When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Fix one problem and gain another (Thermostat bolt snapped)
2nd Gen Ram Tech1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.
I was reading some more on the EGR blockoff thing and you're fine since it already has that blockoff plate installed nicely enough, but that back hole for the pipe that would go to the exhaust needs to be plugged up/welded shut too right?
ahhhh ok I get it now, the hole was in the actual exhaust manifold, I was thinking that big hole at the end of the intake needed to be welded shut alongside that blockoff plate there.
I read similar things when reading about emissions stuff on my old firebird to remove the smog system, people said it was easy just screwing in 1/4" pipe ends which would screw right in
Well I got it all together and started it, ran decent, although now I have a check engine light 🙃 ugh. Also the thermostat is definitely stuck shut because the truck heats up after two minutes and gets super hot, air blows cold, and radiator is ice cold too...so again tomorrow I will go back into it and HOPEFULLY not break this set of thermostat bolts while replacing it with my 160 degree stat.
any tips on not breaking these bolts? They’re on there good...
impact gun if you got it. i am kind of surprised you didn't just try fixing the old intake. drilling out a bolt can be a bit of work but is really nothing compared to all the work you went through swapping out the intake. also are you sure the thermostat is sticking and you just don't have air in the system? air in the system can cause a engine to heat up quick and can sometimes take a couple warm/cool cycles to get all the air out. you may want to make sure you got the rad and overflow topped up.
impact gun if you got it. i am kind of surprised you didn't just try fixing the old intake. drilling out a bolt can be a bit of work but is really nothing compared to all the work you went through swapping out the intake. also are you sure the thermostat is sticking and you just don't have air in the system? air in the system can cause a engine to heat up quick and can sometimes take a couple warm/cool cycles to get all the air out. you may want to make sure you got the rad and overflow topped up.
I actually dont have an over flow tank, could this help the issue? I haven’t had one basically since I got it, and it never really made a big difference but I guess I can try it.
Ill go get some PB blaster today and soak those bolts for a little bit before I go at it. I’m pretty sure one of those bolts is stripped though, any way around that as well?
I swapped the intake because I don’t have a cordless drill with enough power to actually drill out that bolt, the truck is in the back of a guest parking lot for my apartment building...no outlets out there lol. Intake wasn’t even too hard to swap out, I had the spare intake already. I had to swap over a few connections and go buy an extra sensor, but all in all it runs. No leaks. Just a sticky thermostat. I looked at it before I put it in and it was pretty icky, I just thought I’d try it instead of breaking some more bolts lol.
Yes, you want an overflow tank. The radiator will naturally bleed off some coolant as the engine warms. It is supposed to go into that tank, so it can be drawn back in as the radiator cools. If the tank ain't there, the radiator draws air instead...... (and simply dumps the coolant on the ground.....) The result is, your cooling system is perpetually low on coolant.
yes you need the overflow. it helps keep the cooling system topped up and let air out of the cooling system. there is a reason they put them on vehicles.
you can buy sockets to deal with stripped bolt heads but i would make sure the cooling system is topped up first. the thermostat may be fine but there may just be air trapped in the system.
I’ve tried hammering sockets on, extractor sockets, and a lot of Pb blaster, but nothing will get this one bolt off.
Its basically completely rounded off, it’s the thermostat bolt closest to the intake, and I can’t get anything to grip it without it just slipping.
What can I do? The bolt is still in tact, it’s just stripped to all hell.
Im not one to get frustrated over anything but I’ve spent almost four hours on this one single bolt. I’m frustrated. Any suggestions?
