1999 Dodge Stratus
2.4L 4Cyl.
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Car has been overheating for multiple reasons within the past six or seven months.
-Blown heater hose: Replace hose and bled coolant line
-Old ineffective coolant: Flushed and replace coolant
-Bad Thermostat: Replace thermostat
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Now my car is in a Wendy's parking lot because the heater hose has blown AGAIN. I know how to replace it, but I want to know why it is blowing out and why I KEEP having problems with overheating.

As of right now, the line to my overflow reservoir is severed, and I can easily repair it. Is it possible that air got back into the line this way? Please help.

PS. You should know that before I had this car, I barely knew ANYTHING about car repairs, and I'm learning as I go. Also, the new thermostat opens up at a pretty high temp (I think it's around 195), so I'm going to replace it anyway just to get the engine down to a temperature I'm more comfortable with. Thank you

 

Cooling systems are carefully designed to function with all pieces in order. The Stratus has a vented radiator cap. When the coolant expands the coolant is vented into the overflow. When the coolant cools the coolant is siphoned back into the radiator. This keeps the radiator always full to the brim. Your case: The coolant heats and the expanded coolant has no place to go other than the street. When it cools it replaces the expanded coolant with air. This creates a void in the radiator, and probably air pockets. Your car periodically overheats after continual expansion of coolant going to the street, and coolant being replaced by air. Your car was designed to run with a full cooling system. Your radiator cap is rated at 16 pounds. At sea level one pound of coolant pressure raises the boiling point of the coolant by 3 degrees. A 16 pound cap raises the boiling point to 260 degrees.

 

I solved this problem awhile ago (old post) but I try to stay in the habit of replying to my own posts with solutions incase anyone else has had this problem...

This one is simple, and kind of embarrassing... Yes I replace the molded heater hose, but i was thinking of the OTHER hose. This hose that blew out was the one that runs directly under the MHH. So it was just another old hose that blew out. That's all, simple enough... Old parts

Update: as of right this moment, every part of my cooling system has been replaced as a matter of necessity except for the radiator itself and the overflow reservoir