Judging by the picture and from the symptoms, it looks to me very much like the intake manifold is cracked.
That would probably be a fairly minor repair, compared to the rest of the damage.
Wierd things happen and this is one of them. This is considered a slow roll. Notice the pillars are not mashed down and the headlamps which are all plastic and break easily are still intact. If a mount were broken the lamp most likely would be slightly ajar. Notice also the body panels are not caved in, dented but not caved. No doubt a roll but a slow roll. I have seen these and they are even posted on you tube. Don’t listen to gramps, he’s still bitter they took “All In The Family” off the air. Besides, you have cops for witnesses.
Edit.
My son finally showed me a pic of his upsidedown car next to the post that tipped him. I was surprised to see it had only deflected about 15 degrees from vertical, and it was right next to his front wheel. It seems if he had been going any faster than about 5MPH the momentum would have taken the car further down the driveway, so maybe he was only going that slow.
Well, we ran the car for for another 45 minutes, and the smoke problem is getting significantly better, even when I rev the engine. I’m assuming it was just burning off all the oil that seeped into the cylinders. I figure I’ll have to replace the fouled spark plugs, but does anyone here know of any other mechanical complications that might arise later as a result of the inversion, or are spark plugs the worst of it?
Back to the white smoke. I would suspect that oil ran out of the valve cover into the intake system. The oil may be down in the air plenum past the throttle body and only gets drawn in when the engine is reved. Alternately, the oil may be in the air tube going to the air filter, in the air filter, or maybe in the airbox. I think if you look around you might be able to see where the oil ended up. It has to be in the intake system somewhere and being drawn in when higher air flow occures with openning the throttle.
There’s been a lot of discussion on low speed roll over, but not much help. The water may be in the catalytic converter in which case you would have to drive the car for a while to get the converter hot. I experienced this on an old Ford, after a head repair. Make sure all of your fluids are ok before you drive it. That still would not explain why the water is in there. If nothing is broken, the oil theory makes more sense. Does the smoke smell like coolant?
I must have missed the part where you opened the hood and checked to see if the various fluids were in their proper places. I theorize that if you did, some of the theories of, “What and where, and did, some fluids go into the wrong places?” would be either proved, or disproved.
Sure a rollover is possible when snow/ice, a launching ramp, and fast food are involved!
However, I doubt there is any validity in the prone to rollover claim.
I have a '97 Z24 model and have lots of fun driving it.
It isn’t really a sports car but I drive it like one and no problem - though I qualify
that with good SoCal weather with occasional jaunts to the mountains.
Complete confidence in what the car can do as well as the limitations.
Irt your problem: to start with it seems like coolant in the cylinders but that could be the
beginning of the engine diagnosis. I’d also be concerned with the integrity of the frame and roof.
You shouldnt run the engine until you flush the oil and coolant from the engine. Then find a mechanic to look at engine for any head gsaket issues. The reason for not running the engine is that you will contaminate the oil with other fluids. If you let engine sit for a little while the fluids will settle in the oil pan. The you can safley drain the contaminated fluid. I would also suggest pulling the pan and cleaning it. If you know a good mechanic go see him. I will say you ran the engine so good luck.
John
The validity is there but do not think the post means that all Cavaliers roll for no reason. For the reasons you opened with along with a few others it does mean that the Cav is prone to roll more than others. Also according to your post you know how to drive and know the cars limitations but a lot of others have no clue. I am not dogging on your car. Happy driving, the mountians sound pretty cool to drive in!!!
I wonder if Eekmaddog will ever post to tell us he actually OPENED THE HOOD AND EXAMINED THE ENGINE, RADIATOR (IT’S FLUID LEVEL), AND THE INTAKE TRACT FOR COOLANT? I suppose him doing it, and reporting it, are too much to ask.
Low speed roll over for Cavalier, Beretta and like cars is very common because of an engineering oversight which makes the nose of the car too v shaped and prone to catapulting. There should be a recall, or compensation but this would devistate GM. Colorado State Trooper told me this information. I rolled my wife’s Cavalier over in a parking lot at night after I hit a curb (I was sober). I was uninjured until the Firemen came and cut the seat belt and dropped me on my shoulder - breaking my collar bone. Get your Son out of that car regarless of cost! Your troubles are just beginning. Our Cavalier smoked white smoke for a couple of weeks and then ran fine. About a month later same fire department told me that a screw must have fallen into the steering column to cause a short and fire. Actually, I’m glad that the damn thing burned down. Seriously, get your Son out of that car.