i have a 1998 cavalier with 2.2l engine that over heats. i changed water pump, head,thermostat-still overheats. the top half of upper and lower radiator hoses get hot, but the lower half is cool to touch. the radiator is cool also. i also tried bleading the air out of systm...still overheats
anybody have an answer?

 

For grins and giggles by pass the heater core. My heater worked but restricted the flow to the thermostat. Soaked "CLR" in it for an hour, BACK flushed it in the car and all is good. Look for my adventures "2002 still getting hot after changing everything" sound familular. Bob

 

Thanks BW56, that didn't work either

 

The smaller diameter hose that tees off of the coolant pipe on top goes toward the firewall where the heater core is (actually behind the firewall). The other hose that tees off on the hot side of the thermostat and goes to the heater core is the outlet side of the heater core. "Bypassing the heater core" means somehow making the coolant flow out of the T on top to the T behind the thermostat without traversing the heater core.

That said, could you elaborate what you did that didn't work?