Bought a 1992 Chevy Cavalier Convertable By ridecheap (Read 2,082 times)

[ridecheap]

Bought a chevy cavalier convertible for $1100.

It has 130,000 miles and runs very good. Just has cosmetic problems. Carfaxed the VIN before buying everything is green checked all looks good.

Theres a button you push to make the top go down and back up no need to get up thats the best part.

It smells alittle sweet like radiator fluid. I hope its not a head gasket but when I heard the engine is pured like a cat and when it was running with hood up didnt smell anything. Could be normal.

Tvac said "could be from the heater core ."

it could be comming from the overflow bottle vent .

John

[ridecheap]

Someone on a caviler forum said it could be a leak look for one over the weekend but I looked on the ground where I bought car no leak.

(Keep in mind I dont smell anything outside or when it running just in the garage.)

[JR]

I had a 89 Cavalier Z24, awesome car but I had to get rid ot it! Speeding tickets! Seriously!

[fflintstone]

Hey ridecheap,nice ride there--about that antifreeze smell,it could be a small seep at a hose connection ,or some place like water pump or thermostat gasket--my 1993 Chevvy Astro with the 4.3 engine smells of antifreeze sometimes after driving it for awhile and engine is hot--and I lose some antifreeze over the months but I think it is because the recovery bottle has some cracks in it near the top--not important as long as the engine runs smooth and no indication that the head gaskets are leaking...on the other hand ,I have a 2002 Grand Caravan Sport I got off craigslist, and had to replace head gaskets on it...I didn't detect anything wrong with it or I would not have bought it,so I got stuck on that deal--not to worry ,it is fixed now --symptoms of head gasket leaking is at first you detect a slight miss when first starting up,then smooths out after a few seconds..when it gets pretty bad,it will miss for several minutes and maybe smooth out-but then you will notice white smoke coming out the tail pipe...then is time for new gaskets...anyhow ,unless you have some of these symptoms,you probably got a good engine--good luck,good riding ,fflintstone

[kz1000st]

I'm with the "smell from the recovery bottle vent" contingent. My Voyager has the same smell after driving on a hot day. Anti-freeze has a very pungent odor. Spill two drops on a hot exhaust manifold and see how far the smell travels. As long as you don't have any puddles, white smoke or have to refill it every week you're fine.

[wheezy]

Looks like the wheels came off of a similar year Pontiac Sunbird. I don't believe Chevy offered those on the Cavalier. I was always fonder of the Sunbird, had a 1989 for a bit, with the 4 banger. I did drive a late 90's Cavalier for years as a company car. Never any major mechanical problems. Just tons of little stuff, but that was the way cars were in the 90's.


The antifreeze smell could also come from a weeping water pump. When that begins to go, it warns you for quite a while before it is bad enough to begin puddling. Check for a drip from the weep hole.

[ridecheap]

Found out the power steering pan was leaking because it was rusted. I then found out the gas tank has a small leak in it so that might haven been what I was smelling. They checked over everything else. I am just going to get the power steering fixed the small leak in the gas tank I think will just evaporate.

THis thing was sitting for a good 8 years and its pretty rusted under the body according to them reflects the price I guess.

[ridecheap]

Dec 14, 2012 22:12:06 GMT -6 JR said:

I had a 89 Cavalier Z24, awesome car but I had to get rid ot it! Speeding tickets! Seriously!

SWEET yeah this RS convertible has the 3.1 V6 in it same as the Z24 for that year.

[ridecheap]

Dec 16, 2012 16:07:14 GMT -6 fflintstone said:

Hey ridecheap,nice ride there--about that antifreeze smell,it could be a small seep at a hose connection ,or some place like water pump or thermostat gasket--my 1993 Chevvy Astro with the 4.3 engine smells of antifreeze sometimes after driving it for awhile and engine is hot--and I lose some antifreeze over the months but I think it is because the recovery bottle has some cracks in it near the top--not important as long as the engine runs smooth and no indication that the head gaskets are leaking...on the other hand ,I have a 2002 Grand Caravan Sport I got off craigslist, and had to replace head gaskets on it...I didn't detect anything wrong with it or I would not have bought it,so I got stuck on that deal--not to worry ,it is fixed now --symptoms of head gasket leaking is at first you detect a slight miss when first starting up,then smooths out after a few seconds..when it gets pretty bad,it will miss for several minutes and maybe smooth out-but then you will notice white smoke coming out the tail pipe...then is time for new gaskets...anyhow ,unless you have some of these symptoms,you probably got a good engine--good luck,good riding ,fflintstone

Thank god no miss firing the head gasket is a pain the butt to fix.

[ridecheap]

Dec 16, 2012 18:22:25 GMT -6 kz1000st said:

I'm with the "smell from the recovery bottle vent" contingent. My Voyager has the same smell after driving on a hot day. Anti-freeze has a very pungent odor. Spill two drops on a hot exhaust manifold and see how far the smell travels. As long as you don't have any puddles, white smoke or have to refill it every week you're fine.

This old thing was smelling like anti freeze but I bet your right its just that. They saw no leaks anti freeze wise.

[ridecheap]

Dec 17, 2012 13:57:01 GMT -6 wheezy said:

Looks like the wheels came off of a similar year Pontiac Sunbird. I don't believe Chevy offered those on the Cavalier. I was always fonder of the Sunbird, had a 1989 for a bit, with the 4 banger. I did drive a late 90's Cavalier for years as a company car. Never any major mechanical problems. Just tons of little stuff, but that was the way cars were in the 90's.


The antifreeze smell could also come from a weeping water pump. When that begins to go, it warns you for quite a while before it is bad enough to begin puddling. Check for a drip from the weep hole.

I think your right about the wheels but the tires plenty of thread on them. Yeah no water pump problems yet I know the water pump seal would be making noises if it was shot hear nothing yet.