not starting after overheating

We have a 1998 Dodge Stratus 2.4 DOHC. It overheated and was towed to our house by a nice lady with a tow strap and an SUV. We've replaced the thermostat and filled it with water but it won't start. It turns over but doesn't start. We found a melted knock sensor but we were told that would not keep it from starting. We got spark while holding a plug wire a little ways from a spark plug and turning the key to start the car.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

you need to do a compression test to check for engine damage. How hot did the engine get? Did the engine shut off by itself or did you turn it off? When it turns over does it sound normal?

 

When it first overheated, my son said it stalled and he rolled into a rest stop, thank God!
Then we let it cool down, filled it, started it up, then drove a ways before it started acting strangely and I shut it off.
We found a melted knock sensor which has been replaced and it still won't start. It turns over and sounds normal in that regard but won't fire up.
We are being told that the brain needs reset, or the air needs to be bled out of the radiator after changing the thermostat. Man alive, there are so many sensors on the thing and so much advice to try, I don't know where to begin.

 

Air in the system will not prevent it from running; whoever gave you that advice I would run from. Ditto the computer needing to be reset.

Take Wire twister's advice and check the compression. Pretty good chance you have a blown head gasket and a warped head for starters and if that's the case everything else is secondary. A melted knock sensor sounds like it was a good ways past hot enough to do damage plus it was run hot until it failed, as wire twister was probing about, not just a little warm and pulled over. I'm not optimistic.

BTW, on a professional note, tow-roping is a very good way to burn up an automatic transmission. The lady with the suv did you no favor. I'm hoping it was at least a short distance at low speed?

 

My advice.. and it has worked for me.. do a search with whatever search engine you like : ie: google.. MSN.. whatever..

look for " Dodge Stratus forums " <-- just like that in search..!!!

you will then find a group of people that know tha tcar inside and out.. !!!!

JMO for ya..

Rex

 

http://www.stratusphere.net/forums