2000 cavalier overheating.
 

I bought a 2000 cavalier to toy with. I paid 200 for it with 200k miles ran really good didn't overheat at all so i got it home no problem and looked into the coolant overflow to find it empty the plastic radiator cap was broken but still sealed well .. so I get dexcool and fill it. I drove it and little to see if it ran better since it had cool and in the overflow but it ran hot!! I drove it about an hour but it was at night and kinda cold maybe 40..when I noticed it running hot I just slowed Down and the temp gauge backed up.. didn't go back to normal but wasn't at red it still has a high temp at idle.. its over 195.. is this normal?? I need suggestions this is a nice car i would like fixed. No it doesn't have milky oil so I don't think its blown gasket

Sounds normal for the operating temperature, but not for when you first start it up and let it idle.

Try doing a coolant system flush and see if that helps.

The coolant that drained out I replaced yes. I think its a clog. Not sure if its normal but the bar going across the top of the engine that the upper hose connects to is rusty inside and so is the upper hose I'm sure the radiator is too could the impellers of the water pump be rusty too? I have no pressure in the top hose I can squeeze it closed and not even feel the coolant going through though when I take it off coolant comes out the thermostat is 180 and when I go over hills and stuff because I live in mountain area the temp gauge rises to a quarter before max half is 195 u say that's normal? All cars I been in the temp gauge doesn't move. With it moving I get scared its liable to overheat long distances

I should also add I replaced thermostat and the surge tank and cap. Not sure what else to do. I'm gonna pull the radiator and see if its clogged any other advice

This is what i went through with mine while trying to fix it. It was a "restricted" heater core. Try searching for " 2002 still getting hot after changing everything" from Oct 2011. It may help you out.

Thanks for the info. I'll search for it and read it. Since posting the last post I pulled the radiator and water pump. I stuck my hose inside the radiator and everything flowed fine and nothing came out but clear water water pump is good. Stuck the hose inside the bar the upper hose connects to and it flows fine so no blockage that I know of. Haven't checked heater because it blows hot as hell but I'll still look at the thread and if anyone else has suggestions I'm open

A update I put the car back together and used water this time so I wouldn't waste cash. On another note I couldn't find the radiator drain plug before and I found it now so I could easily drain the water.I found a crack in the thermostat housing where it meets with the water pump called around its discontinued got it for 35 at a junk yard. I replaced all hoses including the rubber heater ones in the front . If runs excellent on acceleration it rubs slightly below 195 but when I idle it will go up to the solid line below red but when I go out cool a itself off could I have a little air in it? After going like 5 miles of country roads I returned and took the radiator plug out... ewww it was red I didn't catch any so Idk what was in it but it was red I did this 2 or 3 times and then filled it with dex cool so far so good but I'm concerned about raising temps on idle no dash warning lights are on. I also forgot that my upper hose has pressure now

Mine would over heat at idle unless i kept the rpms up around 2500. Also driving around at high rpms kept it cool. It drove me crazy. As i found out, it was not getting enough "FLOW" through the heater core to open the thermostat all the way. Yes, it blew hot air as normal out the ducts. Have you by passed the heater core yet to test it?

I thinking had air in it. I came home added coolant because surge tank was nearly empty and now it isn't running hot at idle so I think its fixed