I put in a 180 thermostat and now after I let off the gas there's a strong gas smell granted the exhaust ends under the cab but before the install there wasn't the smell any ideas?

 

Reset the PCM. Drive it for a few days. See what happens.

And make sure there aren't any leaks....

 

Ok so detatch negative terminal for a few minutes reconnect and drive and that should help?

 

If it is just because it is running rich.... then, probably. if it doesn't, need to figger out why.

 

After disconnecting the neg battery cable, turn the headlights on for a minute or so. Turn lights off and reconnect battery cable. BTW, a 180 stat will make it run more rich and get worse mpg's. Not worth it IMHO.

 

The reason I installed it is I eventually want a tuner and tow a trailer which mad my truck run warm

 

Either one of those does NOT make it a requirement to install a 180 stat! If you are running hot when towing, you have another problem.

 

Running hot when towing? Be darn sure to look at the automatic transmission as a potential culprit.

 

Yeah I never understood the 180 tstat. If the designers of the engine wanted it to run @ 180 they would have made it that way. Engineers spend hundreds of hours designing these motors to run at a certain temps.

 

We are talking about Chrysler engeneers in the 90's, not exactly the brightest minds in the auto industry... And following your train of thought, you don't understand any aftermarket part then?!?

If the guy plans on doing some heavy towing it's much better to sacrifice 0.1 MPG in daily driving for the 10 degrees of cooler engine, which would extend the life of all components in the long run.

To the OP - running 180* thermostat will NOT make your fuel so rich that you can smell it from the exhaust. If this was true, we should be seeing gasoline oozing out of the pipes every time we start a cold engine...Trace back your steps of installing the thermostat and see if you missed something or did something wrong.

P.S. They also make 170* thermostats