Well, before any "search" responses, I did, and I'm making this post hoping someone can help pinpoint the problem... It's very cold outside and I have no heat in my garage...
Basically I'm overheating with the heat turned off, with it on, the gauge stops right before the red, but blows no heat until I rev up the engine. At points I smell what I think is coolant coming through the vents. No low coolant and no check engine lights come on at all only check gauges when its in the red.
From my searching I've narrowed it down to:
Thermostat (replaced about a year ago)
Water Pump (replaced about 6 months ago)
Radiator (still stock)
And (I really hope not) Head Gasket...
I guess all I really need to know is if this is definitely the head gasket, I read it could be blown but not necessarily causing "milky oil"
ANY advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated
To save the trip to my profile :
1998 cavalier 2200 auto
After looking it up it does sound like the symptoms fit. I didn't even think of that
Think I was too freaked out thinking it was the head gasket
Thanks!
and I thought I had a few too many mixed colors on my cavalier(refering to sig pic ^^^) blue spolier (darker)manta green cave and black front bumper..lol..
Ha, yeah, I've been wanting to get around and get it painted, but the old ladys car died and we've been needing to share
if you are still worried or want to check if it is the headgasket (or any rings) compression check it they are usually 20 bucks at an autoparts store and they come in handy when working or modifying engines.
Drive Fast Take Chances
http://billstclair.com/blog/images/fukitol.jpg
Cool, thanks for the help/advice! Going to go pick up new one and put it in right now.
Did the heater core end up being your problem? My car is doing the EXACT same thing. I really hate throwing parts at it so if this is what I need to do any help would be awesome.
100% the heater core. Either blocked, leaking, or massive air bubble in it. If you smell coolant, it's leaking.
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
My 86 eagle premier (what a pile of @!#$) was sooooo bad that eventually I couldn't see out my windshield cause it would be covered in coolant. I'm talkin a layer that would eventually run down the windshield! We ended up bypassing it and looping the hoses at the firewall. Ahhh, the good ole days of driving in the winter without heat... wait... those weren't good ole days! Those were miserable ole days!
So before you start throwing money into it, try that, loop the two hoses that go into your firewall. See if that helps with the temp as well. As bad as my leak was, I never remember the temp guage goin that high, tho I don't remember a temp guage on that car and it was over 10yrs ago.
