Car overheating on Streets - Maintenance and Repair Forum

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Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 7:19 AM
My 96 2.2 cavalier has been overheating on the streets. The heater will start to blow cold air and the temp starts to rise. Then after a few seconds the heat will become hot again and the temp will return to normal. Under freeway driving the car never runs hot. Could it be a thermostat or does it seem like something far worse?

Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 8:12 AM
Could be the infamous water pump on these 2.2s. Or maybe a thermostat, but I think water pump.
Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 9:32 AM
take a picture of where it sits on the needle when it "overheats".



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Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 9:35 AM
Infamous water pump? Please, do explain. To me it sounds like there is an air bubble in the line. There's a black metal line going across the spark plugs with a nipple up at the top. warm the car up, crack it open until you get a stream instead of bubbles, close, refill, and enjoy.




Your car may do 13 sec @ 103 mph, but my car does 146db @ 35 hz.
Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 9:53 AM
no typical water pump issues exist with these motors.

they do have phantom overheating issues tho.

bleed the system and you will most likely be fine.

i do mine every summer.





Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 10:08 AM
I've never seen a phantom overheating issue, only air in the lines which would cause it.




Your car may do 13 sec @ 103 mph, but my car does 146db @ 35 hz.
Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 1:46 PM
Mike wrote:no typical water pump issues exist with these motors.

they do have phantom overheating issues tho.

bleed the system and you will most likely be fine.

i do mine every summer.


love the sig quote, lol.

also, just like everyone said above its more than likely air in your lines. WITH THE CAR COLD take off the coolant cap, turn on the car, keep the heat on full blast, reach down and squeeze the rad hose heading to your water hose neck continuously until the car is up to operating temps. that should get all the air out of your system and also give you the perfect tiem to refill your coolant

thats how i do it on my ld9 at least, not sure if theres an easier way on the 2200;s



Eat my shift
Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 1:53 PM
I will try and bleed it tonight. How does air get in the system? I haven never had this problem before. What would cause air to get in the system all of a sudden?
Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 3:16 PM
Lanman31337 - Cavfire wrote:I've never seen a phantom overheating issue, only air in the lines which would cause it.


That's just what I called it because it comes and goes. But it is nothing new. This issue has been posted many times.

Typically, I think it is just air in the system 99% of the time. I bleed mine out and it's fine again. Like I said, I'm on my 5th or 6th car with the 2.2, and I have had the same problem every summer. Needle goes all the way up almost into the red (only if it's just sitting there in a traffic jam running. On the road it's fine). Fan might kick on if it wants to at that point.

I see it as nothing serious as I have come to expect that one issue with these motors. So, If you can live with spree's and vespa's passing you and flipping you off for you not being able to get out of your own way. Then the 2.2 is a damn good motor.





Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 3:27 PM
Mike wrote:
Typically, I think it is just air in the system 99% of the time. I bleed mine out and it's fine again. Like I said, I'm on my 5th or 6th car with the 2.2, and I have had the same problem every summer. Needle goes all the way up almost into the red (only if it's just sitting there in a traffic jam running. On the road it's fine). Fan might kick on if it wants to at that point.


this is completely normal for these cars, it's not limited to the ohv. you're not ACTUALLY ohverheating till the needle is in the red. at which point you'll know, because the headgasket will pop and you will blow massive clouds of white vapor out the tailpipe.



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Re: Car overheating on Streets
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 4:16 PM
Well I bleed the the car from the nipple on the black pipe. I got alot of air sputtering and some coolant, but never got a steady stream of coolant. Should I keep going? I let it go for about 5-10 minutes, does it need longer? The drive home seemed fine, never had the needle move. Just wondering if I should bleed it longer.

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