she drives a similar car to ours. She has the 2.2l engine, but its a 97' pontiac sunfire 2.2l.

She rarely took care of it before me and her got together, since i've changed the oil for her every 3k. Changed the air filter, but i am quick to do everything else because every time after she drives it it smells like its on fire like its running very hot, im thinking its burning oil, but it smells just like something has been on fire or burning. her coolant is nearly blackish brown, is that supposed to be that? i just recently replaced the serpentine belt.

tomorrow i plan on,
Oil and filter
plugs and wires (have not been changed since she can remember)
coolant flush and new coolant
Oil and fuel additives/cleaners


anything else anyone could recommend, or tell me what might be causing the burning smell. Im a preventative maintenance type guy but not a serious mechanic, but i can do small to medium fixes. due to lack of only a 2 ton hydraulic jack and no garage.

thanks all

 

the coolant should not be blackish brown...... that almost sounds like oil is getting in the coolant.....

 

make sure that the valve cover gasket isnt leaking down the back.

 

excellent quick posts so far, if i could plus 1 you all still i would, still open for help!

thanks you two

 

I have a 99 sunfire with 100K miles on it , and it was stinking bad after it would get hot , come to find out the valve cover had lossened up and it was seeping oil out and down on the block. All i did was tighten the bolts on the cover and it stopped , they must have vibrated loose or the gasket shrunk over time. I ran a can of SEAFOAM threw the brake booster vacuum line and it purr's like a kitten now hehe . I would seafoam that bitch , get it on tape cause it will look like it's on fire hehe.

If you dont know what SEAFOAM is , search it on youtube and enjoy.

 

seafoam is amazinggg

 

ive got a 96 sunfire with the same engine... great engine, just very well known for its head gasket problem. mines bad, it overheats when i sit at a light for a little bit, driving no problems at all... if its overheating and smelling bad not good... the dexcool being that color could be the oil mixing with coolant... almost gaurantee its the head gasket... they all happen sometime or another

 

if it is the head gasket, thats an easy fix on these cars isnt it? just buy a new one from autozone , pop the valve cover off and replace or am i way off?

 

your thinking of the valve cover. the head gasket is a bit more complicated then that, as you have to undo alot and take the head off the block make sure nothing is warped and then put it all back together making sure you torque everything properly and in the correct order to prevent it from leaking again. but yes the valve cover is quite a simple job.

 

could even just be an intake gasket

 

looks like im going to be doing some good ole inspections tomorrow

 

now whats the point of the seafoam i searched it but am very confused about it?

 

cleans your engine of any carbon build up internally. will help with fuel mileage, and power.

 

Basically is a laxative for cars.

 

Another guess would be sticking caliper,does it smell on one side more than the other.
Fell the rims when she gets back from a drive,They shouldnt burn your hands when you touch them.
If the calipers are sticking the rim will get very hot and the smell once you know it is a dead give away.

You can smell he difference between smoking brake pads and oil burning on the exhaust manifold once you know.As coolant leaking smells different again.

Learn the difference and then you will know what the problem is.

 

definitely know how coolant leak smells, its just a horrible smell, is not a fire smell, just a ....coolant smell lol

where can you do the seafoam at on our cars on a side note? someone said the break line? say what?

i will have to check the brake pad, her car is giving the nice high pitch whine when she slows down. yeah her car is falling apart.

 

On the sunfire i used the brake booster vacuum line , cobalts have electric steering so you will have to come up with a vacuum line that run's to the intake manifold.

 

It's probably a 5/8" black hose going to the side of the intake mani.

 

a 97 2.2 is not the similar to a cobalt 2.2 at all...
its not an ecotec, its sohc, not drive by wire, no coil packs, etc... the only thing thats the same is the displacement

 

......ok

 

they may have been thinking of the 2000 sunfire/cavalier that used the 2.2 ecotec but yes previous to 2000 it was a 2.2 sohc engine.

 

check for leaks and if ur coolant is brownish oil prob got in there, prob a blown head gasket or a cracked block i could be wrong tho

 

well idk how many people told you but i would check into a head gasket kit( pull out ur oil dipstick and see if ur oil is seperated/bubbely and smell it and see if it smells like antifreze because if it does mostlikely its a head gasket.