How Many Miles On Your Stratus???
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4
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From: Dallas
My 1998 stratus is officially toast
At 195k. Mr. engine rod wanted to come outside and play.
Sold to a parts shop for $1200 Due to
Otherwise immaculate car.
Hoping to get an ultra low mileage Stratus V6 2006 loaded in a couple years.
Dealer across the street has one for
$7900 w/ new belt and 19k.
The 2007 avenger, while nice enough, drives like lukewarm distilled water - adequate, but not anything exciting.
At 195k. Mr. engine rod wanted to come outside and play.
Sold to a parts shop for $1200 Due to
Otherwise immaculate car.
Hoping to get an ultra low mileage Stratus V6 2006 loaded in a couple years.
Dealer across the street has one for
$7900 w/ new belt and 19k.
The 2007 avenger, while nice enough, drives like lukewarm distilled water - adequate, but not anything exciting.
But let's start with basics. I don't mean to be condescending, but are you aware that the drain plug closes with 1/4 turn? turn it 1/4, and it's closed. it's not a screw; it doesn't screw like some plugs. The reason i say it is I had a shop change my fluid, and they tried to screw it in, overturned it, and it leaked til i replaced it.
I tried pushing against the spring on the stock (original) radiator cap, and it was a lot harder to push against than the new one. The new one is rated for 16psi (which is what the stock system runs at). I'm thinking the stock cap, the spring finally gave up and hardened and didn't always relieve the pressure (ie, allowing the coolant go to the over flow tank), thus spitting out the drain plug.
Did the swap last week and so far so good (sure I just jinx'd myself).
EDIT: Fixed the issue
Last edited by ndtguy; Jan 16, 2014 at 12:34 AM. Reason: updating
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 13
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But, my water pump started dropping water like it was a faucet the other week, bought a new water pump kit with the timing belt and pulleys and all, as shop was talking about $800 to do it, so I thought I'd do it myself ... went out finally resigned to having to spend a couple of days under the car... when I had the thought (or remembered somewhere) that you can throw in a couple of tablespoons of pepper and it can plug the seep holes in the water pump..
and it worked ... amazing. So if you have miles on one of these beasts and haven't changed the water pump / timing belt ... do so or at least carry some pepper (add to the radiator cap when cold and fill and top with water) and a couple of gallons of water in the trunk. This will get you home ... probably
Be warned though dumping of coolant through the weep hole means that the bearings are being washed and the fuel pump will fail imminently .... so I guess I should just get to it as the engine being an interference engine the failed water pump will kill the engine..... doh
Last edited by carlfxy; Jul 30, 2014 at 01:31 PM.
