Overheating

Tiny
NICKCOOK123
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 CHRYSLER CONCORDE
  • 2.7L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 123,000 MILES
When I bought the car it was overheating pretty bad. Coolant was dumping into the overflow and smoking like crazy. Also the heat was not working. I had the thermostat changed and we bled all the air out of the cooling system. The car runs and drives great but if I do not run the car with the heat blasting full strength, the car begins to over heat. As long as the heat is blasting full strength the temperature gauge stays at about halfway. As soon as I turn the heat off, the temperature begins to rise again. The car is great besides this issue and I do not want to be driving around all summer and spring blasting my heat. Can anyone please help?
Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 AT 4:10 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,796 POSTS
Good evening.

It sounds like you may have damaged a head gasket from the overheat. You have all the symptoms for a bad head gasket. I would have a leak down test done to each cylinder to see if there is compression leaking into the cooling system.

Roy
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Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 AT 5:42 PM
Tiny
NICKCOOK123
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
How much would it cost to have the test done and how much would it be to replace the head gasket and specifically which gasket?
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Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 AT 5:54 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,796 POSTS
The test is about $90.00.
The head gaskets require major engine work. A rough estimate is $1,500.00 to $1,800.00.

Roy
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Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 AT 5:57 PM
Tiny
NICKCOOK123
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Could it potentially be anything else? Coolant sensor? I just do not have the money to put that much work into it. Like I said everything else is working perfect it just slowly overheats if I do not have the heat on full blast.
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Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 AT 6:01 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,796 POSTS
It is not a sensor at all. You could have a flow issue with the radiator as that has caused the car to overheat but the head gasket damage is a result of the overheating not the cause.

To check the radiator, use a temperature gun and take the temperature of the radiator at the top and bottom and see if there is about a 40% change in temperature.

Roy
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Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 AT 6:09 PM
Tiny
NICKCOOK123
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
What would cause it to only move the gauge down when the heat is on?
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Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 AT 6:12 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,796 POSTS
You are cooling the coolant a little more with the blower fan.

Roy
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Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 AT 6:20 PM

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