1998 Chevrolet Cavalier cooling system

Tiny
SEXTONJ
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 135,600 MILES
Temp is almost to red on gauge when in stop and go traffic and hwy driving, turn heater on and temperature comes down a little. Only does it during daytime driving, New water pump three months ago, temp sensor and coolant cap Replaced yesterday. Cooling fan comes on without ac on, also comes on when ac is turned on.
Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 10:26 AM

10 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
If your cooling fan comes on without the AC and shuts back off on it's own, then you don't have a problem at all. This is the way the car was engineered to operate. The fans aren't programmed to come on until approx 228 degrees and on some gauges that will seem very high but it is completely normal and you're wasting money trying to fix something that isn't broken.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 11:41 AM
Tiny
SEXTONJ
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I was letting you know the cooling fan is working properly to the best of my knowledge, however the temperature does not come down unless you turn on the heater. It is not normal for the needle TO be all the way over almost to the red. Has never done this before prior to the last month, what else could you eliminate with out just replacing parts to eliminate possibilities. Water pump Replaced a few months ago, temp sensor and coolant cap replaced yesterday, no visible leaks.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 12:07 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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Please read my first answer.

If you question the temps then use a scan tool to read the actual temp the computer sees. Anything up to 230 is normal.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 1:06 PM
Tiny
SEXTONJ
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  • 6 POSTS
I am not confused about the temperature range, the last five years the temperature gauge has never been past the middle, it has no numbers so not sure of the actual temperature, but I do know it is alot farther right, it seems to be running hotter according to the gauge, no water loss, no steam or smoke, no obvious problems and the parts that I mentioned in my earlier texts that have been replaced.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 1:31 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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If you run the AC the fan will run all the time and run cooler or if you're over 40MPH, it will run in the middle but in slow traffic with no AC it will climb up to 225 or more but if the fan comes on and brings it down enough for the fan to shut back off, then everything is fine.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 2:11 PM
Tiny
SEXTONJ
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  • 6 POSTS
This was one of the things I mentioned in my first text, the only way it will come down is to turn the heater on and let it blow for a few minutes. At night no problems, you can drive slow fast idle the needle never gets past halfway no matter how you drive, I don't know what the problem is, but there is one.
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+1
Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 2:18 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
I'll say it one more time and then I'm done with this. If the fan shuts back off on it's own, you don't have a problem.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 3:11 PM
Tiny
SEXTONJ
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Now I understand why your site is free, you can't even understand the question.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 3:13 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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No, you don't understand the answer. I've dealt with this exact same situation on GM cars dozens of times. It's always the same. People think their car is overheating when it is operating exactly the way it was designed to.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 3:16 PM
Tiny
SEXTONJ
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  • 6 POSTS
Then why does the temperature needle almost touch the red, that's not normal for it to be way over there.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 AT 3:21 PM

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