Engine started over heating?

Tiny
SUBMARMON
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 DODGE STRATUS
  • 206,489 MILES
Was driving and car alarm went off, car started over heating. So steam coming from under the hood. But no fluid on the ground. Then I added antifreeze and jacked the car up and took off tire. Ran car for 15 min didnt overheat. Put tire back on and drove off car over heated again and anitfreeze on the ground. Couldnt tell if it was from water pump or overflow tank. Car has cooled off and there is no leaking antifreeze on the ground.
Monday, September 12th, 2011 AT 2:47 PM

37 Replies

Tiny
PROMECHANIC
  • MECHANIC
  • 536 POSTS
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.
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Monday, September 12th, 2011 AT 7:03 PM
Tiny
IWANNA_55
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 DODGE STRATUS
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.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
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)
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CHARLIA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 DODGE STRATUS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 103,000 MILES
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
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,055 POSTS
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
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SIMON3755
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
  • 1996 DODGE STRATUS
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 56,000 MILES
I changed the thermo stat. There is a leak not the radiator. I got in the car and drove and it overheated
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
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.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SIMON3755
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
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
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
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.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SIMON3755
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
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
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
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?
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SIMON3755
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
4/ it never leaked until the day it started overheating/ you cannot drive it because it overheats
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CALSTATE06
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 1996 DODGE STRATUS
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 135,000 MILES
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
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
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
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
Which 4 cylinder engine do you have?
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CALSTATE06
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
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?
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SIMON3755
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
2.4
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
The green stuff is antifreeze if its leaking its gonna cause the engine to overheat due to lack of coolant
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
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.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SIMON3755
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
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
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 10:10 AM (Merged)

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