2002 Chevy Cavalier has a high heat gauge and blowing cold air?

Question

Here's the situation, I was driving home from work today and had the heat on. I did have the heat on for some time in the car, but then turned it off when I got warm. As I got closer to home, it got cold, so I turned the heat back on. For some reason it was blowing cold heat. I looked down at the temperture gauge and it was over the 195 mid point. I turned off the heater and drove slow on the roads when I got off the freeway. By the time I got back home, the gauge was just pushing the 260 point wth the check gauge light coming on. I parked my car and turned off the ignition. I let it sit for about 10 mins and then turned it back on. The check gauge light shut off, but it was still over the 195 point. I turned the heater on and heat was coming out. I shut the car down again and let it rest for 5 mins and started it up again. Heat was blowing cold. Unforuntetely I was driving at 90mph for about 20-30 mins. I think I blew a head gasget. Can someone help me? I need to get to work tomorrow

My work place is about 40 miles away...if I go speed limit (55 ish), could I make it to a Midas? Or should I find a place closer by?

Answer 1

Low coolant is probably the number 1 cause, take it to a garage as soon as possible, and have a pressure test preformed. If there is a leak, then it should be found with a pressure test, if not, have a block leak down test prefomed. Usually hard to determine with this test, but its been a last resort for me a few times. I have known these vehilce to have cooling problems. I've seen this over and over, but make sure you have the lower and upper air dams. If they are missing, they can cause a situation that is what you have described. Check the coolant level first, fill it if low, check for the dams, and take it to have a pressure test preformed as soon as possible. Never let your car go to the point where the check gague light comes on, if it does, pull over and let it cool off.

Also, if everything turns out OK, then you may want to have the theremostat changed, and the coolant flushed, I usually recomend this whenever a vehicle has overheated, or has come close to, even if the thermostat seems ok, it may has damaged or weakend its seals. I would have them changed as a precaution, depending on what the thechnicians outlooks are, you may need a coolant flush depending on what work needs to be done, a thermostat done at the same time is a smart thing to do, too.

Answer 2

Check for a stuck thermostat on the supply side of the radiator going to the engine block. If it is stuck shut, then the water is not circulating properly. The easiest way to check is to remove the thermostat completely. If the problem goes away, that was the issue.

In the deep south, you can get away without a thermostat, but up north, you are better to replace it quick. The reason is, the thermostat stays closed to help the water heat up to operating temperature first, then opens to allow water to circulate. On a minus 20 day (that we don't see in the south), without a thermostat, your water might not ever get warm enough to produce heat.

If your thermostat is not the issue (and I am assuming that your coolant system is full), then the next place to check is the water pump.

Finally, if all else fails, maybe something in your radiator is clogged and a good "flush and fill" might help.

Answer 3

Souds like an fool verify, yet is your recirculation button pressed? That button takes cabin air and places it decrease back in, you employ it in circumstances of something like airborne dirt and dust storms or maybe pollen clouds, something which you do no longer prefer outdoors air coming in. For aircon that's superb, yet for heating the air could bypass in the process the heating aspects which are available in the process the cooling equipment of your vehicle. 2d concern, if the 1st one is superb and you're no longer recirculating air then see in the experience that your getting a low temp examining on your dashboard, it may be your thermostat gave out and you purely have not observed yet until now. Thats the subject i'm at the instant having withy my 2001 Saab 9-3, i've got not got an answer on the thank you to learn that, yet once you verify to alter it, make beneficial its dealing with the splendid way, it purely expenses between $5-25 so its as much as you.

Answer 4

Get some antifreeze. Since you weren't driving it that way for too long, you shouldn't have to worry about the thermostat being fried.

Answer 5

You are low on coolant, fill it up and see how it performs.