Cheers! New member today!! Need HELP!! 2001 Chrysler Voyager OverHeating

[uvan]

Hello to everyone. Thanks for taking a look at my post. i need help. I just bought a used 01 Chrysler Voyager 3.3L V6. Here it is; I just bought it. Began to overheat. turned heat on full to get home. Drained coolant, flushed with garden hose, new thermastat, refill properly. started engine idled nicely, no over heat. let it run for an hour as I did other work, did not overheat. ran it with heat on through vents, cool air through vents, then AC on HIGH, all good. Turned it off to sit for an hour & then repeated process. all good no overheat. Later I get in to go to the store and within 3 blocks temp guage is all the way to HOT. Turn on heat to high, temp goes down. drive a few more blocks again all the way to HOT> this time no hot air comes out just cool air. turn on AC, does not cool down. turn engine off, sit for awhile repeat process, turn around to come home, no problems at all. Let it sit for awhile then go out again. Same issues. Scanned for any error codes, nothing. Erratic guage readings continue. can duplicate same problems as above. Idle's fine without any overheating issues, put it in drive again needle pegs to HOT. The radiator cap has not overflowed, but when I opened it up it was not completely filled, lot's of air but resorvoir is full. Could it be leaking out but then not refilling itself? Please don't tell me it's a cracked head gasket or head itself. I don't smell sweet exhaust or white smoke. I did see the expansion tank coolant bubble but it was while the engine was within normal temp. I must have blockage somewhere throughout the coolant system preventing good circulation, correct? SO, I'm thinking someone has put in some sort of block sealant as I see itty bitty pieces of copper floating in coolant. So, I'm draining the system again today to do a complete flush, but I can't find the vent plug on my 01 3.3 L V6 engine. Found the coolant temp guage which I will replace just to be safe but, Does my model have a vent plug? My haynes does not list one for my year. I want to make sure that I free up every little area's in the system before I put it all back together. Please help as I have kids to pick up from school, not to mention work today etc. I know this is a long post but I figure the more info I give the quicker & most accurate response I will get back. thanks again for your help.

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[uvan]

I BELIEVE I'VE GOT A BIGGER PROBLEM. I'VE GOT BUBBLES IN THE EXPANSION TANK ON MY 01 CHRYSLER VOYAGER AS WELL AS WHEN I REMOVE THE CAP TO THE RADIATOR, BUBBLES THERE TOO.

Having just bought it, I have two options. try to sell it, with full disclosure or repair it. I'm sure using the right manual it's a job I can do but is it worth it? How does one tell the difference between a cracked head or cracked head gasket? Now the copper sparkles in the coolant reminds me that the previous owner new it was a problem and tried to fix it that way.

Being on an extremely small income level I can't pay someone to fix it, can't pay to buy a replacement. Stuck.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. thank you.