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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.
ok, the unit is a standard t stat but it works in a different way than a standard t stat . instead of a flat disc opening . the outer shell of the t stat moves in and out to regulate flow . i put the new 190 degree stant t stat in water and it opened at 185 according to my inaccurate ir gun.
my orig t stat was broken so it was allowing water to flow freely.
the seal that came with the new t stat is TOO FRIGGEN SMALL . It would require a sledge hammer to beat the t stat thru it.
the orig seal and replacement seal are not rubber . they are more like stiff teflon so they are not very compliant . if you run your finger around the lip of the factory seal and do not feel any missing chunks i would then put a thin coat of grease on the new t sat and install it . if it requires just a little force to install it, it will seal properly.
if it falls right in it will not seal well and will allow a little water past but not a huge amount . this is hard to tell how much affect it will have on the running temp but it should be very little if any.
the new seal requires a special tool to install or a huge socket that is just slightly smaller than the od of the seal.
the alternator must be unbolted then removed or moved forward 3 inches to remove the rad hose housing and get enough room to work in there.
the factory used schellac to install the gasket on mine so it will NOT come off even with my $20.00 gasket remover tool . i am now searching for some type of gasket dissolver.
drilling four 1/4" holes in the t stat shell like some people do is not intelligent because it allows a huge amount of water to bypass the t stat . if anything a single 1/8" hole will be sufficient to serve the same purpose and i may do this but i am going to try and figure out how the system works first . if you drill a hole in it it must be drilled at least 1/4" ABOVE where the seal will ride when the t stat is closed.
Sounds like you're getting somewhere with figuring this out.
Last edited by racefan41; Feb 10, 2017 at 09:49 PM.
Well good to hear that the cold running isn't "normal".
Almost universally all of the 2nd gen trucks we've dealt with here on the forums for cooling system issue, end up with poor heat. The most common suggestion is raising the front as high as possible, ramps, jack, steep hill, whathaveyou. I think I have a pic around here somewhere of mine, parked on as steep a hill as I could get it up. It kinda/sorta worked, but, not as well as back-flushing/filling the heater core. That's why I think the flush T will do the job quite well. I plan to install it at the highest point in the cooling system, right near the outlet of the heater core. It's a drag to get to... but, my heater should be able to burn me out of the truck, and it barely keeps it comfortable in the sub-freezing temps we have had lately.
I think I am going to grab a stant thermostat, and give it a shot. Probably not tomorrow.... I have a date with my granddaughter, that I don't wanna miss. (daddy/daughter dance, her daddy just ain't in the picture, thank god.....) Also, I don't think advance has one on the shelf either... according to the website, all they had was the carquest feller..... I'll pass, thankyouverymuch.
both are good suggestions . i don't have the heart to cut my heater hose because my truck is mint with only 56,000 miles so i will wait on that for now but putting it on an angle will help . also, drilling the small hole in the t stat should help along with putting it on an angle because it will allow water to flow past the t stat when the engine is cold but it might take 15 minutes or something for enough t flow thru the small hole to fill the big heater core . also, if you have the hole and have it on an angle, you can fill the rad to the top then put the cap on then squeeze the to hose several times then check the fluid level again . this may speed up the process of filling up the heater core and it may not.
Last edited by barnett468; Feb 11, 2017 at 01:41 AM.
Heater core is constant flow in any event. (well, it is on the V-8's anyway....) I haven't looked closely at the V-10 yet. But, that's coming.... soon. So far as I know, thermostat doesn't restrict flow to the heater core at all.... V-10 might be different. Not sure yet.
Heater core is constant flow in any event. (well, it is on the V-8's anyway....) I haven't looked closely at the V-10 yet. But, that's coming.... soon. So far as I know, thermostat doesn't restrict flow to the heater core at all.... V-10 might be different. Not sure yet.
Kinda late to this thread, but if it helps any, here's info from the manual:
"INSTALLATION
(1) Clean mating areas of intake manifold and
thermostat housing.
(2) Check the condition (for tears or cracks) of the
rubber thermostat seal located in the intake manifold
(Fig. 23) (Fig. 25). The thermostat should fit snugly
into the rubber seal.
(3) If seal replacement is necessary, coat the outer
(metal) portion of the seal with Mopart Gasket
Maker. Install the seal into the manifold using Special Seal Tool number C-3995-A with handle tool number C-4171.
(4) Install thermostat into recessed machined
groove on intake manifold (Fig. 25).
(5) Install thermostat housing (Fig. 25).
(6) Install housing-to-intake manifold bolts.
Tighten bolts to 25 N·m (220 in. lbs.) torque."
Not sure what the tool looks like, but if the seal feels okay, run it.
I replaced the heater core in my truck over the summer. I didn't need to do anything special to get the air out. Just filled the radiator and add more coolant to the overflow tank. It took a day or so, but it worked itself out with out any issues.
My truck has a 180 thermostat in it due to the tuner. Unless the outside temp is in the single digits or lower the truck heats up fine. Below that temp I have a piece of plastic I can slide in front of the radiator to control air flow to help build more heat.
well the bench wire wheel would definitely work on the housing but not to well on the engine . i got crc gasket remover, permatex gasket remover, brake cleaner, and over off and none of it affected/softened the gasket so i got some KELAN STRIP AIRCRAFT STRIPPER in the gold quart can that had lots of warning labels on it . put some on and it softened the surface of the gasket enough after 30 minutes that i could scrape a thin layer off with my $20.00 gasket scraper . i then put more on and waited another 30 minutes then scraped off another layer . i then did this one more time and the gasket is around 90% gone and too thin to scrape so i will try a wire toothbrush in a few minutes which "should" remove the rest of the junk.
It kinda/sorta worked, but, not as well as back-flushing/filling the heater core. That's why I think the flush T will do the job quite well. I plan to install it at the highest point in the cooling system, right near the outlet of the heater core. It's a drag to get to... but, my heater should be able to burn me out of the truck, and it barely keeps it comfortable in the sub-freezing temps we have had lately.
