Ok we are the original owner 05' stratus v6 2.7L. In idle with the a/c on it started to over heat. Checked antifreeze level it was just a little low. Added antifreeze(green).Next day overheated without a/c on. Changed thermostat and water housing unit since it had corrosion on it. tried to fill the sytem back up and bleed it but the radiator reservoir started boiling over so we went and had the system flushed filled and bleed at jiffy lube. On the way home the it started overheating again(quickly). The level was only a bit low again. We thought maybe we installed the thermostat incorrectly (forgot to put jiggle valve 12o'clock) so we bought another thermostat and replaced again, we then filled and bleed again by haynes book instructions.we left it running until it was at normal temp in idle and drove it for about 4 minutes and it overheated again almost all the way to hot we shut it off and waited for it to cool down, got it home, and the radiator reservoir was boiling again.There is no leaks anywhere in the hosing, radiator reservoir or the radiator. The thermostat was install correctly (jiggle valve 12o'clock) the heater puts out heat just fine. There is no water in the oil cap and there is no oil in the radiator reservoir. No oil leaks of any kind around the block. The fans come on and seem to be on at a higher speed sometimes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
We are not mechanics but we are willing to do the work , as of right now we are stuck as to what is wrong.

 

Sure sounds like a head gasket to me.

 

Thanks for your response. I'm hoping it's not the head gasket. Does it sound maybe like the water pump at all?

 

Possible water pump?
Pretty simple test for that... With the car cool (NOT HOT!), take the radiator cap off and let the car idle. If you see the coolant swirling around like a whirlpool, than the water pump is likely OK. If it's not moving... than get the water pump changed out.
Good idea to let it swirl for a couple minutes, and if it's gurgling, LET IT.
Gurgling just means it's pushing air bubbles out of the system, which can form a vapor lock by pressurizing and preventing coolant from passing. If you've got gurgling, very slowly add coolant directly to the radiator until it's topped off and swirling smoothly. It can splash out at times, so take necessary caution.

You indicated that there was no mixing of oil and coolant. That's a good sign that it's not the head gasket, but that might not be a 100% sure sign...
If the 2g's 2.7v6 is anything like the 1g's 2.5v6, When I park on a hill (nose up) I get those air bubbles for some reason. They tend not to be large bubbles, but enough that the temp will spike, and suddenly drop once the bubble is pushed through the head. Had me scratching my head for weeks until I idled it without the radiator cap

 

Definitely idle it without the radiator cap until you are certain all air bubbles have escaped. Half an hour should be plenty. You should certainly see evidence of flow present at the cap AFTER the thermostat opens, the coolant level will drop significantly and flow will be very apparent, if not it's probably a water pump. As ratsttam noted be very careful as it will burp and splatter hot coolant during this process. Nosing the car up on an incline (ramps) will probably aid in getting the air to "float" to the high point in the system which hopefully will be the cap. BUT, if flow is present, the car continues overheating, it seems to be "making coolant" and there seems to be no end to the bubbles while idleing then a head gasket is probably in order especially if the coolant is foaming badly. Hopefully it's just the water pump. Good luck and be careful! Scalding steam hurts! Trust me.

 

I have a 1996 2.4L stratus and was having similar simptoms with overheating. Every time I checked the coolant level it was a little low and I would top it off. However, this would not fix the overheating problem and I thought the worst (leaking head gasket,...). Then I noticed that the overflow reservoir was full which triggered a thought that maybe the radiator cap was at fault and not holding pressure. After almost a year now, I haven't had anymore trouble with the cooling system or the overheating with AC on issue. $3.35 fix.

 

To check your water pump, with the car running squeeze the upper radiator hose. If it is hard, the pump is pumping. If it is soft, the pump is not pumping.
If the head gasket is blown, you will either get oil in your water, water in your oil, or exhaust gases in your water. Check your coolant for an oily film, if none then check your oil for water. Oil and water will emulsify and become milky. If the oil still looks nice and oily, then take the radiator cap off and run your engine. If the coolant comes shooting out of the radiator, you are getting gases into your coolant. If none of these 3 things are happening, it's a pretty safe bet (but not 100%) that your head gasket is okay.
I would check to see if your fans are coming on (hi and lo speed). You could have a bad connection or a bad Hi/Lo speed fan relay.
Ratsttam - if you continue to get bubbles in your coolant when you park on a hill, you have a leak in your system. The coolant system should be a closed system. No air should be able to get in to cause those bubbles. You probably have a bad gasket on the water pump or thermostat housing.
Marty

 

my 01 2.7l was doing the same thing, so decided to try a new radiator because on the dual fans one of them was blowing cool air and the other was blowing hot. i replaced it and the problem went away

 

I know these are OLD POSTS, but for anyone LOOKING for overheating problems with the dodge stratus 2.7 ..it is more than likey the Engine Coolant Air Bleeder Housing. This is a VERY COMMON problem on those vehicles. Hope this helps anyone that may look for the answer. Here's a picture of it http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...tus&vi=1430779