Chrysler Repair: 4 cyl. 2.5L coolant leak after changing thermostat, coolant leak, radiator cap

Question
Hello,
I just recently got an 88 lebaron. I didn't have any problems with the car over heating until recently. The thermostat wasn't working so I changed it and the gasket. Could this be why my car won't hold coolant? I can't figure out why it is leaking as bad as it is. I literally put coolant in, and it seems to spill everywhere. I can't tell where it is leaking from. It could be just trailing down hoses and then dripping, but I am not sure. The radiator is brand new as well. The owner before installed it. Perhaps this is why it is leaking? The hoses all look in good shape. Now, when I turn it on, it says "low voltage" and "check gauge". Any ideas?

thanks

ashlee

Answer
Hi Ashlee,
You didn't tell me if you have a 2.2 or 2.5, turbo or non-turbo so let me know that if you have a follow up question. You are going to have to let the system drain off coolant until it stops dripping (maybe drain it out of the radiator completely, turning the drain plug 90 degrees to open the drain and collect the coolant in a pan for reuse), close the drain then start slowly adding water or coolant and watch carefully for the first sign of a leak and note its location. Fix that leak, and do the same thing again, adding fluid very slowly so that several leaks don't get going all at once. Also, before you begin this initial drain off process start the engine for a few seconds and while it is running place the heater temp adjuster on heat side of the slider, that way the path to the heater core will be open as well. Then shut off the engine.
Each leak will be at a different level in the system, so that way they won't all go at once and confuse you. I know of no unique location that would cause leaks "everywhere".
The thermostat is in the box housing between cylinders 3 and 4 and there is a hose and flange on the front and a filler plug on the top of the box. When you are refilling the system through the radiator cap opening make sure that you remove the top plug (use 8mm Allen head wrench) then when the water rises into the box keep adding water until it fills it to the top of the box, then put in the plug after lightly oiling its threads. In this manner you will make sure there is no air trapped in the box.  
Did you put the thermostat in so that the bellows part went into the box and the wire bracket side was in the flange?
And I would check the flange/gasket interface to make sure that is not the source of the leak. Either the flange or the box has an indent for the thermostat to fit into, I don't remember which, so make sure you put the edge of the thermostat in that indent, and then apply the gasket to the interface. If you didn't do that, then there will likely be a leak at the interface. The bolts are to be torqued to about 16 foot-pounds, but don't over due that so as not to break a bolt. You might want to get a tube of gasket cement and apply it lightly to both sides of the dried gasket, using the non-hardening type of gasket cement (form-a-gasket brand if available). I suspect if all you did was change the thermostat and now you have a leak that you didn't get the flange-thermostat-gasket interface in the correct order, or you have the thermostat reversed.
Roland