The Cavalier needs to sit for a while
before it does it again, does your engine
have a chain too, or a rubber belt

I think if it is the tensioner, you can live
with it, it doesn't take much slack to get
noisy, I had to replace the water pump, which
has a sprocket that is driven off of the chain,
so I had to remove the whole front of the engine
to get the tensioner out, it was never noisy before
this, so I know it's somthing I did, but it took 8
hours to replace the pump so F that I'm letting it
make noise.
The tensioner said on it see service manual for
instructions on re-setting it, but I didn't have one
so I just stuck it back together, I don't know how
you would have to re-set this, but there must be
something to it.
Is your Trucklet still under warantee

Might be
able to get the dealer to replace the tensioner and
stop the noise.
Good Luck
Wild