My Car is Still Overheating
The overheating in my Dodge Intrepid 3.2 has stumped two mechanics. First let me go through the list of replacements/procedures that I have had:
Thermostat
Reservoir Tank
Flushed Radiator
Replaced Radiator
Carbon Testing
Replaced Intake Manifold (bleeder valve seat broke and began to spew anti freeze)
New Water Pump and Timing Belt
Bled, Bled, Bled and Bled…
When the above mechanic came to the conclusion that it could only be a cracked head or head gasket, I decided to take it to a new mechanic for pressure testing before we jumped to that conclusion. (I changed mechanics because the first one had my car for 3 months with no results and never once did a pressure test)
First thing my new mechanic did was a pressure test…here are the results:
Held 16 psi for a long while and then dropped to 13 psi, no outside leaks visible.
My new mechanic just received my car to day and wants to do a through look about for a small antifreeze leak that is putting air in the system. Every time he has bled the system, he find some air in it. He also noticed that my fans kicked on after the car temperature read 221. It kicked on high speed at 231. He said that the engine block did not feel that hot. There was no bubbling of the antifreeze in the reservoir tank.
He doesn’t want to jump to the conclusion that it is a head or head gasket just yet. But he did mention that it might be the heat sensor in the intake manifold. The intake manifold that I purchased for the replacement was used and did not have a heat sensor in it. So the previous mechanic just transferred it from the old to the used.
I am curious what you think. Could it be as simple as the system needing to be bled more and the heat sensor replaced or do you think it could be the heads?
Thank you!!
Hi there,
welllllllllll, you have replaced just about all cooling system components already, so we need to start ruling out things.
When does the engine overheat, while driving or sitting in traffic?
Watch my video and see if you can narrow things down
Are we sure the engine is actually overheating, and not a dash gauge problem due to a temperature sending unit?
Are we absolutely sure there are no exterior coolant leaks?
If you can rule those items out, then you might want to try this over the counter head gasket sealer and see if that helps.
Watch my video about the K&W head gasket sealer product I use in my shop
Keep me posted as to how things work out
Please share this with your friends
Austin Davis
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CAN YOU PLEASEEEE, PLS TELL ME WHERE TO GET UNBIASED ADVISE ON PROPER PROTOCOL? The basic story:
Car overheated. Had it towed. They had to put in a new water pump (changed the timing and driver belts as well), FIRST, before they could tell if the engine was ok. After a $570 bill, I was told the engine was bad. Cracked block, head? Got different answers. When pressed (asked for it in writing), then they could not tell me EXACTLY what was wrong.
DID I NEED TO SPEND $570? TO TELL THE ENGINE WAS SHOT/CAR IS NO GOOD?98 totoya camry 4cyl
GOT CONFLICTING ADVISE.
There are other ways to determine the condition of the engine, vs. yes, that’s the only way we can do it.
Engine light code didn’t provide much help (they said).
Tough question to answer. They COULD have done a cylinder compression test to see if the engine was damaged internally BUT they probably did not suspect internal damage at that time to warrant the test.
Engine overheated, waterpump was leaking, timing belt replaced because it drives the waterpump and they had to remove it anyway (so they saved you some money doing it then) then after the repair they start the engine and determine there is internal damage. This happens, even in my shop unfortunately.
so what to do now? I am assuming the engine will start, but runs bad and has water inside the cylinders?? If that is correct, then you might want to try this super simple headgasket sealer yourself and see what happens. Here is a video I made about it http://youtu.be/Nban6dVkYGM
Now, if the engine will not start at all, I might be a little suspect that they installed the timing belt incorrectly, and they need to double check the belt installation and timing marks.
This is a pretty easy engine to remove the cylinder head, so if push comes to shove I would ask the shop to remove the cylinder head and send it to a machine shop for a complete valve job, check the head for cracks, and resurface the head, then replace the headgasket.
You buy the parts and pay the machine shop charges (probably $350 total costs) and the shop does the labor at no charge, or a very reduced labor hour charge. That is what I would do for you if you were my customer in this position.