Hey so my Durango was running fine, had been losing heat from the heater but engine wasn't running hot. Then it sat for 2 days while there was snow and below freezing temps. Mostly water in the radiator, about 1 bottle of 50 50 . I drove it home and no issue. Drove a few more times , now heater is cold air only after reaching normal temp. Next time I go to drive it overheats within a mile of driving. I assumed thermostat, changed it. Put on a lot of gasket sealant , still overheating, so change water pump, changed air filter , oil change, no coolant I. Oil, a lot of rust in all hoses, tstat and water pump, radiator looks rusty as well. Still overheating almost instantly. What should I do . Please asvise

 

Is it actually overheating or is the sensor gone bad? I mean water with below freeing temps there's no end to what could possibly be wrong, but if its not pouring coolant on the ground as fast as you poor it in, that's probably not your issue, how warm has it gotten outside temp since this?

 

Being low on coolant, the heater is the first thing to stop working....

 

That will happen with next to no antifreeze. How long has it been like this? You may want drill a small hole in the t stat, These engines will trap air in the top of the motor(where the sensor is). It will read the air temp not the water. The hole will let the air out. See post #14 here.

 

water freezes and then when you go to drive it wont unfreeze for a bit and the engine will get real hot and i would replace the radiator or get it rebuilt because theres and possibilty it got plugged somehow and my suggestion put actual coolant in your durango next time