Hello all. Just got a 99 Stratus for a steel. The only problem it has is that it over heats. When I would stop it would back up into the over flow. I have replaced the thermostat but it didn't make any difference. Drove it for a couple days without a problem then the other day I pulled stopped and the motor started the knocking to let me know I was out of water. Filled it, ran it with the cap off, looked like it was pumping then stopped but never got hot enough to back up.

Heater core?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Follow up …. Did a compression check. Cold held 16 lbs. Running slowly fell, hot fell even faster. Crawled under and noticed water streaming down the left side of the motor but nowhere I could see to trace it back. Don’t have oil in water or water in oil, white smoke nor the smell of coolant from exhaust.

 

if it's leaking from the drive belt side (a/c, alt, p/s) of the eng it's prob the water pump. leaking water is the first sign of one on the way out. while it's not a huge job to change one out, depending on the eng, it might take a day or two if it's your first time (try the hoses first, don't forget the heater hoses).think about swapping in a new t-belt, belt tensioner, and anything else in that area.changing the other parts will add min time to the repair and save you from having to tear into the eng in the next year or two. read up on the tasks in a book and this page (use the search eng and see where everyone else messed up first, checking neons and pt areas also, as they have the same 4cyl eng). good luck and let us know.

 

Well I am/was attempting to replace the pump myself and I have hit a huge problem. In trying to remove the crankshaft pulley I broke 2 of the 3 claw spots. So in reading I torched the pull off. In torching the pulley I have also broke part of the timing sprocket. Have replacements no big deal.
Now the big problem ... in torching I think I have also been cutting into the crankshaft. I still have not been able to get the remaining pulley parts off.
Am hoping someone could help me with more info on trying to get the pulley off without breaking anymore.
Also does anyone have a breakdown of the motor (manual is worthless).