Spun bearings at around 150,000 miles. Junk yard replacement still working fine after another 40,000+ miles.
One of the tubes on the heater core broke due to being made of plastic.
Paint flaking off the hood.
Blown head gasket on original engine.
Leak that would not go away after changing thermostat.
Radiator fan dead.
Excellent engine, cooling fan died long ago but engine has never seized due to overheat, even in summer, though it will start to run badly if hot enough.
Cheapest heater core I've ever seen, cheap aluminum core with plastic tubes and end cap.
Thermostat change is a nightmare since it is next to impossible to get tools in the general area AND hold on to them. Then I couldn't figure out how to get the housing to stop leaking for weeks.
What are you talking about, man? You must have a 4-cylinder, because on my 2.8L Z24 the thermostat is in a very easy-to-access location. The only way the housing could leak is if the thermostat is installed correctly, since it has a rubber O-ring to seal it with no sealant required.
The heater core in MY car is all aluminum, I have never seen a heater core with plastic parts.
Yes the 2.0L engines in Cavaliers have 4 cylinders. I have noticed that these older Cavaliers do have poor cooling systems. Although they are good all around cars. And the thermostat is located in a different location on the 2.0L than the 2.8L, But still is not THAT hard to change.
You might want to replace your computer. That could be the problem with your cooling fan. It happened to my Z as well. My heater core also blew a the plastic return pipe, I think Chev was trying to save some money on this hidden part!
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