I just ordered a Mopar genuine thermostat for my 2004 V8 from RockAuto and received a Motorad replacement. My first thought was “what the heck” but then I read somewhere that they don’t even make Mopar thermostats anymore and Motorad bought them out or something. Is this true? Cause I just paid out the a*# for a Mopar and got a 7 dollar part

 

Chrysler never made their own thermostats. Back in the late 1930's, Plymouth's suddenly started overheating. Chrysler had changed vendors and the new units were to specifications and sealed good. The old supplier unit leaked like a sieve. The sealing ones would get an air bubble and it would cause the engine to over heat before it opened. That was the reason I was taught to drill a little bitty hole in the thermostat plate. The last decade or so, jiggle valves are installed that do the same thing. Just a little hole to let the air escape but restrain the water.

As long as it's a 195 degree unit, you should be okay. Just never use a Failsafe unit. Every one of those I've dealt with failed.

 

Same I've always been taught to put two 1/8" holes though it.

 

It is nearly impossible to find a well made, quality thermostat these days. Motorad is made in China junk... they bought out Stant which made the Superstats (made in USA), one of which is still in my truck after 11 years. You can still find them on Ebay now and then. I'm assuming OP has the 4.7L and this is the exact thermostat for that engine... https://www.ebay.com/itm/303256045882

BTW, you don't need to drill any modern thermostat. They are made to bleed air around the valve and you won't see a jiggle valve in most. I researched this out curiosity back when I got the Stant, cause I was going to drill it till I found out.

 

Before I retired, I got a daily briefing of different articles. It was a corporate send out and covered all sorts of production, storage as well as other logistics issues. The China outsourcing began to fade with the advent of Covid-19. The Chinese business environment isn't very stable as it can change on a whim from the Communist Party. Production is moving to other countries. Vietnam (still Communist but not all pervading), India (sort of Communist, but not really), and Thailand are the up and coming production sources for parts.

 

So from what I gather all the new replacement Mopar thermostats are actually Motorad brand. How can a retailer be able to sell you, without your knowledge, a replacement part that’s NOT what you bought. The Motorad OE thermostats for this truck are only 7 bucks and had I known the truth I wouldn’t have forked out over 35 plus tax and shipping. How is this not fraud? They did offer to let me return this if I paid the 9 bucks for return shipping knowing I’d have to buy another and end up with the same dang part anyway. Thanks to all for the advice given