Automotive Help

[Hot Rod Dave]

I'm not a car person, so bare with me on the lingo and whatnot.

My Dodge Derango apparently has a bad computer. When it gets to a certain temperature, it shutsdown for about 10-20 minutes, sometimes longer. We keep jugs of water in the car to help cool it down, but it doesn't help very much.

How would I fix this?

OK...Bare with me as well, Ill try to explain things as best I can.

1st off there are a couple questions. How do you know you have a bad computer? Are there any "check engine" lights on in the Dash? What year is it and what engine is in it?

Ill start with the easy stuff:
Keeping jugs of water in the truck to keep it cool tells me you are losing water somewhere. That needs to be figured out first! Could have anything from a leaky water pump, radiator, thermostat etc. ANy half ass repair shop should be able to tell you whats wrong there.
ALSO: Putting straight water in the engine does 2 things....It creates rust inside the engine that could eventually cause a clog that will give you trouble AND, water will just evaporate of small periods of time making you have to put more water in it. What it needs is anit freeze. BUT you wanna figure out what is leaking first BEFORE you go buying antifreeze to the tune of about $8.00 a gallon........

OK now the tricky stuff:
Im curious to know what makes you think you need a computer. To give you a short breakdown, the computer is the brain of your engine, it sends ELECTRONIC signals to the several sensors that you have on the engine and tell them what to do. if you do indeed have a computer problem you would have "check engine" lights on, the truck would run like shit (if run at all!!). But it wont cause your engine to LOSE WATER!! The only thing COOLANT related the computer controls is whats known as a "coolant temperature sensor". Basiclly the sensor tells the computer what temperature the engine is, in turn the computer will tell all the other sensors to adjust accordingly so that they can all work together.

So unless you got 2 different problems....they are NOT related to each other!

Now....On some of the late model chryslers....They have whats known as a "low coolant level" sensor. If that sensor is triggered, it will throw the check engine light on indcating to you that there is a problem. (the "check engine" light I think looks like a little engine picture of an engine, i cant remember atm) that little light DOESNT mean you have a bad computer, its just a signal to you that something is wrong and you need to get it checked!!

I hope I made some sense. If not just feel free to hit me up with what you dont understand! Always glad to help!!

TO ALL THOSE THAT READ THIS POST: Chrysler, plymouth, dodge, jeep....are kind pieces of shit. If youre in the market to buy one, ask me and I can tell what is good and what has issues. Keep in mind ANY car that is well maintained and taken care of will last a long time. But some manufacturer's are worse than others.

HRD

 

[DeathInMyEyes]

As far as I know, the car doesn't have a leak of any kind.

And a mechanic-friend of my Mom's, apparently, told her that the computer was bad. But I've always thought that sounded rather... bullshitty.

The car isn't losing any water from what I can tell, it just shuts down when it gets to be too hot. We keep the jugs of water to help cool it down, so that we aren't stranded forever. But if it that's a bad thing, we should probably stop.

Also, there are no check engine lights. At least, I've yet to see one.

As for the year, I have no clue. I'll have to ask and get back to you.

And HRD, man, thanks so much. This car has been giving my family trouble for a while now.

 

[Hot Rod Dave]

Well coolant just doesnt disappear. It leaks out somewhere. Putting straight water back in it, youll get the "evaporating" effect, which at the very least would explain where SOME water is going. But it would take a while for the evaporating to take place to where the coolant level was low enough to overheat. Like if your putting water in it everyday, hell every week for that matter. Thats still not quite fast enough to evaporate to make a difference.

An engine runs at about 210 degress. when you start breaking that plane, ur car "overheats". After constant over heating and cooling down (rinse lather repeat) the engine doesnt like that. You run the risk of blowing head gaskets (which can be a very costly repair) or worse yet, cracking cylinder heads and engine blocks. Its gonna be really important that you get this "missing coolant" thing figured out really quick! Or you could potentially damage the engine. Making a couple hundred dollar repair into a couple thousand dollar repair.

The whole computer being bad thing, I dont buy. I have been dicking around with cars since I was 8 years old (20+ years). Ive had to replace only very few computers. I guess that Ive worked on literally thousands of cars, and I can count on 2 hands how many times a computer was actually bad. If you ahve no "check engine" lights on then either your computer is fine an detects NO issues or the light bulb for the gauge is burnt out. When you first stick in the key and turn it, the little check engine light should come on for a few seconds. That will tell you if the bulb is burnt or not. I dont personally think there is anything wrong computer wise. But the constant running hot of the engine is pretty important to figure out ASAP!! You dont want to damage the engine any further than you have.

The coolant has to be going somewhere. So you notice white steam coming out the exhaust pipes, any drips or puddles on the ground? anything like that? Something you personally can do........... When the engine is completly cool. Pop the hood and squeze the top radiator hose. You should be able to feel no pressure and be able to squeeze it with ease. When the engine is completly warmed up, the upper and lower radiator hoses should be pretty stiff. As in if you try to squeeze them, you wont be able to. You can try warming up the engine, popping the hood, and grad the top radiator hose. Careful cause it will be hot. You should feel some kind of pressure. Compared to when you squeezed it when it was cold, you should feel a dramatic difference.

If not.....then there is a problem. A coolant system (which consists of radiator, hoses, water pump, heater hoses thermostat, etc) is a sealed system. And your typical chrysler holds about 15 to 18 pounds of pressure (you can check the top of the radiator cap and see what pressure it runs at.) If you do not feel any pressure then it is escaping somewhere. It may very well not be obvious as in you may not be able to see it from the outside. ALSO.....pull the engine oil dipstick, if the oil looks like a chocolate milkshake, then you have blown a head gasket and needs to be fixed right away.

Chysler engines are pieces of shit. They crack heads (which I wouldnt be suprised to see) and drop valve seats when things get over heated. A dodge durango depending on what year has either a 5.9 or a 4.7 v8. Both engines are garbage, they actually keep me in business so I hope they continue to make these pieces of shit!! Get this thing nipped in the bud ASAP, it could be the difference between an easy fix or a costly one!!

And DIME....ur welcome. If your parents have any questions or comments or anything, tell them to hit me up as well. I dont mind. They can even call me if they want. Ill PM you the number if they do. Its what I do for a living. Granted they may not take me seriously cause after all Im a mechanic/machinst that is on a video game web site. But Id love to help If I can

HRD

 

[DeathInMyEyes]

Okay, I talked to my mom just a little while ago.

There IS a check engine light. But it only lights up when the car is about to shut down.

I don't remember what all she said, but she said something about it passing the ISC test or whatever. She's apparently been studying her ass off.

 

[Hot Rod Dave]

Okay, I talked to my mom just a little while ago.

There IS a check engine light. But it only lights up when the car is about to shut down.

I don't remember what all she said, but she said something about it passing the ISC test or whatever. She's apparently been studying her ass off.

Damn....cool, mom seems to be on it. Not sure what she means by a ISC test. But Im still not convinced that the whole computer is bad. Like I was saying before, If the computer was not good, the truck would run like shit, if run at all!! AND the check engine light would be on at all times.

The reason it shuts down is cause there is a sensor that detects when the engine is getting to hot. And when that happens it will shut the engine off completly! Having the light come on right when that is supposed to happen is normal. That IS what its supposed to do. Doesnt mean the computer is bad.

Regardless....the over heating should be the main concern ATM. I would almost bet money that is you figure out what is causing the overheating (leaks somewhere I promise) that the computer thing will take care of itself! Ask mom if the computer thing and the adding water thing came on at the same time or not. Ill bet they did!!

I prolly shouldnt suggest this at this point but....There is a way to reset your computer. Take the NEGATIVE battery terminal off the battery and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Now when I say 5 minutes, I mean 5 minutes, not a few minutes, not a minute. five fuckin MINUTES!! I dont think that will change anything, but something to fuck around with.

So Im assuming that when the engine shuts down, you pop the radiator cap off and the water is low and you have to fill it up....yes? If thats the case, then the computer is doing its job. The computer isnt bad!!

HRD