Chevrolet: engine overheating, losing coolant, head gasket

Question
2001 CAVALIER 2.2 LOSING COOLANT. NEW WATER PUMP. RADIATOR THERMOSTAT. STILL OVERHEATS, WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MAY BE BAD. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. IF IT IS THE INTAKE, IS THIS A VERY EXPENSIVE JOB. AFTER REPAIRING PARTS ABOVE, CAR WAS DRIVEN APPROX. 50 TO 70 MI. B/4 OVERHEATING. PUMP APPROX. 6 MOS. OLD

Answer
Overheating could also be a bad head gasket. It is a big job to do the intake. Its obviously more expensive than doing a water pump. But I would have the mechanic make sure its the intake first. Because it could just as well be the head gasket and that would be way more expensive.

Check your oil for any milky white residue. Or if your dipstick smells like coolant. That usually means a head gasket has gone bad.