hey everyone. i have a 1996 cavalier that ive been having cooling troubles with ever since i got it. first thing that happened was the rad sprung a leak so i installed another one. everything was good again for quite sometime, would just lose coolant and have to add some every so often. i didnt worry too much about it until a couple of months later it started overheating again. there was coolant slowly leaking out between the cylinder head and the block. so i took the head off and discovered it needed a head gasket for sure and i took the head in to a machinist to get looked at to see if it was warped or cracked. to my dismay it was cracked and warped. i got a different head from a parts car of mine(1996 sunfire). this car had similar issues but i had the head plained and new head gasket and it ran good for many years until it had electrical problems. so i was pretty sure this head would be good to go. i put it all back together just the other day, took it for a drive and it started overheating again. i turned it off and bled the cooling system. tried driving again and again it overheated so i bled it again. i did this several times with no luck. i checked the thermostat, the fan, and water pump and all were good. it keeps getting air in the system which makes me think its something with the head again. but the head i put on was good, all new gaskets, and i dont see any coolant loss internally or externally. does anyone have any other suggestions for me?

Welcome to the bad 2.2L head gasket club. You said it ran good for many years, exactly how many years? I wouldn't put it past the head gasket again. Do a block test or have a block test done to be sure.


-Markus
2002 Yellow Cavalier LS Sport *SOLD*
2000 White Cavalier Sedan
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At least he has the 2.2 and not the 2200. The coolant pipe has a bad tendency to rust out on the 2200's. Again, head gaskets on the 2.2/2200 are like the water pumps on the Quad 4 and Twin Cam engines - Prone to failure.

Even tho you had it checked before a long time ago, or whenever you did, it does sound like this head is warped or cracked too. My suggestion, take the head off, take it to a machine shop and have it inspected. My bet is that its bad too.

thanks everyone for helping out. i really didnt want to have to take the head off again but i did and it is warped. i was careful taking it off the other motor, slowly taking the head bolts out a little bit at a time but because the alluminum is such a light material it still warped. i was in too much of a hurry and didnt even check before i put it on. stupid mistake.

I had a 93 2.2 come through my shop with a cracked head. I went to the junk yard and pulled 2 heads in a row that were also cracked. Luckily the 3rd time was a charm, but kinda articulates something doesn it? >:o


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