Hi all and sorry about my low-quality english.

I desperately searching help for my father.

He bought a 1997 Cavalier at 123 000km 4years before.

1½year before today (almost 2 years after acquiring this car), he started to overheat sometimes. I made some tests on the road but the problem was intermittent. he could run several days or weeks before it overheats again so, he consulted a mechanic, working engines for years and he said it was his head gasket

Once the job done, he changed the gasket, fluid, Thermostat, waterpump, he cleaned all the radiators with a flush stuff... etc..

1 week after this, it overheated again... disappointed about this, he returned to see the mechanic again. He said that the overheat was probably the temperature sensor gotta be changed.. he done it.

3 days after, another overheat. So this time i took the lead and i got a brand new prestone cap! the old one was not in good shape... It gone good for few weeks till done it again! DAMMMM!

all times the car overheats, he calls me, i go for a testdrive and i give him some Sh*t or i drive it like a sunday ride after church! and all's good, The temperature stills normal.

We don't know what to do now ! they done some tests for the head gasket, pressure tests and all, changed the thermostat again, the coolant is new... that'S intermittent... I can go for a month or 2, all's good and sometimes it'S overheating !

Yesterday he told me that he oveheated (but there was no overflow, no coolant on the ground) so i gone to see this again, we made a 1hour testdrive and all was good !

there's a ghost in this engine ! for sure !

This is a 1997 Cavalier with a 2.2L . The odometer is around 155 000KM (not in miles)

we really don't know what to do about it ! Forgetting the intermittent overheating, all's going good ! No check-Engine, no oil consumption, etc. If you have questions, feel free to ask them ! and THANKS !

 

amazingly, a clogged heater core can cause an overheat on this car. Have seen it many times. Mechanics not familiar with this car will overlook it as theoretically this should not be possible.


Check your radiator and heator core and make sure the rad cap is sealing the system.

bypassing the heater core is the best way to verify. Connect the heater inlet and outlet hoses together with a piece of copper pipe. Make sure you don't break the aluminum core removing the hoses. If the car runs fine with this set up you can be sure the heater core is plugged. salut

 

Thanks for the quick answer!

Like i said, the mechanic got a stuff (a kind of flush) and washed-it afther this. the only thing i did'nt said, he did'nt found any crap after flushing it. the 2 cores seems to be ok!

this car always got a real good heating inside. whatever if it's 0°C or -20°C this car is a real heater hehehe! so the core is good. no leaks at all.

I already got a clogged radiator and it were always heating... till cleaned! but this car can run a month without eating at all... that's the funnyest part of it !

so thanks again and hope i'll have other solutions!

"salut"

see ya!

 

All it takes is a slight "FLOW" reduction through the heater core to over heat. The thermostat gets second hand water use after the heater, low flow= hot engine. Been there, done that

 

I have a similar problem with a 3.1 version Cavalier. I replaced water pump, heater core, all sensors, and hoses. Have not replaced radiator, but it seems to flow fine. Wondered if maybe the shroud in front of radiator may be the problem. Also replaced the fan motor.

 

In the old cars when they overheated, I turned the heater on inside the car to release the heat & help cool it down. Will that work with this car? Just an idea.

 

the 3.1's are a totally different beast.
whats the temp drop from the rad inlet and outlet?

Is your rad cap sealing?