Chrysler Repair: 2001 chrysler 300 running hot:head gasket leak?, head gasket leak, head bolts

Question
QUESTION: Roland,
Well I am back again.
After a new radiator, water pump. fan relays and harness for fans,all air out of the system, new thermostat and any other thing to do with the car heating up, it still gets hot and pegs into the red. I took it in today and after testing they say the head gasket needs to be replaced and possibly there is a crack in the block.
I am at the point of no return on this vehicle and was wondering if you think I just need to trade it in. I have been fighting with this car for 4 months with nothing but problems. Just need some advice on what to do.

Thanks,
Norma

ANSWER: Hi Norma,
It is possible that you have a head gasket leak, and in fact I wondered if you had been loosing coolant as the result or saw excessive white smoke from the tail pipe at cold start-up. It is possible that is the case... but I would want to either have noticed those symptoms and even better yet have a sensor test the cooling system for the presence of exhaust gas which is the classical test for such a leak or cracked block. Or milky colored engine oil is another sign. Absent such test results/symptoms I would not accept that diagnosis. So try to get some proof, and then if present, find out which bank of cylinders has the head gasket leak. Then you might first have the try to loosen/re-torque the head bolts on that side just in case that would stop the leak, or even additionally try using Bar's Stop Leak in the cooling system to seal it.  I would not trade-in or give up yet as you have too much invested to throw away all that.
Roland

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QUESTION: I do know that they tested the cylinders, took out the plugs and used a camera to look at the cylinders. 2 on the left bank were clean looking also did the sensor test. All that has been done so far has not cost me anything as the place I bought the car has been doing the repair. On the head gasket and possible crack in the block I will have to pay 1/2.
Guess I wonder if that will fix the heating up and what else could be wrong with the car.The car has 108756 miles on it. As of now they will allow $3,000 trade on the car. I have been in the repair shop with this car 6 to 8 times in 4 months and guess I have lost all faith in it.
 
I need some input on this as it has been a headache since day one.

Thanks for your help
Norma

ANSWER: Hi Norma,
How much did you pay for the car to begin with is relevant in considering the trade in of $3,000 and furthermore what do you have the choice of buying from them to apply the $3,000 toward? It may not be much of 'trade-in' if the price for the next vehicle is excessive compared to what you could buy if for withoug a 'trade-in' and for cash.
When you say 2 cylinders on the left were clean, was the third showing signs of having coolant leakage into it? If not did the sensor test for exhaust gas in the cooling system show it to be present or not? How much coolant are you using per say 50 miles of driving? What is the cost of the head gasket replacement (and do they know it is only one side and which side)? If the leak is quite slow, why not try Bar's Leak Stop in the cooling system which can seal modest gasket leaks. If the block is cracked then I think the cost is really to put in a new/rebuilt engine which is probably not cost effective.
On the balance of the car, the other expensive item would be a failure of the electronic transaxle. These typically start to malfunction at about 150,000 miles and cost about $2000 if need to be rebuilt, though they will sometimes get to 200,000 or if maltreated can go out at closer to 100,000. To find out its condition currently, I would read out the fault codes: turn the ignition key:'on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the odometer window to see the mileage reading change to show any 4-digit numbers preceded by a P. Let me know what they are if any and we'll see whether the transmission computer has detected any issue with the transmission.
So those are some of the considerations I might suggest.
Roland

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QUESTION: Roland

I have decided to get the gasket fixed and if needed the engine block replaced if there is a crack. I traded a 2000 Dodge 1500 regular cab for this car in Late January. I traded even, Title for title.

The dealer has agreed to split 1/2) the bill for the repairs. I am on a fixed income (retired) and did not want or cannot afford any payments. I am hoping this will fix this HOT problem. Don't know what else it could be. The car was running hot with the A/C on and with it off. Checked the fault codes and found none showing.

I want to thank you for you time and expert advice.

Answer
Hi Norma,
Thanks for the update. I believe that repairing the gasket will do the job but I would hope that the dealer shop will assure that it is the only remaining explanation so that you don't later find the issue is with the block. The block is not just a 'part' of the engine, but basically the skeleton of the engine and you in effect have to take the engine entirely apart or replace it in its entirety which I don't believe will be cost effective. If that turns out to be the case then they should suffer the cost of having sold you an engine with a cracked block.
I also want to mention the idea of Bar's leak, and the other of first trying to loosen the head bolts and then retorque them to specified values just in case the gasket isn't torn but rather the head not pressing done tightly enough on the gasket to seal the seam between the block and the head. I have had luck on other engines when a small leak developed due to that loosened condition and it would avoid a lot of shop time if it worked.
Roland