1989 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 from North America - Comments

I bought my Z for $400 bucks. It needed new heads due to a blown gasket, which in turn leaked antifreeze into the oil, turning it into peanut butter. The heads cost me $450 to get rebuilt.

I finally got to hear the car run when it was all put together.

...For about five minutes!

Found out the battery and the starter were both pooched. I was not happy!

There goes another $200 dollars.

Once it was all back together again, the engine had run for a while when I noticed that the fan was not engaging.

I pulled out the diagnostics tester and found that it was just the computer. Just! Yeah right, there goes more money out the window.

O.K. Finally the moment of truth. I had my car. It ran. It ran great! I drove around for a little bit to see how she ran. Beautiful. I went to the car-wash to shine her up. Looked sweet. I went to the gas station to fill it up. Paid the $35 bucks (frigging Canada), hopped in my ride, turned the key, nothing.

...The fuel pump went and crapped out on me. Now I had to change the pump. With a full tank!

At last. My car worked. I Drove it around for two weeks.

Wouldn't you know it, piston blew. That big waste of money has been sitting in my garage for two months now. I would like to put in a 3.1L, But I'm having trouble finding a cheap used engine with half decent mileage on it.

That thing. That hunk of scrap metal. That piece of junk... is still my favorite car. I hate to love it. I love to hate it. But I still cherish my Z, and I'll never let her go.

I love my Z24

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I own an '88. These cars are ready for war when properly motivated. Sorry to hear about all the problems you had, but it seems like the guys before us ride these horses hard and put 'em away wet. That leaves us to do all of the crap upkeep. I tend to add the newest performance parts to mine to get the longevity/speed that I desire oh, so much.

I have a Chevy Cavalier Z24 2.8, and have just about rebuilt the whole car. It has high mileage, but runs like a bear, much power, but now after servicing fluids, I have a leak in the rear. It smells like oil, maybe trans. fluid, and I must drive the car in 8 hours. I just saw the leak; can I drive the car safely? Or not?

I have a Chilton manual, but can't figure out what to do on short notice. I bought a 1992 Z24 3.1 and it needed a trans. An awesome car; they said it had a new motor at 135000 miles, but the frame rotted. Now selling for parts.

Question is, can I drive the 1989 safely till I can repair it?

Thank you,

Barbara.

"I have a Chevy Cavalier Z24 2.8, and have just about rebuilt the whole car. It has high mileage, but runs like a bear, much power, but now after servicing fluids, I have a leak in the rear. It smells like oil, maybe trans. fluid, and I must drive the car in 8 hours. I just saw the leak; can I drive the car safely? Or not? I have a Chilton manual, but can't figure out what to do on short notice.

Question is, can I drive the 1989 safely till I can repair it?

Thank you.

Barbara."

Barbara, I think it depends on how big the leak is, and how far you have to drive.

What is meant by the rear? From the rear of the engine, from the rear of the transmission/transaxle? What kind of fluid? Did you remove the transmission pan and replace the filter? Perhaps you didn't tighten the pan correctly, and it is leaking out the gasket -- impossible to say.

If you just changed fluids, could it just be some spilled fluid dripping from somewhere? You should check your fluids, and if they aren't low, then possibly it would be okay, but I would really try to make sure where the leak is coming from, if it is a leak at all, before driving it.