Good I hope that works for you. reply back if it does it again.

 

Well I took the old thermostat out and put it in hot water with the new one. Guess what? They both opened about the same time. So they are both functioning fine. I flushed the system out and put it all back together with new hoses and filled her up with coolant.

Now the bottom hose still doesn't get hot at all nor does the radiator except for the right side where the upper hose connects.. I know the radiator isn't clogged cause i flushed it from the right side to the left side. Trying to not make this complicated.

When I flushed the system I disconnected the upper hose and put the garden hose in the radiator. Water wouldn't come out of the upper radiator hose unless I turned the engine on. That seemed funny to me. I thought it would flow right through. On the other hand if I took the garden hose and put it in the upper radiator hose to flush the system backwards water would run through the water pump and out through the bottom. Maybe the water pump is bad?? What do you think?

I think I'm going to take the thermostat out and put it all together and see if the bottom hose will get hot at all. I don't think anything is clogged. If it doesn't it has to be the water pump.


What are your thoughts?

 

I also thought the water should flow through when you put the hose in the radiator? Maybe someone else wil chime in that knows more about system flushes, the only thing I could say is let me flush mine hopefully this week and see what happens, hell I could have a bad pump. I will also see if both my hoses are hot I know the top one is I checked it already i wil check the bottom hose today. I wont be able to flush my system till probably Fri, maybe thurs. If you cant wait that long call a dodge dealer and ask them if and when you do a system flush is the water supposed to flow through when the hose is at the radiator. I may call them today if I get a chance. Sorry I am not more help. I will get back to you after I check the bottom hose

 

Well I picked up a brand new pump today and going to install it in a few hours and then change the fluid in my rear differential since it's been 5 years.. I'll post later today about my findings after changing out the water pump.

Now if that doesn't work something seriously wrong has to be going on. I know my radiator isn't plugged.

 

If you open the **** valve on the bottom of the rad and remove the rad cap up top and pour water in the rad, it will come out the bottom. There should be nothing restricting it

 

What went down today.

Removed the thermostat and slightly took it apart. I took the guts of it out and left some of the metal body and the o-ring connected together. I was careful not to bend anything and then put everything back together in the t-stat housing. Filled the radiator a little more than way full while it was running. I could see water circulating from the other side so I would rule out a bad water pump and a clogged radiator. When I drained the radiator both times in the last 2 days there was nothing but very clean fluid (no chunks or debris) Very clean. I do know for sure that the thermostats that I have been using both worked properly(tested in very hot water on the stove). So really there is a few parts of the t-stat in the truck now that just acts like a gasket. Water can flow right through it without any restriction.

I took it for a drive. A good get on it drive. Guess what! Besided the thermostat only moving 1/4 of the way on the display the truck idles so much better now. None of that rough stuff. I've driven it about 20 plus miles in town and it just purrs. I'm so so fricking happy

So I just don't know why the thermostats aren't opening up to circulate the fluid. Not sure if I really want to try the 180 thermostat. Really doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned I live in Arizona and it doesn't get cold so I could just leave the t-stat out.

Anyone have a clue to the problem with the t-stat's not opening. Yes my heater does blow hot air.

 

My guess is you put it in backwards. Lets just hope this does permanently resolve your issue though.

 

Hey i know why the water didnt flow through did you take the stat out and put the housing back in without the stat? thats why it didnt flow through until you started the truck. As for the pump tell me if it fixes your problem. Did you do a key cycle to see if any codes popped up?

 

I did try flushing the system without the t-stat in and it didn't flow water until I turned the truck on.

Well I put the truck all back together without the internal parts of the t-stat-so really the part of the t-stat that is in the housing is just being used as a gasket (that rubber ring and a little bit of the t-stat housing). Turned the truck on and water is flowing through the radiator. So I know the water pump is good and so is the radiator. I tested 2 t-stats in hot water and they both worked. I just can't get them to open up with the truck running-I've driven the truck for 15 minutes while it's 80 degrees outside. I know the engine is hot. So hot I can't touch the upper radiator hose but the bottom is just a tad warm. They are put in the t-stat housing correctly.

I'm lost

 

What you do not know is how hot the water on the stove got in order to open those stats.

But being they did open would lead us to assume they do work. So if you ware putting them in the truck and then they are NOT opening, I am assuming you are putting them in backwards maybe.