I may have two problems, I don't know, they may be connected. Here goes, First my 1997 Intrepid with 3.5L started to surge slightly with a steady throttle mostly at cruising speed. It also didn't have much of any git up and go. Like it is not firing on all cylinders, but not a feeling of a miss just a lack of power. When I'm not accelerating it just surges a little, very little I can hardly feel it.
Second problem, it followed the first by about 3 weeks. I was driving around, everything was fine. All of a sudden the temp gauge shot up from normal operating temp to maxed out hot. I stopped and let it cool, I didn't see anything except water and steam coming from the overflow tube. I added water and started home about 4 miles away. Before I could get there it did it again. When I finally got home, I let it cool.
Here are the things I've tried: changed out thermostat. It didn't fix it. I checked my oil for anti freeze and visa-versa. Checked compression and each cylinder was around 165. I did a leak down check and I didn't get any bubble in the overflow tank. Each time I added water I bled the system.
It can sit and idle for quite a while but when I start driving around it over heats from normal to Very hot within a mile or two.
I can feel heat in both the upper and lower hose so I think it is circulating.

I don't know if they are connected or seperate problems. But I can't seem to solve either one!!! HELP
Thanks in advance, Glenn

 

Did you try changing the engine coolant temp sensor.
about the other problem, maybe get the cat. checked.

 

Here goes, an update.
I have a 1997 3.5L Intrepid, about 97,000 miles with an overheating problem. It would idle forever and be fine, normal operating temp, then I would drive it a mile or less and it would overheat (redline). I have replaced the following: Radiator, themostat, waterpump, timing belt, radiator cap, coolant temperature sensor. Electric fans work and they both come on with the A/C, I flushed the system twice. It is still overheating quickly. No water in oil or oil in radiator. It runs great, very quick, I spent alot of time making sure the timing was right as I replaced the timing belt.

Any ideas welcome.

 

Before you change anything else, have you tried to validate the over temp? I see you have changed almost everything, so drop back and punt! I would first determine the actual tem of the coolant to decide which path to follow. Also when the over temp occurs, have you tried to supplementing the cooling by turning on the interior heat? Did that help any? Dose hot air come out at all? Do you have cold spots on the new radiator? Does it overheat quicker now? Are the hoses hard while running (especially the upper hose)? Is the fluid temperature much hotter in the engine than the rest of the system?

Just a few thoughts, good luck!
Kurt

 

Please help me as i have the same problem on my wifes 97 3.5
She overheated and i determined a bad fan as thefuse had popped so i changed the fuse and fan assy
but it still overheats and i have limited to no heat in the car
I have changed the rad overflow cap today as i notice i was loosing all the fluid out of it and i saw a tear on the seal of the cap so that was good
I run the car at idle with no thermostat and i feel all hoses are hot except one coming from the firewall .It is sto the core i am sure but would a clogged core overheat my car ?
Any ideas would be great

Thaks
JAy

 

I'm just going through an overheating problem with the Wife's 94 Intrepid..

It overheated on her way to work, so she let it cool down at the side of the road...and made the short drive to her work a little later on.

One of her coworkers changed the thermostat in the parking lot at work, but it was still getting hot, so he figured the new thermostat might've been defective..(it happens).

I picked up a new one And gasket, on the way there after My work...installed the new thermostat..and let the car run for awhile.

It was still overheating..and also not getting heat inside the car either, so I pulled the thermostat and tried it again, this time Without a thermostat in it. Same problem.

Various so-called experts made the snap diagnosis of the problem being the result of a blown head gasket, due to a bubbling up in the coolant reservoir...(but the coolant wasn't circulating, get it?)..I figured the coolant was just boiling in the hot engine..and the bubbles had to go Somewhere, because nothing was circulating.

At any rate, I had the water pump changed..and that solved the problem.

 

I have to add though, that if you are going to get the water pump changed...make Sure that the right pump for the year of the car is used
..because..
the guys that changed the water pump on our car (94 Intrepid 3.5L) mistakenly put in a water pump made for a 95, which has a larger diameter pulley on it..(Big difference, folks)

..and the resulting extra tension on the timing belt made the right side camshaft start gouging out where it sits inside the cylinder head...which made a real nice place for the oil to leak out on the drive home.

Back to the shop,of course.. where they had a real hard time trying to get the camshaft oil seal to stop leaking...until they finally discovered the cause of the problem..(the wrong water pump causing the camshaft to start gouging the head from the inside, as stated above)..

So now the shop is on the hook to replace the head at their own expense...so it does save money to make sure the parts getting put on, are the same as the ones coming off.

 

Update -all fixed read on
My wifes car had overheated several times and boiled out all the coolant
She even had the car do this in her words -
towed home as she got off the hwy and at the red lite at the ramp the car started to smoke inside and then would not go when she applied the gas
Sorry -Woman driver u know 1\4 turn operator i call em as long as the key turns and it starts im drivin it
SO resulting in me looking the car over i start it up in th drive way and have this amazing electrical storm where everything is fladhing like a strobe light and the ths driverside window starts goin down on its own LOL crazy so i let it sit till daylight and look it over then
well off to the wreckers and grab a bunch of fuses and relays and so on before they close on a sat by noon
Go home change the rad cap again on the overflow reservoir good to go
now widow stuck down will not go up and blew a couple of lights so i take the whole inner door panel off and acces the window motor
Run a wire from the battery anf touch te leads on the window motor and up it goes -Looks to be good stil just need a new window switch

to be continued when i get back to the wreckers and get a switch ................................................