[bubba121605]

I have a 2002 Intrepid with a 2.7L engine i am going crazy trying to figure out what is wrong. About a week ago my wife calls me on her way to work and tells me her car is starting to run hot so she turns around and makes it home. When she gets home i let the car cool down and check the coolant well there is very little in the tank so i start the engine crack open the bleeder and begine filling. Well at first everything is going ok then i stop getting fluid out of the bleeder and the tank starts puking fluid everywhere. I think ok its a stuck thermostat so i replace it.Well i still had the same problem only now do i notice water coming out of the exhaust pipe. So now i think well head gasket must be blown so i tear it down had the heads worked put everything back together and same thing still wont keep water in the coolant tank and nothing from the bleeder.Does anyone have any ideas what could be going on?

Oh and about a month ago i replaced the water pump,timing chain and oil pump. When i bought the car it wasnt running someone tried to put a water pump on it and decided they had no clue how to put everything back together so they sold it to me for $600. So it actually ran very good for about a month until this now im lost. Please HELP!!!!

[Adpros]

Which way was the pointy end of the thermostat facing? Was it pointing towards the engine or towards the lower radiator hose?

[bubba121605]

I dont think it will go in but one way but it was the same way it came out and it ran for a month with no problems.

[Adpros]

Do the cooling fans, (Both of them) run?

[bubba121605]

Yea the fans both come on and the temp gauge never goes above half way.

[peva]

Yeah - Dave - I think the thermostat will only fit one way on the 2.7.

Stay with David on this, but a couple of thoughts that hit me while reading your OP:
It would not be surprising for water to come flying out of the reservoir while the engine was warming up with the cap off the reservoir. It wouldn't take much heat to expand a bubble of air tremendously and push lots of water out with the cap off. (IOW don't run it without the cap on.)

You're sure the water out the exhuast was from the cooling system and not just accumulated condensation in the exhuast, which is nornal to some degree? Or maybe you determined it to be coolant and not just water? Of course it would depend on the amouny of water coming out the exhaust too.

[BatCaveTrep]

Truth be told I wouldn't be concerned, unless the coolant level is not between MIN and MAX and you are overheating. You state your wife said the car was running hot, but you never mentioned where the needle was reading. Now you are saying the car never goes over halfway, so is it still overheating or not? Also when you fill the coolant tank, you shouldn't start the engine or open the bleeder. It sounds to me like you have a lot of air in the system and as the air leaves, your coolant level is dropping. I would fill the coolant to MAX, run the car until normal operating temp, shut off and let cool. After that check the coolant level and fill to MAX if needed then repeat. It may take all day or several days, depending on how you work. I wish you luck.

[bubba121605]

Thanks everyone i had no clue that the engine shouldnt be running when filling the system. I will fill the res. to max crank the car and let it warm up then shut it off and cool then repeat until full.

Well when she called me she said the needle was almost to the red and she stopped and let it cool of so she could get home. Now the needle never goes above half way so i guess it isnt running hot but i just couldnt bleed the system since i had the car running. I am going to replace the radiator cap also the rubber on the bottom fell off last night looks like it was dry rotted.

I wont try to fill it again running without the cap thats when it starts puking everything out. I also read i should pinch off some hose between chambers in the res. is that the small hose on the left top that runs to the intake?

[BatCaveTrep]

This could have been the problem, from the beginning, since it can allow air into the system.

You don't need to pinch the hose, when adding coolant, only when refilling the system; after radiator/water pump/thermostat/etc repair.

[Adpros]

If you really wanna go after all those pesky bubbles in the system, one of these is a big help. You can even attach a hose to the bleeder nipple and recover all the coolant that bubbles out in the process.

[Adpros]

I haven't checked yet but, I have a 2.7L sitting at the shop so, I'll double check that. I seem to remember something about the turn of the pipe making the t-stat housing too shallow to allow backwards installation?

I know I have followed other guys, (At my own shop), who have done this on a 3.5L and also gotten the head gaskets on the wrongs sides as well.

[DrDodge]

I swear by those,, best thing since sliced bread,, open the bleeder,, and pour in coolant till it runs clear,, do not run engine,, solves many sin's,and there only like 25 bucks

[Firemnted]

I'm not trying to start an argument but I have always filled the revisor then start the engine with the cap off keep topping it off until it stays at the max level and then raise the RPM's to about 2500-3000 fill to min wile keeping the RPM's up and put the cap on and let idle until warm! let cool and recheck! My dad was a mechanic for 40 years and this is how he taught me to do it and I have never had air bubble problems.

[Adpros]

Perhaps on a stone cold engine this might work. However, the LH has had a history of holding air in the most notorious way causing all types of issues. As a rule, I use the red funnel tool on the LH. I also have a vacuum tool which works well on the minivans and many other models but, for the LH, I always use this to be 100% sure there are no air pockets. In fact, I will frequently let the car cool down after filling and re-bleed the air a second time.

[DrDodge]

^^^^^ this,,, and ive been spinning wrenches for 42 years,, got the ase patches to prove it