Overheating?

Tiny
KGILLETT55
  • MEMBER
  • 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN
  • 3.6L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 175,000 MILES
I’m having a slight problem with my van listed above. It has started overheating and losing coolant and a rate of about 1.5 to 2 gallons every 2 weeks to a month. I’ve inspected the cooling system for leaks and cannot find one, and when I completed an oil change, I checked the oil to see if it was possibly leaking internally. What should my next step be in diagnosing this problem?
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Sunday, September 17th, 2023 AT 11:24 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
I would raise the vehicle and check the radiator and water pump weep hole. These are two places where the coolant can leak while the car is moving, and it can be difficult to detect.

Here are two guides that can help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/jack-up-and-lift-your-car-safely

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-is-leaking-coolant

You might want to use a cooling system pressure tester which you can rent from the auto parts store for free or cheap.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test

If everything seems okay let's do a head gasket test, you might have a failure.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem so we can see what's going on.
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Monday, September 18th, 2023 AT 3:14 PM
Tiny
KGILLETT55
  • MEMBER
While I was waiting on a reply I was doing some poking and prodding and found how it was losing coolant... It lost it in boil over cause it heated up today and when I pulled off and popped the hood I was watching it spew out the overflow, I changed the thermostat today to see if that was the issue cause it was the next cheap thing in the parts shotgun. I’ll update and let y’all know how it goes.
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Monday, September 18th, 2023 AT 8:32 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
That is a good assumption, I would try that as well, please let me know how it goes.
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Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 AT 5:15 PM

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