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I have a 1991 Dodge shadow convertable. I bought it used and...

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Question by Gary Power
Submitted on 11/6/2003
Related FAQ: rec.autos.makers.chrysler FAQ, Part 1/6
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I have a 1991 Dodge shadow convertable. I bought it used and immediately noticed a fluctuating temperature gauge. I eventually replaced the radiator, water pump and thermostat in the course of trying to fix it. The engine developed a bad miss, and eventually blew the head gasket. I then replaced the engine on the recommendation of my mechanics. The temperature guage continued to fluctuate and they cleaned the heater tubes which (going into summer heat) seemed to temporarily solve the problem. Now that the cool weather is back, the temperature gauge is fluctuating badly again. Coolant seems ok, not muddy, and I'm getting good heat from the heater, but as soon as the temperature outside drops, up goes my temperature gauge no matter what I do. Any ideas? Thanks much!

Answer by Jon
Submitted on 3/11/2004
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Hello Dodge Shadow friends, Do you know how I can check the actual temperature of the engine with a method other than the temp gage on the dashboard? I have a similar problem to many of you but my Shadow simply runs hot, very close to overheating, unless I am on the highway with the heat on full blast. I've replaced the head gasket and head (it cracked), the water pump, thermostat twice, radiator cap, cooling fan switch, cooling fan relay, and I back-flushed the system. Back-flushing helped some but it's still running hot and I fear blowing the brand new head. It sounds like the dash gage itself might be faulty so I'm hoping to bypass it somehow with an external gage of some sort which I might plug into the spot where the temp gage is on the engine. Know anything about that? As for convertible top leakage, on a previous car I was able to fix the water leaking around the windows by using clear silicone marine glue to attach strips of bicycle inner-tube on the outside edge of those rubber strips, hanging slightly over the window, to stop the leakage. The ends of the strip are most critical to cover sufficiently. Also, if anyone has a fogged back window I bought a $24 replacement clear plastic sheet from Tap Plastics in San Francisco and sewed it on myself. Then I glued where I'd sewed with marine glue and it works great. One trick for that is to sew the new plastic on BEFORE you cut out the old window, and with the convertible top open a few inches, so the tautness will be correct on the new window. Thanks!

Answer by dvsrma
Submitted on 4/4/2004
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Hey all you folks with the unsteady temp needle! I'm on my fourth shadow (mostly for my daughters). I just donated one with 205000 miles on it, and have to say most of these cars do this, especially once you tear them apart.Dave's Shadow above me here is correct. A pocket of air develops when you refill the coolant system. The bleeder valve that Dave's Shadow message above may be impossible to get out. I have yet to get one out. My solution is to buy a long thin funnel like for trans oil changes (one piece funnel) stick it in the radiator with a rag or towel wrapped around the neck. It will leak some but this method helps. Anyway start it up and let the motor run for at least a half hour or more. You will notice that the level of the coolant will rise higher than the radiator level in the funnel. Then all of a sudden it will "burp" and the coolant will go back down. You will have to add some because of the leak around the funnel depending how good of a seal you can make. The needle may still move around but shouldn't go way over to hot. I also noticed these motors run hotter in colder weather and cooler in warmer weather. Go figure, but it is a pattern. I am talking four cylinder engines here, I've had no experience with the sixes. Great transportation for the dollar. Good luck folks.....DS

Answer by Mike
Submitted on 4/12/2004
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I have a 1988 shadow with 175000 miles on it. The body is ugly b/c the paint is chipping off in huge flakes, revealing white primer coat. Anyways, my temp. gague goes up and down alot, and i have just ignored it for the last 16 years, and havent had a problem with it overheating. I have had to replace the alternator, head gasket. Other than that it's a great car. It just keeps on running. One day i parked it along a concrete wall, and left it for the day. I came back, and an 18 wheeler had backed into it, completely crunching it like a tin can. That night i actually drove it away from the accident. Since then it has been through numerous accidents while my realitives have been driving it. It just keeps on going and i love it. I have no intention of getting rid of it. They just dont make things like they used to anymore. For all you Dodge Shadow owners, hold onto your Shadows, dont let a great car go to waste.

Answer by el mecha
Submitted on 7/16/2004
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For gauge problems, overheating, or no hot air, First flush it if you dont remember doing it the last 12 months(do it real good, I mean backflush with water presure, buy the kit to flush that can be hooked to your garden hose, also buy the Radiator-flush liquid, at any Autozone, both for less than $15. If problem persists. then check or change termostate(make sure is the right one OEM specification), then check or change temperature sensor gauge(carefull, some cars have 2 or 3 cooland sensors, 1 for the computer, and 1 specially for the gauge, you may find the one for the gauge, because when you disconect it the check engine ligh does not ligh up, but if you disconect the one to the computer, it will ligh up righ away) If problem persists, for those no hot air, disasemble the heater core, vacum it if you can and clean any debris or leaves inside. Problem persist, run you car with the radiator cap open, once it starts leaking leave leaking for about 30 seconds then close the cap, ride it for about 15 minutes, the fill the reservoir coland tank as needed. If problem persists, check or change your radiator cap(change it if you dont know how to check) If problem persists, check that you have the correct Antifreze-Water mixture(should be aprox 50-50%), you can get a gauge to test this for about $5 at any autozone or alike. If problem persists, for those dancing gauges, then change the gauge at the instrument panel.

Answer by Currysteph
Submitted on 8/2/2004
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I cant even begin to tell you how much money ive put into my car trying to figure out why it overheats....Ive changed out thermostats, bypassed the fan switch so that it turns on when the car is running (instead of only when its hot) had a custom 3 core radiator made, had the tranny rebuilt, replaced the guage in the dash twice, check the temp with an external heat gun...checked the temp with an external monitoring computer, had the system flushed (as it had a new turbo engine put in)...and all to no avail. It still overheats and appears to be legit in overheating... I wish to God someone could tell me why it STILL overheats....My latest thoughts on the problem is that the bore on the cylinders are too much (.75mm over) and that the cylinder walls are too thin now....but who knows...OOPS here is my email...currysteph@aol.com....if anyone has an answer

Answer by adam
Submitted on 9/25/2004
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to all those experiencing heat and/or temp gauge fluctuations. what you are explaining and the "cures" all relate to air pockets in the cooling system. since their are numerous ways to create air pockets ,most advise is true but not applicable to all cars/problems. the two most common reasons for air pocket formation in this car line are: 1. head gasket failure and/or cracked heads. and 2. small holes in the heater core. purging the air is not a permanant fix for the problem its a short term fix that will last until more air is formed or introduced into the system. like all automotive problems there is almost never a "smoking gun" that applies to all vehicles or even particular models. when replacing any part of the cooling system or flushing you may be inadvertantly purging the air so it seems fixed for a short time. then the problem returns. the fans not working will also introduce air by turning coolant to steam. i'll give you a quick easy way that is somewhat effective for diferentiating between the two. if your gauge is fluctuating, remove the heater hoses from the core and join them together. you can buy a 5/8 barbed plastic union at most parts stores. next bleed all the air from the system and drive it for a couple days. if the gauge no longer fluctuates, its a good bet the heater core has a small hole in it. if you still can't find it ,look for a radiator shop that is ASE certified to help you. there are alot of knuckle draggers calling themselves mechanics out there. we are not all created equal. i hope this helped some ---adam ,ase certified master tech

Answer by REX
Submitted on 11/23/2004
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FRIENDS - HERE IS YOUR SOLUTION. I HAD A DODGE SHADOW WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS YOU ALL HAVE. 1. DO YOU NOTICE THAT THE LEVEL OF THE RADIATOR IS LOWER THAN THE ENGINE BLOCK. AS A RESULT YOU NEED TO BLEED THE COOLING WATER EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE THE COOLANT. THERE IS A SCREW ON TOP OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING. OPEN THE SCREW AND LET THE AIR COME OUT. 2. THE VALVE GASKET AND THE OIL PAN GASKET OF YOU CAR MAY BE LEAKING. WHEN THE OIL LEAKS, IT WILL GOES INTO THE FAN BELT THAT PREVENTS THE WATER PUMP FROM FUNCTIONING PROPERTY. THAT IS THE REASON WHY THE WATER CIRCULATION IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND THE HOT WATER CANNOT GO INTO THE HEATER COIL. REPLACE THE GASKETS WILL CORRECT YOUR PROBLEM. THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE AND I SHARE IT WITH YOU FOLKS.

Answer by car wizard
Submitted on 12/6/2004
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Most of these 4 cylinders have a leaking head gasket that will go on forever without totally blowing - so air gets in the cooling system in the form of a bubble before the thermostate or in or just before the heater core. Like the other guys said, an air pocket will also develop after the system has been disassembled. On my 2.5 the short hose (about 8- 10 inches) from the intake manifold to the heater core is made too long and has a kinks in the bends which make it higher than the heater core tubes!! IT TRAPS AIR!! Remove air box assy. Soften the hoses with a heat gun as to remove them from the heater core tubes without bending the fragile tubes. Flush the heater core all by itself- a cut section of garden hose fits right on. Flush it backwards - NOT FULL PRESSURE!! Examine what comes out! "T" flush kits will flush the engine and radiator backwards but not the heater core! Cut 1 inch off the short twisted hose on the intake manifold side- this will eliminate the high spot which traps air. Attatch to manifold outlet. Then atatch 1 foot of hose with funnel on end to the heater core. Fill funnel with cooant and watch water come out of core till its all green. Fill funnel again and at the same time connect short hose from manifold to heater core. Its messy but this removes the air from the core. Jack up front of car or park up hill, loosen air bleed with impact wrench (carefull!) by thermostat (10mm hex-allen screw), fill radiator with funnel till coolant comes out of bleed screw. Close screw, start car, keep adding coolant till done burping (guage will stop fluctuating). I bled air this way for an hour almost. The fan comes on at the half way point and I run a cool stat (180), heat still works in Minnesota. To check fan motor, start car, disconect connection at temp switch by thermostat- fan should turn on- I did this in aparking lot to cool the engine before I finally bled out all the air out. If the gage still fluctuates then air was not the problem. If you keep getting air in and have internal coolant loss , well its head gasket time (again?). I'm an engineer, and I'll tell you this coolant system has design flaws!! Hope this helps.

Answer by Chucky
Submitted on 1/10/2005
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Guys - the common problem with all 2.2 and 2.5 engines is the head gasket. The block is iron and the head is aluminum. There is nothing seriously wrong with the engine other than the pressure in the cylinders pushes air into the system. This is the reason for why there is no circulation. Because the thermostat is on a 90% angle, the temp of the water does not hit the sensor on the thermostat. I have driven my car for 300k and still going strong with that problem. The best fix for it that can temporally fix the problem is a: put in a fail safe thermo - this will let the engine run cooler in the summer and winter. Cooler in the winter means that it takes longer to heat up. b: Put in a fan switch bypass - somehow it solves the problem. I did a: because it is easier. P.S. in the colder months watch your water level in the rad - because it is colder outside the shrinkage of the metal between the block and head, rad fluid is either burnt in the cylinders or pushed into the coolant reservoir. Trust me this problem is not serious - these engines last forever it is just one flaw.

Answer by Hilary Paprocki
Submitted on 2/20/2005
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I suspect that the problem is much more nebulous than some of the respondents appreciate. Mine's been overheating through three thermostats and a flush and burp done by a place that I trust. But here's the joker: When the engine is overheating the heater blows cold. If the problem clicks off and the gauge falls, the heater starts working. If the gauge pins again the heater starts blowing cold again. So the problem is clearly intermittent coolant flow and not fans or leaves. There could be air in the system because the expansion jug is not big enough to hold enough to keep the tube submerged--when it works it gets emptied out and the tube is in air. It could be the water pump. I've seen where the pulley spins and the impeller doesn't. I'd like to hear from somebody who has actually fixed this, which it doesn't look like has happened yet.

Answer by 1990sundance
Submitted on 3/31/2005
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Hey I have a 1990 plymouth sundance with 293 000km on it. I have the same problem with the over heating for no reason. Basically, the car has always ran hot (1/2 to 3/4) but then suddenly it wazs going all the way to hot. took it in to mechanic, they replaced the thermostat, twice. it worked ok for a few weeks, fan comming on and all that. now it seems to go up up up when idle (didnt get to hot yet becuase its been cold here recently, but its almost there) but as soon as i put a bit of power on it and get it moving, the temp sensor dips all the way down to cool. So when idle temp goes up up but then as soon as air starts flowing passed the rad it goes down to C. I have talked to several people and will try replacing the thermostat again. what im thinking is that it is getting stuck wide open and the fan isnt comming. clearly the solution is to just keep the car moving, but someone mentioned that if the temp isnt more or less constant (as in not fluctuating wildly) its bad for the engine. im going to try one of these fail safe thermostats from canadaian tire. my feeling is that it has to be some kind of funky sensor. also my battery indicator is now closer to the 18 than its ever been before. anyways thats my 2 cents

Answer by fulltime mech/service writer
Submitted on 4/3/2005
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Hey, if you're car is overheating, past the 3/4 mark; get it checked out! Don't keep running it or you'll be putting in a head gasket like a lot of the people on this board. It will save you a lot of money to fix it when it is a small problem; instead of guessing until it is a BIG problem. As for manually chacking the temp, they have infrared thermometers for that (about $100). You can use a regular cooking thermometer right on the thermostat housing if you don't believe your gauge. Be careful, there are lots of moving parts (fan can start anytime, even with engine off), and it is hot enough to burn skin off of your body! In most cases the gauge is right (if not perfectly accurate, close). There is the odd bad connection or bad sender, but very rarely. Air is the leading cause of the symptoms described here, as a couple of posters have detailed. If the fan is not working---damage to your engine will be not far along!! Get it fixed immediately! As for the trans. funnel guy, hey--they make a funnel for that, with a connector for a radiator neck (just like a cap) and a rubber seal so you don't burn yourself with 200+ degree coolant!!! Don't do that! They also supply you with a "stick" that you can plug the funnel with when you are about to remove it after bleeding the air from the system. This whole setup is $20 or so, available at most any parts store that sells tools, and includes numerous adaptors for different size radiator filler necks. If your buddy says just put in a thermostat, and the next thing you know you're putting in a head gasket, now you know why so many of us are employed. There are trained professionals, and then there are people guessing from hearsay on a bulletin board, and what their "friend that knows a lot about cars" told them. Find a shop with some experienced techs., who are ASE certified or at least have significant experience, and get it repaired properly.

Answer by Bluewing2000
Submitted on 1/15/2006
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I have a 91 dodge shadow with the 2.5 turbo convertable. yes they leak in high pressure washers..lol http://www.1aauto.com/1A/ConvertibleTops/Dodge/Shadow Great site to get NEW tops for your car and carpet/rads and other stuff. I LOVE my shadow. Great comment to MIKE thats says shadows are great and don't get rid of them.. You rock. I have that temp problem also, but mine never goes above the third notch on the gauge. I work at a shop and we use the cooling flushing system, it exchanges coolant while engine is running. It worked great and i still get a little flux in the gauge but not that much. If you still have problems, get a high performace cooling radiator. Its cheaper than a head gasket Email me anytime if people have questions. I have torn my shadow down to the bones a couple of times. Only problem i need help in, does anyone have the 2.5 turbo motor?? What does your Boost gauge say on full throttle. Mines acting funny. My email is bluewing2000@hotmail.com

Answer by Jack
Submitted on 10/18/2006
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hi my radiator looks like it's leaking coolant and i've been getting this white smoke lately today when i stop at a red light. The needle was 3/4 of the way to H and usually thats the NORMAL. And then when i got home tonight, the needle went all the way to H. Soon after i turned off my engine i see the white smoke again. I opened up my hood and saw that there was no coolant left in the reservoir so i added some. Then i turned my engine on again for 5 min and then i turned it off. Again there was white smoke. Is my radiator done for? Cuz i saw some leaking again. Also my gas needle fluctuates all the time. I fill it up to full and then i drive for a mile and the needle goes to 1/8 and then goes back to full. how do i fix this problem? My final complaint is the water coming in from the windshield. Any response to my complaints would be great! my email is jn2k108@yahoo.com. THANK YOU for reading.

Answer by Czarina
Submitted on 1/24/2007
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Hey everyone .. just wanted to let you know that my Dodge Shadow has 300,000 ORIGINAL miles with the trany replaced finally @ 275,000 .. DO NOT JUNK YOUR CAR if it is only over heating, as it is a very common problem and can be fixed in the following manner ... check Thermostat, replace with NEW one, check to make sure your Radiator Fan's motor is NOT binding up, this means that sometimes it can appear to work and sometimes it won't .. so it needs to be tested @ a garage to make sure you aren't just missing it ... next, check the water pump, as even a small leak can cause seemingly major problems, I just bought a 93 convertible and it too has the same water pump issue ... and finally DO NOT fill your car's coolant reserve w/ WATER ever, as it can freeze in the winter and cause hairline cracks in the hoses, which in turn would allow air to get in .... and finally, as with my car, it tends to start to overheat when idling for awhile, however turning the heat on seems to help greatly and usually fixes the problem for the day ... if you can look past this common problem and take car of your car it will last you forever as mine as has and it is still running ...

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Answer by kristofferjarvis@hotmail.com
Submitted on 12/3/2003
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I have the same car , and i had the same problem , but mine was fixed by replaceing the thermostat,, then a year later it did it again and i cleaned the heater hoses , that has worked and i have had no problems since ,, maybe the thermostat you have was bad when you put it in.now a question for you , do you have any idea where i can get the rubber moldings that go on the door windows and small side windows to keep the rain and wind out ,, i just recentlly put a new top on myself but havent been able to find any molding parts . if you know , please e mail me ,,, thank you much ,, kristofferjarvis@hotmail.com

Answer by anthony
Submitted on 12/9/2003
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i have an acclaim which is very similar and my gauge in side goes up to overheat the 1st 12 or so miles i drive it and then it goes back down, someone told me that is called your thermastat opening up and isnt a bad thing - take that for what its worth

Answer by coolgaooc
Submitted on 12/16/2003
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I have the same car. But my hearter is doing just go. But I need to find tail light for it. If you konw here let me konw.

Answer by ROB
Submitted on 1/3/2004
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My 1990 Dodge Shadow Does the same thing as the other guy. The guage goes up then down after a couple of miles. Ive been like this for months and Its been fine.

Answer by Roger
Submitted on 1/14/2004
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the temprature sender might be bad, it a little thing but can make a difference

Answer by morehousejeff
Submitted on 1/22/2004
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I have a 1990 Plymouth Sundance and my temperature gauge fluctuates as well and every other Shadow/Sundance I have seen. Its a very common problem but I don't know what causes it. My heater does not work either, it just blows cold air. I have changed the thermostat, put a new head gasket in it, flushed the heatercore and still no heat. Do anyone have any ideas? Could my heatercore be junk? Jeff

Answer by n_chanter
Submitted on 1/24/2004
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I had a similar problem, I had my mechanic take a look at it and the cooling system was working fine..ie the engine was warming up and the fan would kick in and cool the engine back down. Originally the guage was just reading hot after about a year to gauge needle would move inveresly to the engines RPM's when I stepped on the gas the neddle would move towards the cold. I went the cheap-o way and pulled a new gauge from a shadow in the junkyard, it took me 2 tries, however the temp guage now reads correctly.

Answer by Surfhip@aol.com
Submitted on 1/26/2004
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I also have the same problem on my 1990 Dodge Shadow 2.5 liter.I replaced the temp. sending unit,Radiator,Thermostat,temperature coolant sensor,and radiator cap.Still the needle jumps up and down.The car runs fine. My next step is to check/replace the temp guage in the instrument cluster.Hopefully this works, Its been bad for like 9 months.Oh also my heater doesn't work. And recommendations on the problem. I checked all fuses,The blower works, but no hot air at all.E-mail me if anyone can help

Answer by marty999
Submitted on 2/6/2004
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Mine is a shadow '94 2.5L and does the same thing since the new year. Replaced the thermostat and it was ok for a couple weeks but then it started doing it again. But when you say guys that the temperature needle goes up for the first few miles and then goes down to normal, do you mean that it goes to the max temperature? this is what happen for me. After a few miles, everything come back to normal. I changed the head gasket last weekend and nothing changed.

Answer by Jerry
Submitted on 2/11/2004
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I love the dodge shadow, I bought mine for 500 dollars and have had no problems with it, I had to replace an alternator but that was my fault cause i put way to big of a stereo in it. But the only thing i dont like about it is the leaky top at the tops of the windows. An all around good car

Answer by Thump215
Submitted on 2/24/2004
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My shadow did exactaly the same thing to the T anyway I replaced the gauge in the dash and problem solved!!! hope that helps

Answer by surfhip@aol.com
Submitted on 2/25/2004
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If anyone wants to chat about the dodge shadow car about anything e-mail me at surfhip@aol.com, I back flushed the heater core and it fixed the problem of not having heat and the temp guage stopped jumping from hot to cold, For two weeks everything seemed fine but know the guage fluctuates to hot for a while then back to cold. I noticed that when I'm on the freeway it stays at the normal temp. When I come to a stop it starts to go up to hot,Sometime all the way to the "H". I check the fan and it seems to be working fine,I also replace the coolant temp sensor, any ideas anyone??

Answer by blasterboy82
Submitted on 3/8/2004
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Answer for surfhip, Had the same problem in my 93 duster. Turned out to be a bad electric fan motor AND a bad radiator. Fixed both, problem went away.

Answer by mike
Submitted on 3/9/2004
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I had the same problems. Replaced the radiator + fan, all hoses, thermostat (twice), and finally the send unit. Problem got better, but had to blead air out repeatedly to cure problem.

Answer by scott
Submitted on 3/10/2004
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I have a 91 dodge shadow convertable and the only problem I have with it is that it leaks around the top of the windows and drives me nuts trying to find the molding, anyone have an outlet for this. I did find a body shop that could order them but they were 106.00 for each side.

Answer by Brian
Submitted on 5/14/2004
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HEY WHATS UP I'M THINKING OF BUYING A DODGE SHADOW WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT? IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP ME I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANKS

Answer by stan
Submitted on 3/10/2004
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I have a 93 shadow with same problem of gage going up and down and heater not working at high range. My mechanic says it's getting air in and blocking coolant. It finally went to Highest tonight and I stopped and let it cool down. I'm afraid it will blow. Do I junk it? Help.

Answer by stan
Submitted on 3/12/2004
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Mike or blasterboy82 , Are your Shadows still doing good, maybe a new gage or radiator is what I need. My mechanic doesn't think so. I never see the fan go on it should if it hits H shouldn't it. He said something about air getting in and blocking my coolant there for the flutations in the needle but now it goes to H within 5 miles. Thanks

Answer by Jon
Submitted on 3/13/2004
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Answer for STAN Hey Stan, I had the exact problem and was told to replace the "cooling fan switch" which I did for about $22. Didn't fix the problem so I fixed the "coolant fan switch relay" (just above the left front wheel well under the hood) for about $44. The fan does go on now when the temp needle is about half way from the middle of the gage and the top H. Then the car immediately cools down to within the two middle markers on the gage. But, when I'm on the highway sometimes it creeps up to the high side and does NOT come down for many miles of driving. At those times the fan should be irrelevant anyway. Any ideas???

Answer by John
Submitted on 3/15/2004
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Re: 1991 Shadow Convt. window molding; I went to vendors of the moldings, (you can match channel and configuratrion online @ manfacturers sites). Remove the molding yourself, and purchase it by the foot. Keep in mind that dealers themselves purchase these type of OEM/replacement parts from the same vendors, and overcharge!

Answer by robin
Submitted on 3/17/2004
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i had the same problem and it turned out to be the heater core was blocked with leaves.

Answer by Mike
Submitted on 3/19/2004
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Stan: My bet is the water pump. What does it do if you let it sit idle for a long period of time? Or better yet, what does it do when in Neutral (parking brake on), and you keep it rev'dat 3000+ rpm. John: System is still running ok... And for the rest of you who think you have it bad, I am not having the same type of problem in a '96 Saturn!

Answer by Dave's Shadow
Submitted on 3/31/2004
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I have a 91-Shadow convertible that runs great and has 67,000 thousand mile.Most heating problems start when you drain your coolant to change,a water pump or thermostat, after you refeel with coolant you must bleed the air from the block at the thermostat neck yoke.There's a torx screw on top and when you loosen it air will escape from the block - trapped air around the thermostat will cause the heating problem.

Answer by heybroomdude@cs.com
Submitted on 4/9/2004
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I have a 92 shadow convertable ES 3.0 hit hard in the nose many good parts email me!

Answer by Chuck
Submitted on 4/13/2004
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I have a 91 shadow conv. and the reason the needle on the thermostat starts at cold and moves to about the middle and then jumps back to cold is because when the engine starts the fan doesn't come on. the fan only comes on when your engine starts to get hot. it comes on, cools the engine down, and then goes off until needed again

Answer by Jay
Submitted on 4/23/2004
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I just bought a 93 Dodge showdow ES the V6 one. The only problem i seem to have is the gauge (tenp) will Fluctuate from c to the 2nd middle line about 70% to hot and then it drops back down. its not anything thats bothersome at the moment. and i need to get the head gasket replaced. other wise its a great car. Any ideas on how much the head gasket might be. or is it cheaper and eaiser to do it yourself? thanks

Answer by John
Submitted on 4/28/2004
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I have a 91 Shadow 2.2 and run it in all types of weather conditions here in Canada, anywhere from -35 C to + 30 C. My temperature guage used to fluctuate, until I found a bad connection in the fan connecting wires. You should keep the cooling system flushed and run clean coolant, the block cooling ports have been known to plug up. Also after changing the coolant temp sensor, the engine quit running odd at different temps. She runs fine now and operates at 1/4 temp on the gage in all weather conditions and pumps out plenty of heat.

Answer by lara
Submitted on 5/21/2004
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Hi, I saw your info regarding the Dodge Shadow, I have a similar problem, but the vehicle really is overheating, radiator is fine, thermostat is fine, someone said that it might be the sensor that turns the fan on to cool the engine...I never hear the fan come on, even when it is in the "H" Have you ever heard of anything like that???.. I love the car but I cant get very far down the road before it starts overheating... Or could it be a combination of things, to include a faulty radiator cap?? I would appreciate any info... I'm a female and I really don't want to be railroaded into replacing something that doesn't need to be replaced...

Answer by BigBob
Submitted on 6/20/2004
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HELP: I have a 1991 Dodge Shadow Convertible bought new and presently has 63000 miles on the car. I need to find the trunk arm hinges(two on both sides) not the trunk struts. Arms on both sides the bolts has rusted and busted. Where can I find these pasts. I am desperate. You and e mail me at bbskid@jetnetinc.net and in subject mention shadow parts or I will think its span--Thanks in advance

Answer by EricE
Submitted on 7/9/2004
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I need HELP!! If anyone knows what to do please e-mail me at ej003@hotmail.com My electrical on my 1991-92 dodge shadow america is haywire.. i checked all the fuses then took a wire tester to the fuse box itself and some would work some wouldnt...if intrested in helping e-mail me. i can tell you more.

Answer by cammye1
Submitted on 8/10/2004
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I have a 91 dodge shadow convertible and have expierenced most of the above problems, i am on my second head gasket in 2 yrs. I had no heat in it last winter, had a friend change the heater core, wow what a mistake, apparently he forgot to burp the heater hose, and thus I have to change the head gasket. I think we should compile all the different letters from this site and send it to chrysler and ask there engineers "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING COMBINING ALUIMINUM WITH CAST IRON?" these cars should be recalled and fixed at there expense. I love my little shadow, my son painted it a special color just for me. you can contact me via email:cammye1@yahoo.com

Answer by Robert
Submitted on 8/16/2004
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where exactly is the heater fan relay, I mean exactly?...... thanks

Answer by jtinsunfl
Submitted on 9/3/2004
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I have a 90 Shadow Convertible. Where can I get new molding for my windows, and between my convertible top and windows? jtinsunfl@yahoo.com

Answer by herman littleton
Submitted on 10/23/2004
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i have a 91 dodge shadow an i had up an down gage what i did was pull both heater hoses from heater core took a water hose an ran it in the top of radiator until water came from heater hose that was disconnected from heater core an them i took water hose an flush heater core completily untill water flows out other side for about 20 minutes an put all hoses back on now guage sit straight down idiling with air on as long as iwon,t

Answer by mikey
Submitted on 11/6/2004
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WHEN YOU GUYS CHANGED ALL THE COOLING SYSTEM COMPONETS, DID YOU PURGE THE COOLING SYSTEM? SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A AIR LOCK IN THE SYSTEM. THERE IS A PLUG USUALLY ON THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING TO DO THIS.

Answer by kjwhite
Submitted on 11/12/2004
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I have a 90 shadow and had to replace the head gasket, and fan sensor ( which is located in the thermostat housing). I need to find out where to route the vacuum lines from the carburetor to the MAP sensor, and the evaporator. Basically where do you run the vacuum lines from the Carburetor. Please e-mail me with any help. cntryby91@yahoo.com