[ThaShabizzle]

I've been working on my brothers Intrepid for the better part of 2 weeks replacing 6 bent valves, a blown Headgasket and a waterpump. I got it running no problem, it fired right away as if the engine had never been disassembled.

BUT....

I drove it aroud today, and it decided to overheat. Temp guage works fine, and the system pressurizes very well, without leaks. The heater in the car will not blow warm air when the heat is on as well. I figure it is the thermostat, but I thought that they were designed to fail in the open position? It was also weird because I drove about 15 miles to a friends house and it made it there just fine, but couldn't make the trip back...and during all of this the Rad fans did not engage even once.

Also, is it weird that the car is having a hard time making adequate oil pressure at low RPMS? Any input on this would be great!

Also as a first time poster here, I'd like to say Hi. The site has been more than useful while I was working on the car! Thank You! :icon_cool

[Worm210]

The thermostat only flows in one direction (I made this mistake once myself). The fans are controlled by the coolant temp sensor. I do not know where it is located on your car so if you have a haynes auto manual you can find that procedure in it. And welcome DI.net.

[ThaShabizzle]

I think that you believe I installed the thermostat in reverse, but I never removed it. (or at least not to my knowledge) Is it located on the engine block on the drivers side?

[Worm210]

Sorry, I misunderstood. I unfortunately I do not have this knowledge, try asking 32intrepid. I am sure he can help with that one.

[XGX]

I'm having to replace my thermostat too. Mine is stuck closed (cheap aftermarket crap!!). But it shouldn't overheat really bad even with it stuck closed... it has quite a large weep hole underneath the thermostat itself. And as far as the oil pressure thing... now that your engine is getting a little hotter than normal it's also heating up the oil pressure sending unit, causing the gasses behind the switch to expand giving the switch a false reading. The remedy for this is to install the vent wire accessory into the extra plug on the sender unit to relieve the pressure behind the switch. The oil pressure problem is a common problem and is easily fixed. Unless you're talking like actual oil pressure that you've tested, in which case the oil pickup tube might be blocked to partially blocked.

[ThaShabizzle]

^ see, because light only comes on when it is warm, and progressively gets worse, lighting up higher in the RPM range.

Is there more info on relieving this pressure somewhere?

[ThaShabizzle]

The Oil Pick-up tube was removed and cleaned and replaced during the rebuild...

I really should have taken pictures of the rebuild...First engine I ever rebuilt

[XGX]

This is the link to the article. It took me a minute to find it... mods! I thought that subject was a sticky!?!?

BTW... from what you describe that is exactly your problem.

Oh yea, and to answer the the above qts... the thermostat is located right below the drivers side exhaust manifold, and has two big coolant pipes connected to it.

Click here for the Oil Light Flicker TSB Article.

[James88]

Sounds like there is air in the coolant system. Did you purge the air via the bleed valve?

Jim Snover

[lextrep]

Are you absolutely sure that you got all of the air bled out of the cooling sytem?
If the engine is running hot you should get hot air from the heater, unless there is a big air pocket in the system or the water pump is not circulating water.. Sometimes you have to bleed it several times before all air is purged out...It doesn't take much air in it to cause it to run hot

The oil light flicker could be just because the oil is hotter, and thinner, than usual or in need of the TSB mentioned above..

[ThaShabizzle]

The bleeder valve actually leaks from a small hole in the housing, so all the air should have been able to get out from there. The system made full pressure, and I am sure that it was out.

There must be something wrong with the weep hole in the thermostat, I'll be removing that today. Hopefully, that will remedy my problems.

Thanks for the link, and your help!

[James88]

The bleed valve is not automatic. If you did not loosen it, it may not purge itself. Some cars will, some won't. also, if the bleeder valve was open, there is no way the system could have pressurized itself. Without the pressure, the engine will overheat, even if the system has no air in it at all.

Jim Snover

[srt4man00]

hey lets not forget da fuse for da rad fans... i had da same prob once...i ended up changin da water pump, thermostat, temp sensor for notin.. it ended up being da fuse da was blown... btw check to see if ur fans arent seized 2....

[ThaShabizzle]

Yeah, so taday...

I got the thermostat out, and replaced it...found some peices of the old impeller that were causing the blockage at the Thermostat. So that was a major miss on my part.

Got everything together again and filled but I broke the Coolant Bleeder valve off while I was trying to get it open. So I have to get one of those now...

Dealership wants $98 for it, Dodge can $%#@& themselves. Told the parts counter guy that I could engineer a better car out of popsicle sticks...Like Ford does.

So Maybe I'll get it going tomorrow...
Also, is it weird that it has issues starting when parked on an incline?

[ThaShabizzle]

Naw man, they work. They just don't come on when they're supposed to. Took like way to long for them to come on initially, and even when the temp registered through the roof, they wouldn't come on either.