Just google, "chevy cavalier no start condition" and you will get tons-o-hits.

Or search here for "cavalier" in the search this forum box.

Running out of water is never good. It may need head gasket, head, or even block.

It could be any one of a thousand things.

Good luck, you may end up at a mechanics shop with this one.

She killed it. Overheating will damage the head gasket, now you get water in the cylinders. Cavaliers are good for demo derbies. Shop for another used car, it will be cheaper than replacing the motor in the cavalier.

Knowing this history, I'd start with a compression test. I think this will prove what others have said - time to shop for a 'new' ride. You didn't state the mileage on the engine or whether the labor available to do repairs is free or fee, but even if free you still have the cost of known parts: head gasket, valve seals, timing belt/chain?, machine shop work, etc. Plus, after you fix the head gasket(s), there will quite likely be other problems: water pump, thermostat, hoses, heater core, radiator, etc., and possibly pistons, rings, bearings, more machine work, etc. All told, probably best to forget this one and maybe donate it to a local mechanical trades school.

Time out here. We know it had a water leak. And we know it will not start now. Did anyone else ever get steam in a distributer cap? Or wet plug wires?

Check. Check. Check. Is there condensation in the cap? Do the plug wires look old and cracked? Have you sprayed it down with WD40? If none of these things reveal any obvious issues, then try a compression test, and let me know. Good luck.

Hello. A compression test is always a good diagnostic tool. Another good diagnostic is to remove the spark plugs and see if they are wet with coolant.No then with the spark plugs removed,fill the coolant system and apply 15-20 psi. to the cooling system using a cooling system pressure tester,crank the engine using the starter and see if you get coolant from the cylinders.No then your combustion chamber is still intact.If you do get coolant from the cylinders then the head needs to be removed and sent to a machine shop to check for warpage after checking the block deck surface for warpage and the cylinders for cracks.Hope this helps.

There has been alot of good sujestion here . But after doing alot of years of fixing I learned that you always do the SIMPLE things first . Where I live the cost to take out a motor from the car is $ 1700 ,another $1700 to put it back in .Then you buy parts .You have to have special equiptment to remove the motor to do it your self .And all the time you just might have needed to dry out the ditributer cap Yep ,we're in a throw away society and the Auto industry just love that.