what does your oil look like any coolant in it.
Overheating
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Can you smell coolant after a drive if you walk past the front of the car? A slow leak may evaporate before reaching the ground. I had a leak like this once, I could smell it. I had to add coolant every few weeks. I saw nothing from up top.
Then I crawled under the car & looked up. I saw the chalky, whitish-orangish trails of dried coolant drips from the upper hose.
Coolant leaks can be intermittent. A water pump shaft seal may only leak when the engine is running & hold OK when the engine is shut off. In a case like this, pressure-testing the system won't show anything.
The radiator fan should come on when idling in Park, when the A/C is turned on & in stop & go traffic. On the open road, enough air is passing through the radiator & condenser that the electric fan is not needed.
Dorman has made some aluminum engine parts to replace the OEM plastic parts that have been identified as possible leak sources on the 3.6L (t/stat hsng, crossover & hose couplings).
Always diagnose first.
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2012 was during a shift from HOAT type (orangish) coolant to OAT (purplish) coolant. It is important not to mix coolant types. Use distilled water for a 50/50 balance. No additives are necessary.
It should identify your coolant fill on or near the fill cap. HOAT should conform to Chrysler MS-9769 & OAT should conform to MS-12106. Read the label.
If the pressure is exceeding 21 psi (145 kPa) & is pushing coolant out of the reservoir cap, check for a possible combustion chamber-to-water jacket leak.
Then I crawled under the car & looked up. I saw the chalky, whitish-orangish trails of dried coolant drips from the upper hose.
Coolant leaks can be intermittent. A water pump shaft seal may only leak when the engine is running & hold OK when the engine is shut off. In a case like this, pressure-testing the system won't show anything.
The radiator fan should come on when idling in Park, when the A/C is turned on & in stop & go traffic. On the open road, enough air is passing through the radiator & condenser that the electric fan is not needed.
Dorman has made some aluminum engine parts to replace the OEM plastic parts that have been identified as possible leak sources on the 3.6L (t/stat hsng, crossover & hose couplings).
Always diagnose first.
2012 was during a shift from HOAT type (orangish) coolant to OAT (purplish) coolant. It is important not to mix coolant types. Use distilled water for a 50/50 balance. No additives are necessary.
It should identify your coolant fill on or near the fill cap. HOAT should conform to Chrysler MS-9769 & OAT should conform to MS-12106. Read the label.
If the pressure is exceeding 21 psi (145 kPa) & is pushing coolant out of the reservoir cap, check for a possible combustion chamber-to-water jacket leak.
The electric fan shouldn't be needed at highway speeds. Enough road draft should be passing through the condenser/radiator to take away heat. Make sure that the radiator fins are clean. I've seen clean condensers in front of the radiator, but clogged radiator fins.
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The coolant is at the proper concentration & the proper type? Too much antifreeze or too much water can cause cooling problems. If everything is good, I suspect a radiator problem. Flushing may not help. It may need replacement. Use distilled water & the correct 50/50 coolant mix.
I've used an IR scan thermometer to find hot spots & cold spots in radiators.
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50/50 Ethylene-Glycol and Water - Is the recommended mixture, it provides protection against freezing to -37°C (-34°F). The antifreeze concentration must always be a minimum of 44%, year-round in all climates. If the percentage is lower, engine parts may be eroded by cavitation. Maximum protection against freezing is provided with a 68% antifreeze concentration, which prevents freezing down to -67.7°C (-90°F). A higher percentage will freeze at a warmer temperature. Also, a higher percentage of antifreeze can cause the engine to overheat because specific heat of antifreeze is lower than that of water.
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The coolant is at the proper concentration & the proper type? Too much antifreeze or too much water can cause cooling problems. If everything is good, I suspect a radiator problem. Flushing may not help. It may need replacement. Use distilled water & the correct 50/50 coolant mix.
I've used an IR scan thermometer to find hot spots & cold spots in radiators.
50/50 Ethylene-Glycol and Water - Is the recommended mixture, it provides protection against freezing to -37°C (-34°F). The antifreeze concentration must always be a minimum of 44%, year-round in all climates. If the percentage is lower, engine parts may be eroded by cavitation. Maximum protection against freezing is provided with a 68% antifreeze concentration, which prevents freezing down to -67.7°C (-90°F). A higher percentage will freeze at a warmer temperature. Also, a higher percentage of antifreeze can cause the engine to overheat because specific heat of antifreeze is lower than that of water.
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