My thermostat housing is leaking. I parked the truck and did not drive it for several days. We had so much rain I did not notice any fluid on the driveway. I drove it yesterday and it overheated.

It did not damage the engine, I want to replace the thermostat but I cannot find any info on a thermostat gasket. Do I need one.

 

Yes. All the auto part stores have them and they cost about 2 bucks. I used this blue Felpro gasket. I also used Napa premium thermostat for about 8 bucks. When you install, look carefully at the little tab on the gasket (see bottom of pic above). It goes on a particular way. Oh, and the spring end of the thermostat points to the engine block, in case you forget.


The 4.7 thermostat is a pain to remove. I happened to have the radiator shroud/coolant overflow bottle off and it was real easy to pull from up top. I never got under the truck. It's easier pulling that, than fussing with everything in the way.




Thermostat housing - http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/d...mostat+housing


Gasket - http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/f...mostat+housing


Thermostat - https://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p...090_0217072659

 

It should come with a gasket.

I STRONGLY recommend you get an OEM (Dodge) thermostat from your dealer. There are a lot of crap parts out there nowadays.

Be careful too. Odds are the lower bolt is going to break off when you try to remove the thermostat - if you aren't careful.

 

Can't go wrong with OEM. It's probably not much more expensive either, if it comes with the gasket.

The Napa premium is good though. It's actually a Napa branded Stant Superstat - made in USA.

 

Well I took time to take everything apart and from first inspection the top Thermostat housing bolt was broken. I had new tires put on last week, not sure if they did it some how.

My delima is how do i drill this out to get the rest of the bolt out without messing anything up, I will be doing this from looking top down. I took the clutch fan and shroud off.

 

Pull the timing cover.

 

Does that mean the camshaft pulley has to come off when pulling the cover?

 

Crankshaft pulley has to come off.

 

Thats what I thought, to get the nut off it loosens to the left? Like a normal nut? How do I keep the pully from turning? I cannot get an impact wrench in there to remove the nut without pulling the radiator, this is starting to be more time than it is worth for a stupid bolt that snapped.

 

It is a big project, no doubt about it. Dodge has special tools to remove the "crankshaft damper." It's not just remove the bolt and it slides off you have to pull it off.

I don't think you can get a drill/tap in there to fix it while installed, I couldn't on mine. Yeah, I've had it happen.