1991 cavallier possible head gasket
monte350
03-23-2005, 06:01 AM
car will overheat if you do not run the heat on high. i have changed the radiator with a new one. thermostat and water pump. i do add maybe a cup of antifreeze a month to the overflow. no external leaks on engine. summer is coming and i do not want to run the heat much longer. also is this a fairly easy job? 1991 cavalier 2.2
Classicrocjunkie
03-23-2005, 10:14 AM
uhhh.... can't really tell you without sayin what engine you got.
s10lowrider27
03-23-2005, 10:19 AM
my experience, head gaskets suck, but they arnt really that hard, i also changed mine on a 95 neon though. usually if its a head gasket, you'll have white smoke comming out of your exhaust, so if you if have that then chances are its a head gasket, if not then i dont know what it could be.
caspian
03-23-2005, 09:46 PM
A trick that often works to prevent overheating is to drill a small hole in the thermostat. Drill bit size should be no more than 3/64". Drill the hole so it will be just inside the edge at the gasket and mount the thermostat so the hole is at 12:00. With a leaking headgasket a small air pocket often forms behind the thermostat and the engine wants to overheat even though the thermostat doesn't get hot enough to open. The small hole lets the air pocket push through and the coolant can then cycle the thermostat open and close. I kept a dodge engine going for 9 months by drilling a hole and adding a quart per month.
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