Pontiac Sunfire having problems

[NcTurnL]

Hey guys

My mom has a 99 pontiac sunfire GT and it overheats every now and then but hasnt given us much problems until today. She was driving today then next thing she knows the temp is way up and the car is loosing power. She pulls over and the car wont start, it will crank over but it wont start and after she pulled over to the side it was leaking coolant, That pretty much tells me the radiator gave out or the temp blew the reseviuor.
The question is though, it doesnt really start anymore, Im guessing the headgasket blew and/or the head is warped? Also is the block aluminum as well? Any more suggestions on what to do would be appreciated.

Thanks
-Jon

[Barefoot]

its done

[Init2winit]

Yep

[NcTurnL]

im pretty sure as well. But is the damage, assuming we know, repairable?
I work on cars for a living, so I know I can fix this I just want to be sure it will be worth my time, or if she should just get another car.

Help me out:

It needs a head and a head gasket, and all the other obvious things. Unless the block is cracked and/or the piston rings are fried, could this be fixed on a somewhat budget?

Thanks
-Jon

[Dracc]

your better of getting a new motor or a new car.. I was just going to say replace the thermostat before it got worst but it did..

[Thighs]

actually this exact thing happened to a friends f body. im guessing this has the same 3800 series engine?

anyways, have the rad pressure tested. chances are it just overflowed from the reservoir. he took it to some garage in hamilton mill and they said head gasket, new head, blah blah blah. they went to another garage in the area and the guy just replaced the thermostat, and everything was fine. its definitely worth a shot. 30-40 bucks beats 1500+ any day. if nothing else you can just clean the thermostat up if it doesnt work and return it, and you arent even out of money at that point.

[FasTech]

Its a sunfire! Just get another car.

[seanrg1116]

~fin~

[Barefoot]

anyways, have the rad pressure tested. chances are it just overflowed from the reservoir. he took it to some garage in hamilton mill and they said head gasket, new head, blah blah blah. they went to another garage in the area and the guy just replaced the thermostat, and everything was fine. its definitely worth a shot. 30-40 bucks beats 1500+ any day. if nothing else you can just clean the thermostat up if it doesnt work and return it, and you arent even out of money at that point.

ive never seen a thermostat stop a car from turning on.

[jmmx258]

actually this exact thing happened to a friends f body. im guessing this has the same 3800 series engine?

anyways, have the rad pressure tested. chances are it just overflowed from the reservoir. he took it to some garage in hamilton mill and they said head gasket, new head, blah blah blah. they went to another garage in the area and the guy just replaced the thermostat, and everything was fine. its definitely worth a shot. 30-40 bucks beats 1500+ any day. if nothing else you can just clean the thermostat up if it doesnt work and return it, and you arent even out of money at that point.

I really am a car mechanic, and the 3400-3800 are notorious for the intake gaskets going in them. I had to fix 8 different cars in one month this year. Usually we get 3-4 a summer.

The sunfire probably popped a head gasket. It won't start because its probably full of water/antifreeze. Motor might be shot, however, if you pull the head and have it checked, along with the block, you MIGHT be able to get away with decking both, and putting a new head gasket on it.

More than likely its a 2.2l or a 2.4l 2.2 is a SOHC and the 2.4 is DOHC mostly found in the Cavaliers.

[Dracc]

yeah the sunfire doesnt run the 3800 at all unless you did the swap more then likely its a 2.2l.... anyway.. the thermostat in 2000 and ups causes the car to shut off.. DATA BUS.. meaning it will save the motor by shuting it down to trying and save it...

[NcTurnL]

Wow awesome info guys!

So the thermostat shuts the engine off to protect it from damage. But would it keep it from cranking back up? I think you guys are right though, the headgasket probably popped and the cylinders are full of fluid. We might be able to get away with just decking the surfaces but what are the chances that the block cracked? I would hate to go through all that then having it all go to shit cuz the block is cracked.

[Theycall_Metue]

i say the head gasket blew

[jmmx258]

Wow awesome info guys!

So the thermostat shuts the engine off to protect it from damage. But would it keep it from cranking back up? I think you guys are right though, the headgasket probably popped and the cylinders are full of fluid. We might be able to get away with just decking the surfaces but what are the chances that the block cracked? I would hate to go through all that then having it all go to shit cuz the block is cracked.

You'll know if the block is cracked once you get it apart. Check the cylinder walls, if they filled with water before it was shut off then its broke more than likely. But, being as you said it won't crank over sounds like tthey're now full and not letting it turn over.

Pull the head and check it out. Sounds like you might get away with decking surfaces and putting it back together.

I didn't know about the thermostat shutting the car off if it sticks. Might as well put a new one in as well lol.

[okra1981]

I didn't know about that thermostat issue either, I have an '01 Impala that I'm pretty sure has a thermostat stuck open. My car never has hot air and the temp guage raises and lowers crazily, I know, it's not a good situation.
I'm glad someone realized that car doesn't have a 3800 in it, I was about to laugh at you guys for thinking a Cavalier/Sunfire came with such a big engine in that body style. I was thinking the 2.2 or 2.4 myself, shouldn't he be able to find a good engine or some parts from a junk yard, at least until he can get his mom's car running fine.

[Sammich]

cavalier and sunfire = worse GM production

[jmmx258]

cavalier and sunfire = worse GM production

The worst thing GM ever made were hands down the Lumina, and anything else they put that 3400-3800 V6 into.

The cavalier and the sunfire are both GREAT cars. You just have to have an open mind to realize that they're not fast cars, nor do they have much capability to be very fast with out a boat load of cash.

However, they're very good cars, very dependable, and get great gas mileage as well. Personally I would have rather seen them put a better motor in the Cavalier rather than build the cobalt. It would have saved GM money, and probably wouldn't be having AS bad financial issues. ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS THEY'RE DOING WRONG***

Yea, that V6 would be far to big of a motor to put in one of those engine bays. However, if you could get it in there, and get it to last, it would run VERY well lol

[Sammich]

The worst thing GM ever made were hands down the Lumina, and anything else they put that 3400-3800 V6 into.

The cavalier and the sunfire are both GREAT cars. You just have to have an open mind to realize that they're not fast cars, nor do they have much capability to be very fast with out a boat load of cash.

However, they're very good cars, very dependable, and get great gas mileage as well. Personally I would have rather seen them put a better motor in the Cavalier rather than build the cobalt. It would have saved GM money, and probably wouldn't be having AS bad financial issues. ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS THEY'RE DOING WRONG***

Yea, that V6 would be far to big of a motor to put in one of those engine bays. However, if you could get it in there, and get it to last, it would run VERY well lol

CAVALIERS = RELIABLE?

I AGREE THAT LUMINAS WERE A BAD PRODUCTION TOO THOUGH

[jmmx258]

CAVALIERS = RELIABLE?

I AGREE THAT LUMINAS WERE A BAD PRODUCTION TOO THOUGH

Ok, do you know anything about cars?? Aside for what you read on a computer?? Go daily drive a cavalier. I know 3 people right now who have one with over 300K on them, and my fiance's car was rear ended with 275k.

As a daily driven car, they're FANTASTIC cars.

Again, and we'll narrow this down, you have to be atleast SEMI open minded to look at the bigger picture.

[Sammich]

CAVALIERS WERE CARS THAT I USE TO WORK ON FREQUENTLY OVER MINUTE SHIT, THEREFORE JUST CUZ 3 PEOPLE HAVE 300K ON THEM, DOESNT MEAN THEY ARE RELIABLE. CHANCES ARE THEY HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS THAN NOT. I WOULD NOT TRUST THAT CAR W/ AN ENEMY

[jmmx258]

You used to work on them over minute shit? Wth is that supposed to mean?? Why to you are these such bad cars. As for cars being over 300k again, use your head, that was just an EXAMPLE.

The cavaliers are good dependable cars. So, Prove me wrong. Worse thing i've had to change, as a mechanic, one wheel bearing.

[Sammich]

You used to work on them over minute shit? Wth is that supposed to mean?? Why to you are these such bad cars. As for cars being over 300k again, use your head, that was just an EXAMPLE.

The cavaliers are good dependable cars. So, Prove me wrong. Worse thing i've had to change, as a mechanic, one wheel bearing.

MINUTE = MY NUTE...LEARN SOME VOCABULARY

ALSO LOVE UR CAVALIER

YOULL DIE BY THEM, I WONT

[jmmx258]

I know my vocabulary, learn your grammar how you said that, made no sense.

However, you have an amazing argument....or not. Go back and work on them, maybe you'll learn something

[Sammich]

MAKE LOVE TO YOUR LOVE CAR

AND ILL STICK TO DEPENDABILITY

KTHXBIE

[Dracc]

I used to have one.. before the motor swap and the S/C i hated it. but then once i got the swap done I was ok with it.. it would have been a bad ass car with IRS .. but they cheaped out.. they were made for older people and for 1st time drivers