Thermostat on a 360 V8?

From : roy batty

Q: is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley .

Replies:

From : roy batty

you sir will receive a free omelette if i ever see you on the street! p thanks for the info at least now i know what to look forward to. transurgeon nobulltrans@mchsi.dotcom wrote its a pain in the ass you have to take the ac compressor loose to access the drivers side bolt as i recall from the last one i did and that was on a pick-up and a lot more acessable.......... is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley .

From : tony thomas

indeed a pain in the ass. pull the a/c back and alternator back and you still can bairly get to it. dont drop one of the bolts or it will become a permanent part of the engine somewhere. -- tony my boats at http//t.thomas.home.mchsi.com is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley .

From : transurgeon

its a pain in the ass you have to take the ac compressor loose to access the drivers side bolt as i recall from the last one i did and that was on a pick-up and a lot more acessable.......... is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley .

From : joe

its a minor pita but really no big deal at least on a dakota. the problem isnt so much getting the thermo out its getting the cover back in. the trick is to break off the little tab on the edge of the cover. i just used a vice grip to bend it slowly back and forth then it snapped right off with a real nice smooth break. a bit of filing and paint and you cant tell that its not stock. slips right in after that. the only thing i had to do with the a/c was to remove the little screw on the plate that held the lines in place that was right above where the thermostat was. didnt have to move the compressor itself at all. the whole job including filing down the housing and painting it took less than an hour. btw the 360 runs great with a 180-degree thermo. joe black 03 dakota 5.9 r/t cc calypso green 93 mustang 5.0 hatch with a few goodies roy batty tyrell@mac.com wrote in you sir will receive a free omelette if i ever see you on the street! p thanks for the info at least now i know what to look forward to. transurgeon nobulltrans@mchsi.dotcom wrote its a pain in the ass you have to take the ac compressor loose to access the drivers side bolt as i recall from the last one i did and that was on a pick-up and a lot more acessable.......... is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley .

From : tom lawrence

anyone ever done it does it suck did ones on both a 98 318 same deal in a 1500 pickup and just recently in a 00 durango 360. no i didnt have to remove the alternator a/c compressor or anything. remove the two bolts holding the housing then wiggle the housing and upper radiator hose free it will take a bit of doing but it can be done. remove the stat with a pair of needlenose pliers install a new stat but before re-installing the housing its much easier if you grind off the little tab on the one side. this tab makes it difficult to re-install and serves no purpose whatsoever. use a new gasket with a very thin coat of rtv on either side. total time - about 10 minutes. keep the omlette - i hate eggs .

From : joe

i didnt. i just let the runoff go into a catch pan when i removed the hose and thermo housing. did the switch put everything back together then filled it back up with water. i lost less than a quart during the switch. joe black 03 dakota 5.9 r/t cc calypso green 93 mustang 5.0 lx hatch with a few goodies jason purcell jepneonrtnospam@earthlink.net wrote in does one have to drain the coolant to change the thermostat j. its a minor pita but really no big deal at least on a dakota. the problem isnt so much getting the thermo out its getting the cover back in. the trick is to break off the little tab on the edge of the cover. i just used a vice grip to bend it slowly back and forth then it snapped right off with a real nice smooth break. a bit of filing and paint and you cant tell that its not stock. slips right in after that. the only thing i had to do with the a/c was to remove the little screw on the plate that held the lines in place that was right above where the thermostat was. didnt have to move the compressor itself at all. the whole job including filing down the housing and painting it took less than an hour. btw the 360 runs great with a 180-degree thermo. joe black 03 dakota 5.9 r/t cc calypso green 93 mustang 5.0 hatch with a few goodies roy batty tyrell@mac.com wrote in you sir will receive a free omelette if i ever see you on the street! p thanks for the info at least now i know what to look forward to. transurgeon nobulltrans@mchsi.dotcom wrote its a pain in the ass you have to take the ac compressor loose to access the drivers side bolt as i recall from the last one i did and that was on a pick-up and a lot more acessable.......... is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley .

From : redneck tookover hell

i didnt. i just let the runoff go into a catch pan when i removed the hose and thermo housing. did the switch put everything back together then filled it back up with water. i lost less than a quart during the switch. you have to understand da boner cant figure out how to knock out the metal tabs in his backing plates to adjust his rear brakes. hed have the top of the engine drowning in anti freeze a haz-mat team would have to be called to do the cleanup of the site politics the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich. .

From : joe brophy

i changed the one in my 360 durango which sounds like the same plumbing and it wasnt that bad. it is a bit cramped so you have to be careful. on sun 29 aug 2004 011752 gmt roy batty tyrell@mac.com wrote is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! joe brophy countrytech computer email pcfixr@spiretech.com .

From : jason purcell

does one have to drain the coolant to change the thermostat j. its a minor pita but really no big deal at least on a dakota. the problem isnt so much getting the thermo out its getting the cover back in. the trick is to break off the little tab on the edge of the cover. i just used a vice grip to bend it slowly back and forth then it snapped right off with a real nice smooth break. a bit of filing and paint and you cant tell that its not stock. slips right in after that. the only thing i had to do with the a/c was to remove the little screw on the plate that held the lines in place that was right above where the thermostat was. didnt have to move the compressor itself at all. the whole job including filing down the housing and painting it took less than an hour. btw the 360 runs great with a 180-degree thermo. joe black 03 dakota 5.9 r/t cc calypso green 93 mustang 5.0 hatch with a few goodies roy batty tyrell@mac.com wrote in you sir will receive a free omelette if i ever see you on the street! p thanks for the info at least now i know what to look forward to. transurgeon nobulltrans@mchsi.dotcom wrote its a pain in the ass you have to take the ac compressor loose to access the drivers side bolt as i recall from the last one i did and that was on a pick-up and a lot more acessable.......... is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley .

From : tbone

it would be a good idea or you may find it all over the top of the motor when you pull the upper hose and again when you remove the thermostat housing. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving does one have to drain the coolant to change the thermostat j. its a minor pita but really no big deal at least on a dakota. the problem isnt so much getting the thermo out its getting the cover back in. the trick is to break off the little tab on the edge of the cover. i just used a vice grip to bend it slowly back and forth then it snapped right off with a real nice smooth break. a bit of filing and paint and you cant tell that its not stock. slips right in after that. the only thing i had to do with the a/c was to remove the little screw on the plate that held the lines in place that was right above where the thermostat was. didnt have to move the compressor itself at all. the whole job including filing down the housing and painting it took less than an hour. btw the 360 runs great with a 180-degree thermo. joe black 03 dakota 5.9 r/t cc calypso green 93 mustang 5.0 hatch with a few goodies roy batty tyrell@mac.com wrote in you sir will receive a free omelette if i ever see you on the street! p thanks for the info at least now i know what to look forward to. transurgeon nobulltrans@mchsi.dotcom wrote its a pain in the ass you have to take the ac compressor loose to access the drivers side bolt as i recall from the last one i did and that was on a pick-up and a lot more acessable.......... is it a big deal to change out the thermostat for a 1999 ram van with the 360 v8 if the thermostat is located where the top coolant hose comes out of the engine it looks like it might be a bit tight with the alternator mount and the a/c compressor nearby. anyone ever done it does it suck whoever tells me an answer on this gets a free omelette! -- facts are a therapy of limited usefulness in cases of advanced delusion. -michael kinsley .

From : tom lawrence

does one have to drain the coolant to change the thermostat not all of it. however you should drain out about a quart from the petcock drain and squeeze as much out of the upper radiator hose before disconnecting it to minimize the amount of coolant that spills out of the hose when you remove it from the t-stat housing. youre going to make a bit of a mess no matter what you do so have something underneath the engine to catch the spillage. .