I have a 2001 Chrysler Sebring, 2.7L. It recently overheated, n I had to add coolant, as it was empty. Yesterday, it overheated, but instead of the temperature gauge going up, it dropped all the way DOWN, past the C...the car has no heat, and overheats immediately when the car is warm. Does any one know what could b wrong???

Hey. Does the engine turn when you turn the key?

the reason that it went DOWN is because the coolant all leaked out and the probe had nothing to measure~...bad...but you already knew that...do we know where the coolant leak is?

Has someone refilled with just plain water? this will cause complications....always use 50/50 mix~

Yes, the car still starts/runs. Was not filled with just water, although I don't know about in the past. Not entirely sure where the leak is coming from, although I did notice sum bubbling at the top near a call of screws. Also the puddle it left in the driveway was pretty large....

Any idea where I shld start looking? Am I going to have to replace the thermostat no matter what? And what's the easiest way to find out what exactly the problem is?

look under hood for evidence of prior overheat...that would tell you where to start lookin'

Ok, I just took a look at it, And there is a spot Where the hose from the radiator itself And the hose from the reserve meet And there is a seal-or is it a valve? There. That valve lifts right up, so is it cuz the seal there is gone? Or do I have to replace that whole piece? There also is a hose there that goes back towards the dash of the car-where does that lead to?

Yah...that rubber gets all full of itself...expands and a hole appears...mostly when on the road...chop off with a buckknife, twist the breeze clamps...fill with roadside water and keep rollin'~ seen it. done it. cannot advise it...tow to a shop and do a proper repair with fresh rubber hoses and save the headache that you're now experiencing~

nice hair :)

Nobody has touched it or tried to take out the thermostat, is what I was told. However, the 1st time it overheated, antifreeze was bubbling up around that lil gasket/valve/whatever it is. I'm trying to put the picture on here. So does that mean that the gasket/valve needs to b replaced also? Do u think that was bad, and from the antifreeze leaking out of it, that's what blew the seal/gasket? I don't have the money to bring the car in, so I will have to do it myself....and I'm assuming ur sayin I have to replace the thermostat as well?

Also, the hoses all seem to b fine.....

thermostats used to be a seasonal item...hoses too...a cost one could expect yearly...ain't but a thing...drain some coolant down at the "petcock" drain front middle of the radiator...hopefully will be a threaded wing nut affair...might be a cheapie plastic bung...but drain it into a pan that you will capture to just put it right back in if it isn't all buggered up~...so release maybe a quart...the thermostat is at the back of the return big hose comin' off the top of the radiator it is a L shaped casting...the thermostat will be under that casting...they'll give you a fresh gasket with your new one...if not use black RTV in a bead on a cleaned surface~ don't put it in upside down...this should NOT be possible because the heavy side goes down~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIC6Z4D6Q3E

that guy did not use a gasket...but scolded you for overtightening it~

Never went under the car to release perhaps a quart of coolant but allowed it to dribble in his hands....bad form....who's gonna bust these jokers for NOT doing a job properly?

http://www.carparts.com/details/Chrysler/Sebring/Gates/Thermostat/2001/W0 133-1669116.html? TID=80000000CP&origin=pla&CP=1&CP_SRC=PPC&003=27372932&01 0=cpgath01chryslersebring20012005gatesw0133- 16691161061558&gclid=CJbDp7Cw4rkCFcFj7AodByMAmg

This is the piece that I am talking about. It is completely disconnected from the bottom half....

And I cannot find the thermostat...can be body tell me where it is exactly? Thanks....

the thermostat is at the end of the big coolant hose comin' off the radiator...it will have a "water neck" that houses it~ might look something like this~

that's the housing...that twirly thing with the plate on that's the thermostat~

your picture is a mystery...shows a valve cover (where you put the oil in) with the oil fill bung completely missing...the piece you are holding looks like a piece of EGR equipment...opens up exhaust gasses to control the temperature of the combustion when it gets too hot~ you must look where it came from and affect repairs to put it right back where it was...And will shop for the missing oil bung for you (if you ain't got it no more)~

here's a chrome one if you want to get "Jazzy"~ it is for 1 1/4 oil fill ports...check before ordering~ http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_x_2 2905620-P_x_x?cm_mmc=ACQ-_-Google-_-enhancedRM- _-22905620&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=22905620&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw= &gclid=CM7T2fPS4rkCFWho7AodZg0Ajw#utm_source=acq&utm_mediu m=google&utm_campaign=enhancedrm&utm_content=22905620

http://www.how2videos.us/watch.php?vid=847822ae6

I saw that and started to cry....could they have made this any less convenient...back in the old days there were two bolts....right there....easy to get that off of there....now they expect us to use air tools to remove major components to get to an "invisible" location....what is this world coming to?~

It is on top of what the hoses going to the radiator and to the reserve tank and into the firewall are connected to....the bottom of it has 2 screws (maybe bolts?) In it. Looks like one knob of the thing in the picture is a bleeder. The bottom n top half were connected with a gasket that dry rotted. When these 2 halves came apart, this is where the antifreeze sprayed out from....does this help in figuring out what it is???

Yeah babe...you know what is rotted...take it to an auto parts store for replacement parts...ask them for the tools to do the job if need be...my buddies at NAPA have to protect their reputation and are eager to service you (your car)~

H25 thinx is your MAF sensor....trying to confirm his hypothesis now...why...I do not know...probably it's because WE are the experts and if we don't know the CarGurus site looses all credibility (not that it ever had any)....so yes...ready for a splash....diggin in~

What's with the red lever on the side of the connector? is this a "release connector tab?" perhaps an electrical schematic will steer me in the right direction~

does not show the air bleeder....still lookin' now~

okay, closing in on it..that is a temperature sensor and this is a connector block that is supposed to be in the coolant stream as this is a coolant temperature sensor~

Does not seem exactly the same but we've an air connection, a bleeder, a 1/2 heater line and a main flow....all which bolt to the face of the head there~

still does not look like yours...puzzling....H25 please help~

Temp sensor and a coolant bleeder...clearly this is a piece of your heater loop~

Mine doesn't look exactly like the last picture, but yes, I believe that the temp sensor & coolant bleeder is what it is! Which wld explain y the temp gauge went all the way DOWN instead of up when it overheated, right? And is this the only piece I most likely need to replace? Or shld I just do the thermostat too, since it's cheap? Ne idea what the sensor/bleeder costs? (About?)

oooo. thank you so much for considering this is gonna be the piece...if I could just put my mitts on a link...I could go to history and see where's it is~...holdon~

Okay, partsgeek or Car Parts Shed~...the thing is probably OKAY and you'd be wasting your money....just needs to be cleaned sealed and put back...swear on the boy scouts handbook~

make yourself a cup of tea...drop the thermostat in the tea....see if the diaphragm opens...if it does...you can keep the same one...please be easy on your own budget~~~!

don't drink THAT tea...toss it...rinse and make a second cup....Fortnum and Mason British earl gray is practically impossible to find and EXPENSIVE...find a mate across the drink that could send you some...they have an aggressive VAT tax....you can find it on line~

Alrighty-room mornin I will try it out, wish me luck! In ne case, I will b back, either to tell u it worked, or to ask more questions...at ne rate, a huge THANK U, Judge Roy, for all of your patience and help! I really appreciate it!!! :)

I meant tomo mornin, not room-stupid autospell!!

piece of cooling system...how much can it be to tidy it up...not replace, just put it back together to assure that it won't blow out again...that's all we ask~

Judge_Roy is in fact Jay Qureshi...an oil painter with perhaps three hundred oil paintings...here's one from 2011~ NEED some inspiration to continue the last eight months have played "car guru" just for fun and to see if I was indeed an Expert on ALL makes and models, Foreign and Domestic...my time as a Mechanic in Berkeley taught me a bunch...but didn't pay the bills....ow~

You can see perhaps two dozen on the walls of "the Compassion Center" in Clearlake...have to be a card carrying medicinal (they'll arrange it)....had a show in Milwaukee at the Art Asia Gallery...not paid nothin' stuck with the shipping charges~

It is nice to display my work to a person who's attention spends a few moments lookin' them over....kind of a forced "show"...he..he...he~

The valve causing your problems is called a coolant air bleeder. It costs about $110, and $175 for garage labor. It is a common failure around 50 K miles.

Sparky222, put a hotlynx to the thing....searched all over tarnation...you see what I found...yes..coolant...yes...a bleeder....her complaint.....look at the picture she provided..."coolant air bleeder" does not appear to be the same item...tends to drive a person mad when they cannot lay claims to that~

Her image indeed looks like the bleeder, the chrysler part tends to leak at the joint before failure. Parts geek has one for around $30. This is a 2 person repair. Intake manifold bolts may require loosening, and the second person to keep the manifold raised. Allow 2 hours.

I picked up the part this morning. It is called a "water outlet". $65. The problem I am having is that 2 of the screws in the manifold are rounded (maybe stripped?) & I can't get them out. I have tried everything I can think of....ne advice???

Very nice oil paintings, by the way!!! U r pretty good!!

yay,,,allkay...got hundreds...could possibly paint one for you...I do people's pets or houses...post a photo and will do your beloved kitty or doggie~....see if you can get some teeth onto the bolt with a medium sized vice-grips...nice and tight....after that fails use a diamond point (not made of diamond, just the shape...punch the top of the bolt in the loosen direction with the diamond tip chisel...this should "crack" it loose...to use other more pertinent tools on that bolt~ the only part stripped would be the head from using inferior cheapy tools~

this is a Chicago alleyway in 2011...I changed the Fedex boxes to keggers~

Finished the car yesterday afternoon. Still no heat, & this morning we r overheating again....grrrr. What next? Going to try replacing the thermostat today, & maybe flush the radiator????

Just an FYI the thermostat is located on the lower radiator hose not the upper, and 9/10 times the water pump is probably leaking out of the weep hole. Do you have antifreeze leaking either in the front of the engine by the harmonic balancer or is it trickling down the back of the engine block and trans area? Do a double check to see if the radiator fans work have seen many actual burn out, motors are replaceable on your vehicle

and if it is the waterpump it's timing chain driven and there are two different styles.

If no leaks and system full, did you bleed air out of the system? If thermostat was changed, is it installed in the correct direction? Lastly, is the water pump functioning? No circulation, no heat. The paintings are well done BTW.

Haven't done the thermostat yet. How do I bleed the air out? No leaks that I can see....

Haven't done the thermostat yet. How do I bleed the air out? No leaks that I can see....

well now then there...that goodie that we were searching for HAS the bleeder on it..'case you did not notice...coolant flow is an issue...would examine the output of the water pump and replace if flow is defective....yes the radiator could be plugged use a thermo-spot gun to find the blockage~ NO HEAT---'cause the thermostat is not opening up...did you make a cup of tea...and drop the thermostat in to see if it's opens...negating the need for replacement....if it don't open...you ain't gettin' NO heat!~

Here is a video to help with the cooling system fill process and bleed. http://youtu.be/zUpXgAJ1gjU There is also another dire possibility for your issues, and that is head gasket failure. If coolant is passing the gasket, it may be burning and evident in exhaust or making the engine oil milky. Just sayin' , and I hope that is not the case.

....let's think positive, here sparky~

....again pump it up to 17 PSI and start to cry when the leaks are into each cylinder~ like sparky222 says...Headgasket HOUR~

You know this whole damned part is a mystery....Papa, Momma and BABY connections....flows through this block to the other side (our un-doing)...has a heater hose outlet (that's why the bleeder is nearby to "Belch" the coolant loop whereby in MY opinion FLOW should be substantial enough to where belching isn't necessary...so papa, momma...and "BABY" where in the world is a spout of coolant needed? we got our temp sensor already...what in the world? where is "baby" needed? executive seat warmer?

Ok, so I bled the air out. Now I see that coolant is leaking out of the bottom, on the passenger side, towards the front. It's not the radiator....is this going to b the water pump???

yay....you got it good...the "weep" hole by the main bearing is supposed to dribble when it's time for a new waterpump~...get one....have it installed....empty your wallet...place both hands where we can see them~

Word of advice do a timing chain and guide kit when you do the waterpump, there is also a hydraulic tensioner replace this as well if you plan on keeping the vehicle. Ebay sells a kit that works well I have use them 4 or 5 times on numerous vehicles.... but need to check your VIN to see if you have the early style sprockets manufactured from 1998 to early 2002.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/00-02-2-7-Dodge-Chrysler-V6-Timing-Chain-Kit-Water-Pump-/260844511531?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3ADodge|Engine+-+Liter_Display%3A2.7L&hash=item3cbb8b612b&vxp=mtr

you will also need upper intake gaskets, front timing cover gasket, front main oil seal and both left and right valve cover gaskets there is also 6 spark plug tubes seals in the valve cover as well. may need to lower the oil pan too, some you need to some you don't. and while it's opened up space get the thermostat also, just easier.

a properly equipped kit will have ALL you need~ http://www.ebay.com/itm/00-02-Chrysler-Dodge-2-7L-167-VIN-R-U-EER- Timing-Chain-Kit-Water-Pump-/121173581864?_trksid=p2054897.l4276

assuming it's a DOHC engine~

Yes, it is a DOHC engine....ugh...maybe just buy a new car!

Keep the faith...these engines are difficult to work on...get someone who knows whatinahell workin' on it~

MINI's are sexy....Toyotas are the most reliable~

...bet that motor goes LIKE HELL when you accelerate~

Look at the bright side, at least the vehicle did not strand you in a blizzard in a strange country at 3 am without your purse.

that's real optimizm sparky222...I want you on MY team~ should have offered a CarGurus cap to you....just got "the dirty dozen" which I was expecting to wear on each avatar..David did it for like four hours dandyoun is holding it in his hand....no one seems brave enough to represent....like one, I can send you mine or appeal to the Cambridge public radio to part with their stash~

everyone needs a border collie...'cept all these I've painted over the years have come up DEAD...put the painting lives on....sad~

No collie for Me-I raise pitbulls, sweetest dogs u will ever meet! Great with kids, too!:)

...achem...an apartment house in San Francisco had a dog that was harassing one of the tenants...one day he got free and chewed her flesh so bad she died after losin' blood...the dog of course did not face charges...BUT to have one that can KILL when it wants to is an area of concern~ I'm more of a CAT guy...those that know to use the CAT DOOR...don't even know what a litter box is and are concerned about NOT leaving any smell behind in the castle~

Sadly, "queenie" had to be put down for poopin' in our living space and NOT using the litterbox...also rollin' around in the fireplace depositing ASH...We payed to get rid of her...her and her evil self is portayed correctly....think I re- purposed this canvas...but kept the image~

Simba, I painted for my Mom for fifty bucks...I asked, isn't that collar slightly evil...and she said that the cat was happy with the little bell on it~....simba died six weeks after this was painted~

Then there was Luckie...gettin' blind...but did not paint it that way...do not think that little guy was so lucky after all~ fifty bucks~

I LOVE doin' art...don't know what in the hell I'm doing serving anonymous people and their anonymous problems...possibly to affirm that I can do it....dig onto the web for the answers....like anyone can do it if they ask the right questions~

You know the top guys have another identity to play with....I myself have operator_13...to have fun with without the pressure of having to be right all the time...think DavidH25, Tom Deyman and myself do not like the numbers thank you....a certain level of expert advise is expected...will do my best but am anonymous~

might be NO MORE judge_roy...but henry_s the dude behind the "bullhorn" or used to be before they moved him to a different department...or Lisa will say "DO NOT LEAVE" you are too valuable a guy....also Racer_X says "you can't leave us!" so really do not want to hurt anyone, but have to chase what inspires and that fellow threatening to "KILL JUDGE ROY" that turky Mick or whatever his name is can keep the show...I'm leavin'~

Here's a night time sunflower in 1989 to brighten your night~

Hey Chris, your posts add to the discussion, and JR does have a great sense of humor don't you think? We can help allykay get her beloved sebring fixed! My mantra for the 2.7 is timing chain and water pump every 60 K and synthetic oil as preventions.

A nice diagnostic FYI for the Sebring on coolant issues especially given circumstance. If you run the engine hot as in redlining it temperature wise with steam pouring out of the reservoir system . Likely you'll want to check for thermal damage especially not only on the Overflow reservoir tank, but also Coolant Bleeder Housing, and likewise Thermostat housing. It seems on my Sebring all of these components were plastic and when subjected to excessive engine heat (not enough coolant) lead to major degradation of the structural integrity of each component. A nipple was literally sheared/melted off, in my case, on the overflow reservoir, alongside breakage of another nipple on the coolant bleeder housing, alongside a fractured thermostat housing which furthered coolant loss in the engine. Water pump failure could be a problem, but my research into this found that significant seal breach of the water pump may be shown with potentially excessive coolant ending up in the oil pan which may potentially find its way into the exhaust system with excessive white smoke. An oil change might resolve this diagnostically since you may be able to with obvious inspection view the oil so that there isn't added fluids aside from motor oil present indicating a blown water pump gasket. I happened to also use a v-snake (borescope) to inspect around the thermostat housing any excessive discharge through one of the water pump's weep holes (this is nearest to the second (from top) bolt on thermostat housing. Fortunately I were spared a water pump replacement it would appear. Replacing the the thermostat housing is probably the most labor intensive aspect of repairs that I found but still manageable especially relative to something like a water pump replacement which would require getting into the sebring's timing system. Unfortunately Chrysler has manufactured this engine so that the labor for water pump replacement is excessive relative to other car's on the market that don't require the same level of work. I called around locally, for instance, on a water pump replacement and received quotes nearing about a thousand dollars including OEM parts (recommended in this case), so before you get into anything related to water pumps make sure that you have checked the components that I have mentioned above for overheated engine.

I haven't heard on 2.7L a specific timing chain schedule for replacement. Chains are in theory designed to last longer(?) I believe relative to the more common belt components. One shop specifically advised that timing chain replacement may not be necessary. Mostly if you delve into water pump replacements, it is the chain tensioner that need be replaced which as I've heard is a bit of a pain getting set properly (haven't verified this personally).

I was having some of the same issues and was wondering why I was having to put additional water/antifreeze in the reservoir all the time. Come to find out that the reservoir had a very tiny crack in it on the top. I super glued it, coated that sucker with jb weld and filled it to the brim while the car was running in the garage with the heater/defrost full blast and a warm engine... Runs like a dream now. It was blowing all the antifreeze out while going down the road....Never saw a leak in the driveway or garage..Still gonna take it to the mechanic and have them put in a new thermostat just to be safe.....