Replacing the Water Jacket housing
 

You shouldn't need to touch the alternator. I didn't on my 02. See my previous post (#7 on pg 1 of this thread). Just to note, my repair to the internal surface of the housing using JBweld, is still holding strong. Only cost me about $6 for the glue.

my little experience with water outlet housing repair and replacement
 

One day i found my engine start heating more than usual and found water outlet leaking. Also i found it will cost me $400 in nearest service to replace it, just cause original part costs 170$ and work round $180 (they said they need to take of upper intake to reach water outlet by instruction). (San Carlos, Ca)
I`m using my bicycle to take work and decided to repair it manually first.
1) I spread it by cave between upper and bottom parts with JB Weld, and in 24 hours started my engine. All was good till it came hot - i found leak from other side.
2) So i took off water outlet from engine, using one tool with angled head to access one bolt - it was not as hard, and one most problem 4th bolt was unscrewed with usual 8mm key, but it took me round 5-10 minutes (wrench turns for very small angle, after this you need to rotate it and turn for another small angle, than to rotate it once again...). I was unable to split on too part my water outlet housing with knife - as was advised by RogerLawson. So i just glued it once again by edges - and put all back - just to find next day that JB Weld putted this way leaking again.
3) Replacement part was ordered from some shop in internet for 50$ with shipping (branded as "Dorman", the only one i found in internet, and there were no in Napa shop or other parts dealers) and it was delivered in 3 days. Also i bought "Water Pump and Thermostat RTV Silicone gasket", cleaned engine side from dirt, dried with some wet napkin and put thin layer of silicon on edges. Than i connected biggest pipe to water outlet, using silicon between it, put 2 bolts into housing and placed all together carefully on it`s place. Tiered all bolts and let it dried for night (actually i had no time to test it the same day) and next day no leaking or problems. 3 times or so i checked that coolant level is low and add coolant, and now it`s stable on the same level. I used some green (50/50) coolant, that should be compatible with standard chrysler coolant.

So total cost of part replacement was $50 for Water Outlet Housing (PART# 4792630AA) + $6 for Silicone + ~ $50 for instruments (i just moved in US and had nothing before) + $8 for Coolant.

I strongly advise use JB Weld only in way described by RogerLawson or just replace part, what ever works better for you. But just gluing by side doesn`t work.

nicnac
 

I have a 2004 Sebring and the water jacket/thermostat housing unit broke in two as well, the top piece just blew off. We put on JB weld but the thing crumbled to pieces as we tried to reassemble. Consequently, we jimmied it back together but I drove it, it got hot and strated spewing white smoke fromthe exhaust, under hood and inside the car. I am buying a new piece but feel like I might ha fried the cars engine to the point of no return. It starts and it will run but for how long. This car is my baby. Its got 173, 000mls. and all I have had to replace is the starter-no joke. I need/want it to be repaired and last another year or so at least 12,000 so I can pass it on to my teenager. Does anyone have any suggestions and what is the exact name of the part we are all refering to,part # 4792630AA? I Love my Sebring!!!

You mean this?

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1058926

Chrysler calls it a coolant outlet connector or coolant outlet manifold.

BTW, if you love that car so much, why are you driving it while hemorrhaging coolant?

blown
 

I would say that after that white smoke u probably have fried the engine. The head gasket has probably blown and thats why you saw white smoke.. it was the coolant getting into the cylinders. I am not the expert on the board thou so they might have a different opinion.

Hi: how does one drain the coolant todo a coolant change? I do not want to touch the bleeder valve, and the lower radiator hose clamp cannot be seen or reached. Any suggestions or tips? Also cannot see drain valve on radiator. What a car.
It is a 2006 Sebring 2.7 liter.
Thanks

There's a drain stopcock at the bottom right hand side of the radiator, but it's plastic and you'll need to be very careful with it. If you don't want to touch that then you'll have to attack the lower radiator hose from the underside.

I noticed the coolant outlet housing was leaking on my 2002 Sebring 2.7 engine. It was a slight leak, but I knew it would only get worse. I found a very good replacement through Auto Zone (online). It is a much better designed unit. It is necessary to remove the upper intake for the installation (which is not too difficult). The installation was simple once the intake was out of the way. Drain some of the coolant to prevent having it leak out when removing the coolant outlet housing (3 qts. is plenty). The cost of the outlet housing was considerably less than an OEM from Chrysler. I had it delivered for about $29 and it arrived in three days after placing the order. The replacement two-piece design seems to be a much better design. Time will tell, but I am confident it will last. I have 81,300 miles on the car.

It's not necessary to remove the intake manifold to replace the coolant outlet. Search the forums here for a how-to-do. The original part is also a two piece design, glued together. Dorman makes the replacement part sold by AutoZone and others. As the man says...time will tell if it's really better.

The housing I got through AutoZone was a TorqFlo from Compressor Works (CompressorWorks, Inc.). The improvement in design is that the upper portion of the housing is held in place by all four attaching bolts (not simply glued together). It has a seal between the two sections and it is recommended to apply RTV Permatex #22071 to that seal, which I did. The reason I believe it is necessary to remove the intake is the design makes the housing a bit larger and there is VERY little room to access the bolt under the intake.