light you indicated)

*A bubbling noise heard from behind the dashboard (air in the cabin heating system)
*******>Strange coloured slimy deposits on the inside of the oil filler cap
*Water in the sump
*Steam coming out of the exhaust
*Very discoloured radiator water
*Bubbling and/or foaming in the radiator or overflow bottle
*Misfiring or car refusing to idle
*Sudden loss of power (if driving when gasket blows)

Since my expertise on fixing Oldsmobiles or GM's for that matter only goes as far as the 80's I would take it too a shop . BHG's are not cheap to repair either .Driving a automobile with a Blown Headgasket can ultimately lock the engine , since there is nothing cooling it .

Bill if you have any more questions then feel free to send me another e-mail . Don't forget to rate my response to you .

Cheers and Happy Holidays ,

Ed McKenna