Overheating issue on Cavalier 2000 with 2.2L

[MJK]

I need help with an overheating issue for my 2000 Cavalier. The car as a 2.2 Liter Engine.

The car was overheating very quickly, due to the weather; I sent the car to 2 local shops. At this point the thermostat was been replaced 2 or 3 times. The latest thermostat is a Chevy thermostat. This did not resolve the Problem. If the thermostat is removed the car can run for a very long time, but once you install the thermostat back, it overheat right away

Symptoms:
- When overheating the coolant is bubbling in the overflow jug.
- No apparent coolant leak.
- The oil doesn't seem to have any coolant in it.
- The inside heater work fine.
-no coolant smell or fume on the windshield
-the radiator doesn't seem to be plugged.

Any suggestions. Also any ideas why the thermostat seems to be the problem? Could is be the water pump?
Thanks for the help!
MJK

[pcv]

Is the radiator fan operational? If it is I'd flush the radiator real good.

[MJK]

PCV,
The fan is starting at the right temp.
Thanks for asking. However, I don't think the radiator was flushed.
Thanks

[jgagnon_2020]

Originally Posted by MJK

PCV,
The fan is starting at the right temp.
Thanks for asking. However, I don't think the radiator was flushed.
Thanks

I'm having a similar problem. My 2000 Cavalier overheated for no apparent reason and it was 30 below. That's -30 degrees centigrade! It happened 3 times since December. But has not happened since January !?

Did flushing the radiator help? Did you nail down the source of this problem?

[amac209]

mjk i'd say you might have a bad head gasket it's also possible it might be the pump i'd change the pump and see if it goes away the pump isn't that bad to change on your motor. also make sure the radiator isn't clogged with leaves and mud.
jgagnon did you check your antifreeze freezing level it might've gelled up into one big glob and plugged the radiator at -30

[MJK]

The system was flushed but it didn't help at all. As mentionned previouly the car works fine without a thermostat (It is just to bad that I can't run the car without a thermostat).

I think you maybe right reguarding the water pump. I may have to replace it. Maybe the thermostat is creating enough restriction in the system to overheat. I don't think the head gasket is the problem because the oil is clean and there is no lost of coolant.
How big of a job if the water pump to replace. How long shoult it take?
I just can believe that a car with only 60K miles can have a problem that hard to figure out.

[amac209]

i havn't actually done one but my friend did and said it took a couple hours it's just bolted on the front of the motor and run of the belt not like those ricers where you have to take the whole damn motor aparp because the timing belt turns it.
once you get the pump out you'll probably find the fins on the impeller are worn down. good luck

[jgagnon_2020]

Thanks amac209. My rad coolant is fine and is still liquide. Since I live in Montreal, Canada, I always have an antifreex/water mix that will work for these cold temps. Mind you, it doesn't stay that cold form more than a couple of days at a time

I think you may be right with the water pump. I'm at 135 000 km (about 85k miles) and everything else is looking good.

As I said previously it hasn't acted up in over a month. So I'm just gonna wait and see what happens when spring comes and the outside temperature starts to rise. Then if it overheats again, first thing to go will be the pump.

Joel

[Joe W]

The water pump is a possibility,but you could check the thermostat by putting it in a pan of water and heat it to see if it works.Wouldn't be the first time two new parts were bad.

[car_novice]

hi

I had the same problem with my cavalier today. the gauge showed overheating, so I had to stop on the freeway and get it towed. Thankfully the engine did not stall.

- I had overfilled power steering fluid and some of that had spilled
when I opened the hood. (could that have damaged the thermostat ?)

- My car heater inside does not work ??

- I did not notice any bubbling from the coolant. Coolant levels are normal. and there is no leakage.

- i did not notice carefully but I am guessing that the fan was not working, and the engine would heat-up even when I idle the car.

my car is in the dealer's parking lot now, 25 miles away. I do not want to be charged an extraordinary amount for something that I do not know about. Can anybody give any express advice ?
thanks,
-madhu

[amac209]

i'd guess you have a bad fan. i've seen a lot of cavaliers with bad fans. if you took it to a good shop they can verify this in no time at all with their scan tool. there is a big fuse(40amp i think) that is probably burnt out because the fan is shot. let me know how you make out.

[amac209]

oh yeah spilling power steering fluid won't have any affect on the thermostat because it's sealed inside the cooling system

[car_novice]

thanks a lot guys, I will let you know as soon as I find out

[TravCav]

Originally Posted by jgagnon_2020

I'm having a similar problem. My 2000 Cavalier overheated for no apparent reason and it was 30 below. That's -30 degrees centigrade! It happened 3 times since December. But has not happened since January !?

Did flushing the radiator help? Did you nail down the source of this problem?

O k...something about that strikes me as not right...if it's that cold the car should not be overheating...

[Joe W]

It don't matter how cold it is outside.The engine is still running.That is what makes the coolant hot and gives you heat inside the car.