Need help with a 2005 Neon.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 16
From: Kuna ID
Need help with a 2005 Neon.
My friend has a 2005 neon, with only 70k miles. It's running hot and we cant figure out why. The temp guage will run near the top but come down when they crank the heater full blast. If they shut it down for a few minutes and restart it, the overheat alarm goes off until it circulates enough coolant. They just completely flushed the system and used the correct mopar coolant. The fans are kicking on, we can verify the t-stat is opening, the hoses aren't collapsing. I can only feel inside the radiator a bit, but it feels perfectly clean, I didn't detect any buildup on the tubes. Is there something odd these cars are notorious for in regards to overheating?
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 3
From: Sapulpa OK
The fact that the heater will solve the problem indicates to me that the radiator is not removing enough heat. Either you have a head gasket leaking very hot combustion gasses into the coolant, evidenced by bubbling in the radiator. Or your radiator is is plugged internally by a buildup of deposits. These are the most likely but you could have a collapsing radiator hose on the suction side of the water pump.
To check for combustion gasses, when the engine is cold remove the radiator cap and run the engine 'till warm and look for bubbles in the coolant. Sometimes you have to run the engine at high RPM to see the bubbles. Or you can get a testing kit called "Block Check" to check for combustion gasses. Available at most auto parts houses, probably $25 bucks or so.
Let us know what you find.
To check for combustion gasses, when the engine is cold remove the radiator cap and run the engine 'till warm and look for bubbles in the coolant. Sometimes you have to run the engine at high RPM to see the bubbles. Or you can get a testing kit called "Block Check" to check for combustion gasses. Available at most auto parts houses, probably $25 bucks or so.
Let us know what you find.
Last edited by fixnair; Sep 22, 2010 at 11:51 PM. Reason: Add request
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
Likes: 3
From: Marengo, Iowa
The radiator is definitely suspect. Although it doesn't seem to be plugged visually, that really means nothing, as it can be plugged away from the end. A better check for plug is to feel the core for heat or not. If any of it is cool to the touch when the temp indicates operating temp or above, the rad is plugged there. Ran into this recently on my sister in law's car, the original had a cracked tank, so we went with a used one. It then overheated when she drove interstate speeds, but not so much when she slowed down, and it did also stop when running the heater (in 90 degree and hotter days with high humidity...) I put a brand new radiator in, no more overheat.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
A lot of the newer cars with sealed overflow bottles require you to bleed air out of the system.
Check your manual or a Mopar website for a procedure.
If the air isn't bled out, it will exaclty what you describe.
If this is your problem, the fix is free, just bleed and add water.
My 96 chebby and 04 Lincoln require air bleeding.
Don't know the Mopar, but a couple clues to tell if there is a bleed. Some cars will have a screw on the thermostat housing that looks like it doesn't do anything. Other cars will have a maybe 1/2 inch diameter rubber hose with a plastic screw in the end somewhere near the water bottle, Both are bleed screws.
If you have to add water to the overflow bottle and if it has a large plastic clicky cap and it whooshes air when you open it, then you have a sealed system and probably need to bleed.
When you bleed, sometimes a lot of air and water bubbles will come out before it is done.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Check your manual or a Mopar website for a procedure.
If the air isn't bled out, it will exaclty what you describe.
If this is your problem, the fix is free, just bleed and add water.
My 96 chebby and 04 Lincoln require air bleeding.
Don't know the Mopar, but a couple clues to tell if there is a bleed. Some cars will have a screw on the thermostat housing that looks like it doesn't do anything. Other cars will have a maybe 1/2 inch diameter rubber hose with a plastic screw in the end somewhere near the water bottle, Both are bleed screws.
If you have to add water to the overflow bottle and if it has a large plastic clicky cap and it whooshes air when you open it, then you have a sealed system and probably need to bleed.
When you bleed, sometimes a lot of air and water bubbles will come out before it is done.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
