Here is the best I could do, the first I took from RM_Indy's website, that is where the housing is with all the accessories stripped off. The second one is my truck, just follow the hose I circled into the top of the motor and the housing is right there.

[IMG]local://upfiles/20323/EFF2C84894E64B5C9D3A6FF1E3727243.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/20323/16E8549ADB8D433BAAD174DCA6012D0F.jpg[/IMG]

 

Ahh i knew it was somewhere there, i've never seen one that faced down! lol That must be a pain to change?

 

it is a big PITA to change.
you have to take quite a bit of things off in order to get at it easy.

 

I'm just curious, what are those two blue things that say mopar magnum in RM Indys pic, the two on each side of the motor?

 

they arent that hard to swap and you dont need to pull alot off to get at it. IIRC, I moved 1 bracket that was in the way, I think it was on the alt or a/c comp. and that was it. cleaning the surface was a bitch but hey, I didnt have to yank it all apart. if you do go this route, beware that if you drop a bolt down in there, you will be pulling it apart... i speak from experience... twice [:@]

 

Are you serious?


Maybe i should just take to to a mech to do it quick and easy?

 

Taking it to a mechanic seems like a waste of money to me, but if you dont feel like you are capable of doing it yourself then don't. Its not hard at all, 2 13mm bolts and its off, the hardest part is cleaning the gasket off of everything. Be sure and cut that tab off that says front on it, it will make installation alot easier.

 

Pulled this off another post from a while back:
found this written up at the dodgeram.org site... really really intersting and answered my question on how exactly doesn the stat afffect the computer... this was taken off of the dodgeram.org's site im quoting so i dont **** anyone off

"A cooler 180 degree thermostat and cooler intake air will reduce the tendency to ping at part-throttle. The 180 not only causes the truck to run cooler (reducing the intake air charge temp), but it also causes the truck to run cooler (this fools the computer, which believes that the truck is not completely warmed up so it runs a richer air\fuel mix).
Some have even used a 170 degree thermostat. Each 5 degrees of thermostat drop is supposed to be about like adding 1 Octane number to that of whatever gasoline you are using. The 170 thermostat may set a fault code for "Engine operating temperature not achieved in specified time" and illuminate the "Check Engine" light. Some have experienced this, others have not set the fault code.
According to Dakota Power Secrets in the January 1999 issue of Mopar Muscle, the Magnum thermostat is rated at 195 degrees F. The engine controller is designed to make maximum power at 182 deg F. Especially with a high performance engine computer, the engine generates high combustion chamber temperatures under heavy throttle conditions and this heat is transferred to the coolant above the chamber. The hot coolant forms air pockets that create combustion chamber hot spots; engine ping is the result. Dropping the thermostat to 185 or 180 degrees will stop most of the coolant pocketing, and the engine fuel economy and power will improve"

really intersting to say the least....

Replacing the tstat is not that hard if you have some mechanical knowledge. Remove air cleaner assy and cover tb with a rag. Remove top rad hose from rad and drain into a bucket. Remove serpentine belt and alternator bracket. Take out the 2 13 mm bolts that hold the tstat housing. Use the hose to help pull the housing out of the hole. It will be tough the 1st time due to the stupid "front" tab on the housing. File this off after you get the housing out. Remove tstat from the intake, noticing how it is in there for future reference. Clean the gasket surfaces on the intake and housing. The new gasket should have a " sticky side" - stick this to the housing. Put a THIN coat of blue RTV on the other side. Put new tstat in hole the same way the old one was in there. Replace housing, and all other stuff you removed. Put some coolant in the top rad hose before you put it back on the rad to help eliminate bubbles. Refill rad, start truck with cap off and run up to temp. When the coolant starts circulating add coolant until full. Replace cap and go drive for a while. You will probably have to refill overflow bottle to correct level after driving a while. Reset computer to allow it to learn the new stat setting quicker.

Mine has never thrown a code. I haven't driven it in full winter yet though. If the check engine light comes on I will just reset it with the Hypertech and put some cardboard in front of rad to warm it up quicker.....

 

The first time I did it. I removed just the one bracket, then dropped above mentioned bolt and wound up takeing more off. So the next time I took it all off to begin with and it took the same amount of time as the first time.

 

lol, yeah that bolt is a bitch... the 1st time I had to pull off some but not all to get it out, the 2nd time I was able to get it with a magnet. IIRC, it was sitting on to of the timing chain cover.