Engine started over heating?

You need to make sure that there is enough coolant in the car. Make sure that the reservoir is full and the radiator is full. Then start the car and let it get to normal operating temp. then let it cool down. Check the coolant again. Do this until it won't take any more. Also please check out this guide it can help us fix it.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot

Please run down this guide and report back.

Engine Cooling problem
1997 Dodge Stratus Automatic

I have a 1997 Dodge Stratus and my car is having prolems with overheating. I seem to put in antifreeze and oil and they seem to be disappearing, after two days. I just put a new water pump on, intake gasket, and a new therometer. Put now the car is still overhaeting, any ideas.

Hi there,

The first thing to do is get a pressure test done to check for any external coolant leaks, do this hot & with the heater on, check that the pressure cap is ok (holding pressure) test with pressure tested as well, start here.

mark (mhpautos)

Hi, my car is overheating I had the thermostat changed and its still doing the same thing. Everytime I turn the engine off it starts making a bubbling noise. It is losing antifreeze as well

That makes sense. If it is already running hot, when the engine is shut, the coolant stays in the engine and no longer circulates. Thus, it boils. Now what can cause this... First is the thermostat. You have replaced that so chances are it is fine. Next, the radiator / engine block could be plugged with sludge and corrosion. The radiator is the most common problem with this. Have you had the system flushed? Finally, is the engine running good other than overheating? Have you seen coolant leak from places other than the overflow? If you check the oil, does it appear to have any coolant mixed in with it? And finally, is the coolant in the radiator clean and not contaminated with oil?

Let me know.
Joe

i changed the thermo stat. there is a leak not the radiator. i got in the car and drove and it overheated

[quote:f274a28261="simon3755"] there is a leak not the radiator[/quote:f274a28261]
did you say you have a leak, but it's not in the radiator?

You're going to have to repair the leak before it will stop over heating.

there is a leak not in gasket or radiator/ it just happened today/ i turned on the heat to pull from the egine it was not warm air/ it just started this today

[quote:fb2da6f021="simon3755"] i turned on the heat to pull from the egine it was not warm air[/quote:fb2da6f021]
That would be normal, the water was either too low to fill the heater core, or it was boiling.

You're still going to have to find the leak.

do you think it's the water pump? as soon as the car runs for like 2 minutes it overhaets and liquid poors out of the bottom by the oil filter

it could be the water pump, there is a hole in the bottom of most pumps. coolant will leak out of the hole if the pump is starting to fail.

Which 4 cylinder do you have?

4/ it never leaked until the day it started overheating/ you cannot drive it because it overheats

I just recently bought my dodge stratus used from someone. I had my dad check it out because i dont know much about cars, But im finding out that its more wrong with it. The guy told us that the car overheats but for about 2 weeks after i got it, it didnt do that. Then one morning i went to drive it and it cut off on me. So my dad told me to let it warm before i drove it. So that worked for a while. Then it started running hot. It was at the mid point. So a friend put water in it but when he did that it was squirting out so he said i needed to replace my thermostat. I did that. It was okay, then it started running hot more. So when it did that i just pulled over to put water in it. Then here recently i drove it kind of far and it over heated all the way to hot. I kept putting water in it but the temp didnt come down. And when i went to drive it, it would shake some. I got back home and checked my fluids. I had oil, transmission fluid and water and coolant. So i drove it kind of far again the next day and it cut off on the freeway. It wouldnt start. I had to tow it back home. My dad plans to fix it today but i would love some ideas to try to pin point the problem. Other info: The guy i bought it from said it needs a water pump(what do u think), At times the car would sound like its bubbling up and would make a noise and green stuff would come from underneath(when it did that the car use to cool off), when the green stuff came out it would start smoking but it would be okay after a while. This is all the info i can think of. Anything else u can ask me and i will try to answer to the best of my ability. Thank you again

Try to identify where its leaking and get it fix. If it continous to overheat get it block and pressure tested to find out more why its overheating

which 4 cylinder engine do you have?

you mean try to find out where the green stuff is leaking from? and i know also when i went to get the oil changed, walmart said i had several major oil leaks. Does that have anything to do with the overheating?

2.4

The green stuff is antifreeze if its leaking its gonna cause the engine to overheat due to lack of coolant

The 2.4 is known for early head gasket failures around the 50,000 mile mark.

And with your car overheating in just 2 minutes time. I suspect that is the problem. Sorry to have to give you bad news.

crap. i live in ohio, do you know how much it will cost me. i know when i had the water pump replaced on my sons car it was expensive because of all the work that it takes, is this a similar situation

I dont know what the hourly rate is in your area, but for the head gasket, the book shows 7.2 hours.

and the water pump shows 4.2 hours.
part of the water pump time should be reduced because the timing belt has to be removed for the head gasket job.

I would guess about 9 hours should be acceptable.
if you have a labor rate of $85 then the labor charge would be $765.

expect another 200~300 for parts

Engine Cooling problem
1996 Dodge Stratus Automatic 102000 miles

My Stratus has done this problem ONCE before, which my Dad fixed by replacing the thermostat. I'm not sure what it is. But here is as detailed as I can be about the problem [i'm not very car savvy]:

Starting from a cold engine, the temperature is up to the 2nd bar by the time i make it out my [only semi-long] driveway.
The car overheats gradually but very quickly, usually in the red with the light on after 5-10 minutes max.
It died on me right off of the freeway today, making true "beater car" noises. You know, that scary sounding "baRum"that old cars make.
ANY advice is much appreciated.

To start the process out on my own I'm going to check all fluids [like i guess i should have already] and see what I can deduce on my own.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Now does it ping? Does it have any power after it warms up? I am thinking that either the thermostat is stuck closed or the catalitic converter is pluged. So give me the needed information and we will go from there and see what we can figure out.

The car has power and everything once it gets going, it just sounds disturbing and runs too hot. I'm not sure what you mean by ping though.
On a possibly unrelated side-note, the power on the dash goes out from time to time. I think the car may have some electrical problems that are underlying here :/

Well you could alway's replace the thermostat and see if that takes care of the heating problem. No the dash lights going out that is an electrical problem and you said you are not very car savy so I would take it to a good shop that does electrical repairs.

Check you oil. Is it "milky"? Do a compression test. I believe you have the classic Chrysler bad head gasket.

The car is now deceased. I drove it one day too many, and it blew a head gasket. There's a good chance the block is cracked too. $1700 to have it fixed, bought for $2200- so we're donating it to charity.

Lesson learned!

Thanks for the feedback though. If I'd been a bit more adamant in trying the things you guys suggested I might saved the car.

I'll be back! Think of it that way.

Sorry to hear that hope you find a good car to replace it and great thought about the charity I do that in my town. I take the dead cars and fix them and give them to families that need but don't have and it is a great feeling when you help like that. I do it through my church and it really changes a person. Again thanks for the support and have a great day.

Ist problem - squeaking belts. I had ac/alterator belt and other main belt changed. My air would only work when I put freeon in. Got new radiator cap and air was working beautiful no need for more freeon. then it started cutting out whiler I was driving. I was told it was O2 sensor. So I stopped running air. still driving w/o problems. Then started running hot which it never did before. Coolant boiled over and spilled out. Now runs hot after only a few miles (5-10). Had a new water pump put in 4 1/2 yrs ago. Never had any major problems before. I am on disability with weekly medical treatments to get to and can NOT afford mechanic please help!!!

this could be ahead gasket I fyou can't afford to get it ifixed then find other transportation

hmac300; You were totally wrong!!! It was the water pump ($65 at O'Reily's) and $13 by-pass hose!!! And your compassion was overwhelming!!!
-savviegirl

About a week ago my Stratus began to run hot. Sometimes it reaches the point where it might overheat, but so far it hasn't done so. The temperature will spike and then go back down, so I believe the thermostat is working. However, it is still boiling coolant. The car will do this after driving even five miles. I'm very concerned, but I don't want to take it to a mechanic if I can avoid it (can't afford it unless I absolutely have to.)

Please help!

Thermostat might not be opening on time-replace it and see what happens then comeback

Replace your radiator cap. The old one is not sealing right, that is why the coolant is boiling.

[quote:7a46676ef1="Zackman"]Replace your radiator cap. The old one is not sealing right, that is why the coolant is boiling.[/quote:7a46676ef1]

You were right, Zackman, it was the radiator cap. It had a small crack in the seal I couldn't see when I first inspected it. Total cost to fix the car: $30 (they put more antifreeze in the radiator as well.)
I also went ahead and replaced the thermostat as rasmataz said, just to be safe. Thanks for all your help, guys. I'll definitely be coming back here if I have any further problems, since chances are you've saved me a ton of money. :D

My '94 Dodge Stratus is overheating and is leaking oil. My husband thinks from the front and rear crank seals. How do we fix this ourselves?

First, have you tried replacing the thermostat to see if that helps? Also, have you tried flushing the cooling system?

As far as the oil leak, if you are sure it is the crank seals, the oil pan needs removed. Once off, they can be replaced. I will say that the 2.5L V6 is a great engine and has little problems with crank seals. Are you sure it isn't from the rear valve cover gasket?