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1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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snaggycarz
New User
May 15, 2005, 12:54 AM
Post #1 of 8
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1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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Hi all,
I have a 1995 4 door auto cavalier with air conditioning, and what I "think" is a 2.2 liter engine.
there are no markings on the engine cover at all, and the Haynes book I have is basically useless.
With the info in this book, I cannot properly identify my engine. I will attach a pic of the engine here in this post, and you can tell me.....lol
Basically, a simple problem turned ugly, well, at least for me that is.
I wanted to flush my engine coolant because it looked all brown and nasty, so I bought a new 180 degree thermostat (but my book contradicts my mechanics advice, and says it should be 195 degrees), special coolant, and a flush kit which is basically a "T" you install between the heater core and the engine which allows the hookup of a garden hose to flush it out.
Anyhow, the problem is that since I cannot really 100% identify my engine, I "assumed" that the thermostat was like most normal vehicles and would be located "under" the waterneck. So I located what I "thought" was the waterneck, (a 2 spigot waterneck bolted via 2 bolts to the back of the water pump, which connects the pump to the rad), undid the 2 bolts, and after a few light "yanks" the neck pulled off, but it was difficult as there was not a rubber gasket, but rather gasket material which of course was stuck on there pretty good. When the water neck decided to let go, there was a "flood" of coolant that shot out from the pump, and once it subsided, I noticed there was NO thermostat!
I looked in the grass under the car, but could not find it, I looked all around inside the engine, thinking it had just gotten stuck somewhere after shooting out forced by the coolant or something. Nothing not found.
Anyhow, no thermostat to be found anywhere, so now I"m left with a hanging neck, no thermostat and no ide what to do next. I actually put my replacement thermostat in the hole where I assumed there had been one, and it is a perfect tight fit. I cleaned off all the hardened old gasket material, awaiting new goop when I reconnect it all.
So, either my thermostat just shot off and disappeared, and I have the correct location, meaning I can goop on some more gasket seal, pop in my thermostat where it looks like it should go, and carry on, or................
I have no idea what I'm doing, need to seal up that waterneck and find where the thermostat "REALLY' is located so I can proceed with flushing my engine.
Any help any of you have would be greatly appreciated at this point!
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waterneck1.jpg
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whatkindamotor1.jpg
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 15, 2005, 4:28 AM
Post #2 of 8
(16821 views)
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Re: 1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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Your engine looks nice and clean - there should be a sticker to tell you which engine you have.
Also - Most thermostats are at the engine end of the upper radiator hose. BTW don't use the 180 t-stat. Use what the car calls for only. You could mess up the emission controls as the engine might not think it fully warmed up! - and even lose fuel economy. Good luck with the fix,
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motorheadII
User
May 15, 2005, 8:41 AM
Post #3 of 8
(16816 views)
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Re: 1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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What Tom said. Engine operating temp is very important in a fuel-injected electronically controlled engine. Use only the proper thermostat.
Good pic. Look on the spec tag upper left for eng. displacement. I think you'll find your thermostat located behind the water outlet at the lower right. Be sure to install thermostat with copper pellet end into engine. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck.
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snaggycarz
New User
May 15, 2005, 10:11 AM
Post #4 of 8
(16809 views)
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Re: 1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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Thanks for the info guys.
Unfortunately, it does not answer any of my questions.
As mentioned, there are NO markings anywhere, otherwise I'd be able to find a reference.
My book does NOT show my engine model.
I do not know if what I removed is the correct thing (waterneck with 2 bolts), it goes from the lower rad hose to the waterneck, the waterneck is bolted on the water pump assembly via 2 bolts opposite to the pully side as shown in the picture. It's hard to describe, thus the attached photos.
Where the upper rad hose attaches to the motor is a spot where 3 nuts hold on a right angle looking water neck and where that bolts on is where the bleeder screw for the fuel system is located.
See my pictures again, I've added markings to my questions.
So, is the thermostat located as marked on the picture at:
1) A
2) B
3) Other?
Also, can anyone tel me by looking what model is my engine??
Thanks!!
Please see attached photos
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thermostat1.jpg
(64.8 KB)
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thermostat2.jpg
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motorheadII
User
May 15, 2005, 10:50 AM
Post #5 of 8
(16805 views)
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Re: 1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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1. Lower hood.
2. Call wrecker.
3. Have car towed to reputable auto repair shop, preferably one
employing ASE certified techs.
4. Sell or donate your tools.
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carjunky
Enthusiast
May 15, 2005, 11:08 AM
Post #6 of 8
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Re: 1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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Hmmm.... I'm thinking the previous owner, might have removed the old thermostat and left it open so that they wouldn't have to worry about it.... I rememeber my father doing this once.....
I think your thermostat would go in the second spot picture (B) Behind the air intake tube... Have you tried to open up this section, ato see if the new thermostat would fit inside?
As with the temperature being 180 or 195 degrees it really depends on the engine, BUT some cars like to run hot others cold... If you are unsure, I would lightly ..."suggest" keeping the 180 degree on, just to make sure the car runs cooler...
Where the upper rad hose attaches to the motor is a spot where 3 nuts hold on a right angle looking water neck and where that bolts on is where the bleeder screw for the fuel system is located.
See my pictures again, I've added markings to my questions.
This above is where i was saying that thermostat should go since a thermostat opens and closes to adjust the flow of water to cool the engine, and the flow would come through the middle of the thermostat and out on of the sides.....
Hope this helps a bit more....
BY THE WAY..... Great use of pictures.....
(This post was edited by carjunky on May 15, 2005, 11:09 AM)
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DanD
Veteran
/ Moderator
May 15, 2005, 6:31 PM
Post #7 of 8
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Re: 1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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That is a 2.2-liter engine. Have a look at the right shock tower, you’ll see a white decal the top left corner of the decal has the engine size. You can see a part of the decal in one of your pictures. I can confirm the engine size for you if you can give me the eighth digit of the VIN #. That’s the engine code.
Yes the thermostat is where you have the A in that picture, they moved the thermostats to the lower hose when they went to reverse flow cooling but yours is still the old style of cooling system.
After all of this, I suggest you remove the thermostat for the flushing of the system that way you’ll have full flow during the flush. Pull the stat housing again after the system is clean and install the new thermostat.
One other thing, you’ve have probably been told a 50/50 mix of water and coolant is what you want at the end of this job and that is 100% right.
But now think what did you flush the systems with, water right? When you drain the rad you will not get all of the strait water out. The engine block will not completely drain and probably hold up to half the systems total capacity
If you start with a 50% mixture on the refill, by the time it combines with the water in the block the mix will not be strong enough and you’ll be draining the rad again to get it strong enough. Pour in strait coolant up to about 6 liters after it has had a chance to circulate you should end up with a –35C. get a tester they’re cheap.
Seeing the Petro Canada battery in the picture you know what anti-freeze is about.LOL
I’m at home now and don’t have access to my manuals so I can’t honestly say what temp stat should be in there, (I think a 190 degree) but I’ll look it up tomorrow if you still need an answer
Dan.
Canadian "EH"
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DanD
Veteran
/ Moderator
May 16, 2005, 4:39 AM
Post #8 of 8
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Re: 1995 cavalier thermostat location, help!!!
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Here is a VIN chart that may help you to confirm what engine you have.
This other diagram shows the thermostats location
According to my manual you’re suppose to use "GM’s Dexcool" or there are a lot of different types of long life anti-freeze out there now that are compatible.
The heat range of the original thermostat is it begins to open at 189 degree and fully open at 207. Degree so a 195 would work fine.
Dan.
Canadian "EH"
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