Hey guys, I think I may have a bad thermostat. I noticed when I first got my truck, about 2 weeks ago, that the engine would get warm pretty quick, after a little while of driving it, then it would shoot up to be half way between middle and hot (overheating) range. Then after about 5 more minutes of driving, it would drop quickly to the middle line, and stay there the rest of the time i drove it. Now it's getting worse. It does the same thing but it gets much closer to the hot dash, and then cool down after the same time frame. Bad thermostat? I called a mechanic and they quoted me about $100 to fix it. Does that all seem about right? Correct diagnosis and a good price to get it fixed? Thanks in advance
Kyle

 

My 04 does that as well.......Don't know if it's "normal" or not. Subscribed for the guru's when they get here.


Mine warms up normal, and while driving it's usually right int he middle. When going up a hill (on the gas good for a bit) it will creep up to about 1/8" to 1/4" above that line, not quite 1/2 way between the middle hash, and hot, and then comes back down and settles just under the halfway hash.

 

Mine did that for a few days, exactly the same way. I swapped out the 'stat. That took care of it. Sounds like it's sticking closed and then opening too late. Not a $100 repair, though. Seems like I paid about $10 for the 180 I put in.

 

Mine doesn't even do that. It could go uphill, downhill, straight, reverse whatever. For instance, I was driving on the highway and it creeped up toward hot then went down, then I started going up a hill and it stayed right in the middle where it should be. That's why I think it's only the thermostat and not something more serious. I'm glad to know though that it's not only my truck that does it though. Oh, and that was for the mechanic to do it for me. I found a thermostat for $25. I should probably point out its a 2500 5.7l hemi 4x4

 

180 you say? I prob just need to replace it, preventative if anything else. What's the stock thermostat temp?

 

just replace the thermostat and you should be good, they are famous for sticking.

 

Stock temp stat is 205* i think

 

or about 90 degrees celcius for us Canucks eh! lol

 

Is there any advantage to getting a 180 over a 205?

 

Some say it advances it timing a bit but for me, I like a cooler engine. Im sure there are engineering principles in place on WHY 205 was used but IDK for sure.