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I have a 2000 Dodge Intrepid, 3.2L ES with about 154,000 miles or so on it. I had to replace the radiator which is already done because it had a crack in one of the tanks. While doing so, I also replaced the timing belt, water pump & thermostat. Well, the thermostat was bad so I bought another one. Since the first one was bad, a code P0117 popped up (Engine coolant temperature circuit low input). Ever since I put the new one in, it never opens and the car gets too hot. I mean, there’s no steam or anything but my Innova scan tool reads the ECT as about 250 deg. F or so. I know the thermo isn’t opening because the upper hose is very hot and the lower one is cold. So, I am thinking that maybe there is air in the system, maybe a steam pocket blocking the thermo from opening. I am assuming that I am filling the car’s coolant properly but I am not 100% sure that I am doing EVERYTHING 100% correctly. The FSM (which I have on the computer) says to use the special Chrysler tool #8195 which is a special funnel to fill it up properly but I can’t get it anywhere so I filled it up just like Eric the Car Guy did (I have an expansion tank BTW) BUT I am having some issues. The thermo DID open for me ONE time during one of the refills but UNFORTUNATELY, I had to drain everything out because the damn trans cooler was leaking. When I put a new one in, I have had NO luck after that. I have a few questions.
First ques:
Do you guys think that maybe the thermo is toast because of the overheating? Should I replace it? I hope not since it’s a major PITA to do BUT if you think I should anyway, I will.Second ques:
When you fill the system back up through the expansion tank like ETCG did, do you just fill it up a little bit, start the car and then fill it up the rest of the way as it’s warming up? OR Do you fill it up until it stops going down and THEN start the car? According to the FSM with the special funnel – you keep filling it until a bubble-free flow of coolant comes out of the clear tubing on the bleeder screw OR through the Haynes manual which says to fill it up w/out a funnel until the same thing happens. When I did it like ETCG did in the video, it filled up great until it wouldn’t go down anymore BUT no stream came out of the clear hose yet SO… in order for me to “force” that to happen, I installed the yellow funnel like ETCG has, poured a little in the funnel and the stream came out bubble-free. I am totally confused. Did that screw it up? At that point, I left the cap OFF of the expansion tank, started it up and ran it until it got hot (I even revved it up to 2000-2500 rpms. to try and get any remaining air out of the system. Again – upper hose was hot — lower hose was cold!! I said a few cuss words and threw up my hands. I have drained it and re-filled it several times with the same results – upper hose hot
lower hose – cold
good heat coming out of the ventsIf there IS air in there, wouldn’t the vents be shooting out cold air? This leads me to believe that the thermo IS toast but I don’t know.
Third ques:
Do you guys think that the DTC is hindering anything? I cannot clear it. I have tried over and over again. According to what I have read, I need a DRB II or newer scan tool in order to erase the code.As far as deaeration is concerned, the FSM states that it will happen after driving the car around for a while.
I really just need help, step by step in re-filling the system again, this way, if the thermo IS toast, and a new one works, hopefully the code will go away on its own after the computer runs through its cycle – OTHERWISE – my local mechanic will erase it for me.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. 🙂
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Replies
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Look at minute 1:33 of this video for the location of the coolant bleed valve.
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