New thermostat for the Charger today

[nthach]

hope that some quality control was present wherever Dorman contracted it out.

I had to install a Chinese Dorman intake hose on a Ford last week, I have to say it was a nice piece - but I had a pie in face moment when I found out the OE Ford piece was cheaper with 1 week of downtime.

Supposedly the Dorman aluminum oil cooler/filter housing for the Pentastar is a nice piece as well. I’ll still be sketched out with a Dorman part that isn’t a fastener or a cosmetic piece.

 

[Lubener]

why would antifreeze degrade a rubber belt?

Won't degrade it but might make the belt noisy.

 

[nthach]

Won't degrade it but might make the belt noisy.

Belts have been made with neoprene(wetsuit material) or EPDM which Gates introduced in the 1990s - both materials should withstand ethylene glycol. EPDM is also used in hoses and spark plug wires. EPDM doesn’t withstand petroleum products though. Coolants have other chemicals in them - especially silicate or acids, which have a gritty or oily feel to them.

 

[KrisZ]

It’s a super easy job even on my transverse mounted minivan. I also spilled the coolant all over the belt, but hosed it off few minutes after, it’s been fine.
What’s also nice is that the thermostat can be removed from the housing, makes coolant flush that much easier and faster.

 

[wwillson]

Is that a bleed screw on the top of the housing?

It sure is

 

[dishdude]

It sure is

View attachment 147591

That's a well thought out, serviceable design.

 

[BAJA_05]

Simple is good!!!

 

[nthach]

That's a well thought out, serviceable design.

Honda did similar, a bleeder nipple near the T-stat and ECT sensor for the old B/D/F/H engines. It looks like a brake bleeder screw. Pop it open, fill the cooling system until you see coolant run out, run the engine with a spill-free funnel to bleed the rest of the system.

 

[Slick3914]

@wwilson. What brand of replacement thermostat did you use? I need to do the same on my Daughter’s 2016 Wrangler and there’s not an OEM thermostat to be found. Local choices are Dorman or Motorad or a Gates from Rock Auto.

 

[SHOZ]

Years back while it was getting other work done, my mechanic replaced the thermostat on my Grand Cherokee. IIRC, it has 2 thermostats? I think I remember him replacing 2 and thinking that was kind of weird.

I get heat in the winter insanely fast with it.

The Festivas I had, had a two stage thermostat Still could barely get any heat out of the little 1.3L. Looked something like this.

And I quit using Hyundai OE thermostats they tend to run 5F hot over what they are rated.

 

[wwillson]

@wwilson. What brand of replacement thermostat did you use? I need to do the same on my Daughter’s 2016 Wrangler and there’s not an OEM thermostat to be found. Local choices are Dorman or Motorad or a Gates from Rock Auto.

It was OEM, pretty sure I got it at Autozone.

 

[Lubener]

The price of Mopar thermostats will send you into sticker shock if it is indeed OEM.

 

[GMBoy]

Is there a good reason to replace the OEM crossover?

The fail. I did mine on the 3.6 JGC same time as thermostat and it was already weeping at the seam. I would keep an eye out on that. It is sort of like the oil cooler/filter assy - it's not if it fails but when.

I see so many coolant failures due to plastic parts. The worst offenders seen in my shop are the Range Rover/Jaguar 3.0SC followed buy the 1.4T in the cruze (and other models). I keep all the plastic parts for the 1.4 in stock as well as the coolant overflow hose, valve covers and intakes. I see 1-2 a month with coolant leaks or bad PCV.

 

[GMBoy]

I had to install a Chinese Dorman intake hose on a Ford last week, I have to say it was a nice piece - but I had a pie in face moment when I found out the OE Ford piece was cheaper with 1 week of downtime.

Supposedly the Dorman aluminum oil cooler/filter housing for the Pentastar is a nice piece as well. I’ll still be sketched out with a Dorman part that isn’t a fastener or a cosmetic piece.

That aluminum cooler is probably the only Dorman part I can recommend at the moment. BUT - do not use the seals that come with it as I had 2 that leaked down the road so I started using the Felpro gaskets instead of the provide Dorman gaskets and no issues since. The Dorman provided seals seem like they are just a tad thinner and don't compress as well as the Felpros.

 

[michaelluscher]

I believe Mahle is the OE manufacturer for Pentastar thermostats

This is good to keep in the pocket, because Mopar availability can be intermittent

 

[Slick3914]

I believe Mahle is the OE manufacturer for Pentastar thermostats

This is good to keep in the pocket, because Mopar availability can be intermittent

None are currently available near me, nor any online source that I can find. I ordered a Mahle from Amazon, but they sent me an OEM Mopar that is for the 3.6 in the minivans. I was happy when I got a Mopar part, but my hopes were dashed when I opened the bag.

 

[michaelluscher]

None are currently available near me, nor any online source that I can find. I ordered a Mahle from Amazon, but they sent me an OEM Mopar that is for the 3.6 in the minivans. I was happy when I got a Mopar part, but my hopes were dashed when I opened the bag.

Some Mahle parts have Behr stamped on them

Are they a subsidiary?

Anyone have experience with Calorstat/Vernet units?

 

[97prizm]

The Charger coolant has been running about 15-20°F cooler than normal for a few weeks and finally threw a P0128 code, which is "coolant did not reach operating temperature quickly enough". I put a new thermostat in today and the temp is right back up where it should be. I believe the OEM thermostat is 205°F. The original thermostat failed at about 65,000 miles.

This has to be the easiest thermostat to change in the history of the automotive world. From start to finish was 13 minutes. Amazing.

View attachment 147492
View attachment 147493
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Nice clean intake!
View attachment 147495

I had that happen with a brand new thermostat. The original one in my neon failed. The replacement wouldn't get up to temp.