Question:

> Hi.  I have  a weird situation occurring with the 85 Dodge Caravan 2.2L > (A/C, A/T, carb.) that you’ve possibly read about previously in this > group. > 1.  A lot of times, when the engine REALLY cold, as in, hasn’t been driven > for two-three days, there will be a LOT of coolant in the overflow bottle. > 2.  After making the 100mile commute to/from work each day, my wife comes > home, checks under the car’s hood, and sees that there is NO coolant in > the reserve. > 3.  Radiator coolant level, 15 minutes after coming home, is not bone-dry > but…you can see the metal in the radiator when you remove the cap…it > looks low. > 4.  The car is sometimes  VERY  hard to keep from stalling at stoplights, > shortly after it’s been warmed up.

I’m not shure if I follow you, do you have to add antifreeze all the time or does it reappear ? If I remember right, there is a coolant line to the intake to heat it. If so, coolant might get sucked in an burned if the manifold is cracked or possibly just a gasket leaking ? > 5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat.

Are *both* hoses to the heater *hot* ? — The more you learn, the better your luck.

Response:

Hi.  I have  a weird situation occurring with the 85 Dodge Caravan 2.2L (A/C, A/T, carb.) that you’ve possibly read about previously in this group. 1.  A lot of times, when the engine REALLY cold, as in, hasn’t been driven for two-three days, there will be a LOT of coolant in the overflow bottle. 2.  After making the 100mile commute to/from work each day, my wife comes home, checks under the car’s hood, and sees that there is NO coolant in the reserve. 3.  Radiator coolant level, 15 minutes after coming home, is not bone-dry but…you can see the metal in the radiator when you remove the cap…it looks low. 4.  The car is sometimes  VERY  hard to keep from stalling at stoplights, shortly after it’s been warmed up. 5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat. I’m wondering….do I have a faulty thermostat, perhaps one that is sticking "open" ?  Or, could I have a faulty CVSCC?      Ty Young, Doctoral Teaching Fellow in Cello and Early Music                College of Music, University of North Texas

Response:

*5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat. *I’m wondering….do I have a faulty thermostat, perhaps one that is *sticking "open" ?  Or, could I have a faulty CVSCC? Sounds it. Or a bad radiator cap. I don’t know for sure what’s going on, so if anyeone else has ideas listen to them first, but replacing the cap with a new Mopar one can’t hurt — inexpensive and will need to be done eventually anyway. Thermostat sounds likely too, but more trouble to replace!

Response:

> *5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat. > *I’m wondering….do I have a faulty thermostat, perhaps one that is > *sticking "open" ?  Or, could I have a faulty CVSCC?

I’ll bet you have a blown head gasket. I had similar symptoms with my 2.2 in a Lebaron GTS. Good luck!

Response:

>Hi.  I have  a weird situation occurring with the 85 Dodge Caravan 2.2L >(A/C, A/T, carb.) that you’ve possibly read about previously in this >group. >1.  A lot of times, when the engine REALLY cold, as in, hasn’t been driven >for two-three days, there will be a LOT of coolant in the overflow bottle.

Does this not happen if the car has been driven every day? >2.  After making the 100mile commute to/from work each day, my wife comes >home, checks under the car’s hood, and sees that there is NO coolant in >the reserve. >3.  Radiator coolant level, 15 minutes after coming home, is not bone-dry >but…you can see the metal in the radiator when you remove the cap…it >looks low. >4.  The car is sometimes  VERY  hard to keep from stalling at stoplights, >shortly after it’s been warmed up. >5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat. >I’m wondering….do I have a faulty thermostat, perhaps one that is >sticking "open" ?  Or, could I have a faulty CVSCC?

From what you’ve described, it sounds like coolant is going somewhere during a long drive.  Do you see any obvious leaks anywhere?  Smell any coolant when the car is warm?  I would look around and sniff around.  The problem could be as simple as a hose clamp that is not tight enough — I’ve had that problem on my 85 Omni 2.2L.  It could be the water pump; look for staining from the weep hole.  Or it could be the head gasket — do you see white smoke in the exhaust?  Whitish goo in the oil?  It could be the heater control valve.  It could be a lot of things, which is why I suggest looking around some more. — Louise Penberthy — Louise Penberthy             |               Ko-yang-i LCC — IDT                   |      1977 (?) — 22 January 1995 Georgia Tech                 |  

Response:

Hi.  I have  a weird situation occurring with the 85 Dodge Caravan 2.2L (A/C, A/T, carb.) that you’ve possibly read about previously in this group. 1.  A lot of times, when the engine REALLY cold, as in, hasn’t been driven for two-three days, there will be a LOT of coolant in the overflow bottle. 2.  After making the 100mile commute to/from work each day, my wife comes home, checks under the car’s hood, and sees that there is NO coolant in the reserve. 3.  Radiator coolant level, 15 minutes after coming home, is not bone-dry but…you can see the metal in the radiator when you remove the cap…it looks low. 4.  The car is sometimes  VERY  hard to keep from stalling at stoplights, shortly after it’s been warmed up. 5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat. I’m wondering….do I have a faulty thermostat, perhaps one that is sticking "open" ?  Or, could I have a faulty CVSCC?      Ty Young, Doctoral Teaching Fellow in Cello and Early Music                College of Music, University of North Texas

Response:

> Hi.  I have  a weird situation occurring with the 85 Dodge Caravan 2.2L > (A/C, A/T, carb.) that you’ve possibly read about previously in this > group. > 1.  A lot of times, when the engine REALLY cold, as in, hasn’t been driven > for two-three days, there will be a LOT of coolant in the overflow bottle. > 2.  After making the 100mile commute to/from work each day, my wife comes > home, checks under the car’s hood, and sees that there is NO coolant in > the reserve. > 3.  Radiator coolant level, 15 minutes after coming home, is not bone-dry > but…you can see the metal in the radiator when you remove the cap…it > looks low. > 4.  The car is sometimes  VERY  hard to keep from stalling at stoplights, > shortly after it’s been warmed up.

I’m not shure if I follow you, do you have to add antifreeze all the time or does it reappear ? If I remember right, there is a coolant line to the intake to heat it. If so, coolant might get sucked in an burned if the manifold is cracked or possibly just a gasket leaking ? > 5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat.

Are *both* hoses to the heater *hot* ? — The more you learn, the better your luck.

Response:

*5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat. *I’m wondering….do I have a faulty thermostat, perhaps one that is *sticking "open" ?  Or, could I have a faulty CVSCC? Sounds it. Or a bad radiator cap. I don’t know for sure what’s going on, so if anyeone else has ideas listen to them first, but replacing the cap with a new Mopar one can’t hurt — inexpensive and will need to be done eventually anyway. Thermostat sounds likely too, but more trouble to replace!

Response:

> *5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat. > *I’m wondering….do I have a faulty thermostat, perhaps one that is > *sticking "open" ?  Or, could I have a faulty CVSCC?

I’ll bet you have a blown head gasket. I had similar symptoms with my 2.2 in a Lebaron GTS. Good luck!

Response:

>Hi.  I have  a weird situation occurring with the 85 Dodge Caravan 2.2L >(A/C, A/T, carb.) that you’ve possibly read about previously in this >group. >1.  A lot of times, when the engine REALLY cold, as in, hasn’t been driven >for two-three days, there will be a LOT of coolant in the overflow bottle.

Does this not happen if the car has been driven every day? >2.  After making the 100mile commute to/from work each day, my wife comes >home, checks under the car’s hood, and sees that there is NO coolant in >the reserve. >3.  Radiator coolant level, 15 minutes after coming home, is not bone-dry >but…you can see the metal in the radiator when you remove the cap…it >looks low. >4.  The car is sometimes  VERY  hard to keep from stalling at stoplights, >shortly after it’s been warmed up. >5.  The heater doesn’t produce a lot of heat. >I’m wondering….do I have a faulty thermostat, perhaps one that is >sticking "open" ?  Or, could I have a faulty CVSCC?

From what you’ve described, it sounds like coolant is going somewhere during a long drive.  Do you see any obvious leaks anywhere?  Smell any coolant when the car is warm?  I would look around and sniff around.  The problem could be as simple as a hose clamp that is not tight enough — I’ve had that problem on my 85 Omni 2.2L.  It could be the water pump; look for staining from the weep hole.  Or it could be the head gasket — do you see white smoke in the exhaust?  Whitish goo in the oil?  It could be the heater control valve.  It could be a lot of things, which is why I suggest looking around some more. — Louise Penberthy — Louise Penberthy             |               Ko-yang-i LCC — IDT                   |      1977 (?) — 22 January 1995 Georgia Tech                 |  

Response: