Best Video I've seen on replacing the Thermostat on a T&C Mini Van on RUclips!! Very detailed and through instructions. Thank you so much! I'm 82 but I feel sure I can do the job!!😊😊
Dear Jim Dandy My 2005 Chrysler T&C overheated enroute to hubby's work. That' usually 30-40 minutes, and today it was a 7 hour trip. I limped her home after taking the thermostat out. I had to pull off and sit for a while still, but your video is what taught me. Your details were like Dickens, and made my Honey proud of me for my hard work, lol. To understand that would take too long to talk about. Just know your time was not wasted. THANK YOU SO VERY VERY VERY MUCH!!!
Thanks, Jim. 266K on my 2005. Not much heat, but not overheating either. Kinda the opposite, not warming up much. Makes me think the thermostat is sticking open. Your video encourages me that I should be able to handle this thermostat replacement by myself. Thanks again.
I had a similar overheat yesterday, weird, the temp was climbing, when I took my foot off the accelarator the gauge went back quickly went down to normal. I'm guessing the impeller stared turning on the change in engine rpm. I will let you all know what I find monday when i have time to take the water pump out.
My wife's 2007 T/C takes a very long time to blow hot air, the engine temp gauge will show that engine is operating at normal temps but heat still blows out ice cold for at least 10-15 more mins. Bad thermostat? Low level of coolant?
That van was 11 years old a 100k+ miles on it... where’s all the rust on them bolts? And I wonder where the impeller pieces went? Thank you for the video....
I understand why you're trying to get the thermostat out of the housing and reuse the original to save money, but... its a $7.80 part. I think I'd just replace the thermostat and the housing. I think the $7.80 is worth not having to deal with trying to get the old one out of the punched housing. I think that with the thermostat being $4.20, Seal is $3.00 and the housing is $7.80, the $15 is just a simple replacement at that point. But that's just me, I'd pay a little more on my DIY stuff to make things easier.
After I was completely done with the job, I found a rubber thermostat gasket in the bottom of the box. Should I have put it over the thermostat? My original thermostat did not have one, and it's not shown in your video and a couple others I watched. I see it on a 2007 Dodge Caravan video but not the 05's. Is the thermostat gasket not used in all models? I don't see how it would fit in the notches with that gasket on. Hopefully I'm right and don't have to take it all back apart but please let me know for sure. Thanks
In my 2005 there is no rubber around the edge of the thermostat. The thermostat pops into the housing with no gasket installed. There is a gasket that fits under the area of the thermostat housing that mates with the engine. Some vehicles use a thermostat that has a gasket around its edge and the thermostat housing has no gasket, but serves to push the gasket against the engine and housing to form the seal. Often times parts come with extra things so they work with various models.
@@jimdandy6472 Cool thanks, your video and several others showed no thermostat gasket but seeing one left over had me 2nd guessing myself as I hadn't replaced a thermostat since 1989. I ran and test drove mine today, temp guage is just below 1/2 and I have good heat so it seems to be working fine. Yours was the best explained video I watched and it definitely made the job easier. Thanks
I did mine but now the temperature doesn't rise to normal? Is that ok with new thermostats? I am getting a P0128 code which I believe it was caused when the heater core hose busted and got everything wet. I fixed the hose. I bought some dielectric grease to lub up the components that got wet. I wasn't able to unplug the thermostat sensor completely so I hooked it back up. I am wondering if the computer detected and it caused the code. The scanner said it was a stored code. Any suggestions?
The thermostats job is to get the engine temperature up to "normal"~200F as quickly as possible, and then not let it go below that. If you are not getting up to temp after replacement of the thermostat that's a problem. If the engine coolant temperature does not reach 160º F within 15 minutes of the engine starting a pending code is generated. If that fault happens again on the next engine startup the P0128 code is triggered. Assuming your temperature sensor is reading accurately (and it likely is) your new thermostat seems to be stuck open. If you have a code reader that displays data one of the options should be engine coolant temp, which you can watch heat up. Temp sensors are usually OK or failed, rarely off by say 15F. Always hard to diagnose over RUclips, but might be a bad "new"thermostat, not much else can keep an engine from heating up.
My 2005 is getting hot until the temp alarm goes off. If I turn on the heat, the gage will go back into the normal zone within a few seconds. Then I can go anywhere, drive forever and the temp stays in the normal zone. Any idea what that could be?
People just like me come to RUclips to find information about projects there working on. You actually dropped tools in the engine compartment that you never found, so later it could bounce out on the road and damage someone's vehicle. You spent 24 minutes on a video that had nothing to do with a defective thermostat. And some parts of the video we couldn't even see as you were describing something. If you're going to continue to make videos, then perhaps you should take a look at the way "Chrifix" does his. They are informative, they get "right" to the point, he doesn't lose tools in the engine compartment, and he knows how to "edit" a mistake.
OK, thanks for actually providing reasons why you had concerns: 1. Lost a socket. Probably later caused a multi-car pileup. 2. Replaced a 13 year old non-defective $12 thermostat. Later determined the impeller slipping on the water pump shaft was the root cause. 3. Couldn't see everything I was doing. 4. Talked too much. 5. Not up to ""Chrisfix" standards for video shots and video Editing. 6 . I don't edit out my mistakes. I'm not a PRO like you probably are, and I don't make my living on RUclips like "Chrisfix", but I do it all for free, because I like helping people. Thanks for your input.
Are you really that much of a curmudgeon? Maybe the tool fell out and someone found a nice uv socket adapter. Why does he need to "explain" about a defective thermostat? We're HERE because of a defective thermostat... You complain about a 24 min vid (which you can move past parts if you want) and your response rivals if not exceeds it. No one knows who "Chrifix" is. What are you even talking about???? @jimdandy6472- pay no mind to this meathead. I found your video to be helpful and years later STILL helpful. Simple jobs like this are nice to "watch" the steps just to be clear on what to expect. Just did ours last night. (A repair shop did it a yr and a half ago and failed to scrape the block properly, so it was leaking.) Cheers!
Could be, just could be, removing the negative battery cable is to remove any engine code that may have been tripped! while your replacing what ever your doing !
I appreciate your honesty but you obviously don't really know what you're doing and you just watched 10 RUclips videos before you made your own. Glad you corrected yourself throughout the video. But you don't want to give people misinformation right off the bat.way too long-winded for someone that really doesn't know what they're talking about too
Why don't you fill us in on what you think I don't know, or any mistakes I didn't correct. I see you don't have any automotive videos posted on your site, so thanks for nothing but criticism.
@@timbailes8091 Let me guess ASE certified mechanic . About 12 yrs at a dealership? No videos posted to help DIY'ers, but you like to make negative comments about those who take the time to do so. Instead of saying "I think you should stay away from doing any engine repair videos", why don't you let us know what your concerns or expert advise is to improve things?
This was a somewhat good video but it would have been better if you knew what you were talking about. Why not test the thermostat before buying a new one?
I've owned the van since it was new, so I knew the thermostat was 11 years old. Since a new one costs like $10 bucks why spend the time removing one, buying a new gasket, testing an 11 year old thermostat and risking putting an old one back in? I was having an overheating problem and the thermostat was a logical first step. I tested it and found it worked, which told me it was not likely the problem. It turned out the impeller was loose on the water pump shaft which is an unusual thing to happen, but ruling out the thermostat was a logical first step for a vehicle that suddenly overheats and is not low on or leaking coolant.
Jim Dandy That's right it's called preventative maintenance if all else fails...it doesn't hurt to change these type of parts after about 100,000 kms last thing you need is being on a road trip and it failing.nice video heading to the garage to do my 07
yeah i dunno whats the deal here with the comments and everything. if lower hose is cold and uppe rone ih super hot and its overheatign then obvuiously its ttoally blocked cooling system which normall yalways means thermostat has failed and is stuck shut. so replac eitr.. and you dont need to replace the T-stat housing or naything else. we have a 05 3.8L one out here righ tnow it randomly decided to stay shut and overheat today,. first time ever. so i just pulled it out and cut the center spring and wax pellet cetner out of it and then reassembled it for now, while its still summe and hot out. its 1 am so cant go and buy a new one and need the van earyl in the morning, so... it wil be great fine, until i can go buy a new T stat and install it,. these 3.8L stats ar ein a super easy location plenty of room super easy as easy as all the old chevy old school ones etc. wish all of them these days were like this! replace itn 5 mins with a basic ratchet and 13mm socket. it doesnt get any easier or quicker to replace a stat than this.. so ill run this one without a stat for now and put a new one in it in the near future sometime,
My 2005 is getting hot until the temp alarm goes off. If I turn on the heat, the gage will go back into the normal zone within a few seconds. Then I can go anywhere, drive forever and the temp stays in the normal zone. Any idea what that could be?
Always hard to diagnose only knowing a couple bits of info and nothing about what maintenance has been done since new, but my best guess is that turning on the heater acts like an additional small radiator and provides just enough extra cooling capacity to keep you from overheating. This might fail to provide enough help on hot days. Sounds like the radiator may be plugged internally (stop leak?), or that the radiator and/or the A/C condenser in front of it needs cleaned (bugs & leaves). Less likely it could be your electric cooling fan(s) are not working, something is causing a flow restriction like a collapsed radiator hose, stuck thermostat, or the water pump impellers may be worn down causing reduced coolant flow. This one of those deals where you have to have some experience, start feeling hoses, looking inside the radiator, checking things that reduce cooling capacity, and probably eventually taking your best guess and start replacing parts (SWAG: Bad Radiator, replace both hoses and the thermostat along with it. If that doesn't fix it then change the water pump.)
Your symptoms and mine were almost exactly the same. As the car warmed up, the temp gauge would rise and then shoot past normal to hot. I would get the warning light and before I could do anything else, the temp would start dropping and return to normal. These are classic thermostat stuck closed symptoms. If would have let this go longer, eventually the thermostat might not ever open and then I'd have been in big trouble. With the new thermostat, the car is actually running a big cooler as well. It might have not have been opening all the way restricting coolant flow. I'm glad it's done. BTW, it took all of 10 minutes to change. Thank goodness its really accessible on the T&C. Mine was a 2004 3.8L for the record.
Best Video I've seen on replacing the Thermostat on a T&C Mini Van on RUclips!! Very detailed and through instructions. Thank you so much! I'm 82 but I feel sure I can do the job!!😊😊
Dear Jim Dandy
My 2005 Chrysler T&C overheated enroute to hubby's work. That' usually 30-40 minutes, and today it was a 7 hour trip. I limped her home after taking the thermostat out. I had to pull off and sit for a while still, but your video is what taught me.
Your details were like Dickens, and made my Honey proud of me for my hard work, lol. To understand that would take too long to talk about. Just know your time was not wasted. THANK YOU SO VERY VERY VERY MUCH!!!
Thanks, Jim.
266K on my 2005. Not much heat, but not overheating either. Kinda the opposite, not warming up much. Makes me think the thermostat is sticking open.
Your video encourages me that I should be able to handle this thermostat replacement by myself.
Thanks again.
Thank you so much I didn't know what to do and don't trust any mechanics in town they messed my car up enough this was simple and easy to follow.
Thanks! I am going to replace the one on our family van now
I had a similar overheat yesterday, weird, the temp was climbing, when I took my foot off the accelarator the gauge went back quickly went down to normal. I'm guessing the impeller stared turning on the change in engine rpm. I will let you all know what I find monday when i have time to take the water pump out.
Do appreciate the safety tip regarding to hot steam. You must let the car seat till cool enough to touch n hold the radiator hose.
Brother your smart masha allah that's beautiful thank you for you video
VERY INFORMATIVE!!! Thank you!!!
Jiggle pin strait up at 12 o'clock 😂😂😂
My wife's 2007 T/C takes a very long time to blow hot air, the engine temp gauge will show that engine is operating at normal temps but heat still blows out ice cold for at least 10-15 more mins. Bad thermostat? Low level of coolant?
Bad water pump videos show the water pump issues or failure can mess up the heater
Thank you for the video!!!
I know this was a while ago Jim but do you remember the bolt size and rough length? Thank you either way!!
Quick way to see if the thermostat is the problem?, run it without the thermostat??
That van was 11 years old a 100k+ miles on it... where’s all the rust on them bolts? And I wonder where the impeller pieces went? Thank you for the video....
Ain't no rust down south
Could be garage kept as well
Hello. What year is that van, and what was the mileage when you replaced the water pump?
I understand why you're trying to get the thermostat out of the housing and reuse the original to save money, but... its a $7.80 part. I think I'd just replace the thermostat and the housing. I think the $7.80 is worth not having to deal with trying to get the old one out of the punched housing.
I think that with the thermostat being $4.20, Seal is $3.00 and the housing is $7.80, the $15 is just a simple replacement at that point. But that's just me, I'd pay a little more on my DIY stuff to make things easier.
How do we know the problem is not the thermostat instead of the sensor? or vice versa
Thanks for the video
After I was completely done with the job, I found a rubber thermostat gasket in the bottom of the box. Should I have put it over the thermostat? My original thermostat did not have one, and it's not shown in your video and a couple others I watched. I see it on a 2007 Dodge Caravan video but not the 05's. Is the thermostat gasket not used in all models? I don't see how it would fit in the notches with that gasket on. Hopefully I'm right and don't have to take it all back apart but please let me know for sure. Thanks
In my 2005 there is no rubber around the edge of the thermostat. The thermostat pops into the housing with no gasket installed. There is a gasket that fits under the area of the thermostat housing that mates with the engine.
Some vehicles use a thermostat that has a gasket around its edge and the thermostat housing has no gasket, but serves to push the gasket against the engine and housing to form the seal. Often times parts come with extra things so they work with various models.
@@jimdandy6472 Cool thanks, your video and several others showed no thermostat gasket but seeing one left over had me 2nd guessing myself as I hadn't replaced a thermostat since 1989. I ran and test drove mine today, temp guage is just below 1/2 and I have good heat so it seems to be working fine. Yours was the best explained video I watched and it definitely made the job easier. Thanks
Thank u
It's on top of the skid plate that's where mine always went
Did it fix
thank you Jim..this video is very good.
I did mine but now the temperature doesn't rise to normal? Is that ok with new thermostats? I am getting a P0128 code which I believe it was caused when the heater core hose busted and got everything wet. I fixed the hose. I bought some dielectric grease to lub up the components that got wet. I wasn't able to unplug the thermostat sensor completely so I hooked it back up. I am wondering if the computer detected and it caused the code. The scanner said it was a stored code. Any suggestions?
The thermostats job is to get the engine temperature up to "normal"~200F as quickly as possible, and then not let it go below that. If you are not getting up to temp after replacement of the thermostat that's a problem.
If the engine coolant temperature does not reach 160º F within 15 minutes of the engine starting a pending code is generated. If that fault happens again on the next engine startup the P0128 code is triggered.
Assuming your temperature sensor is reading accurately (and it likely is) your new thermostat seems to be stuck open. If you have a code reader that displays data one of the options should be engine coolant temp, which you can watch heat up. Temp sensors are usually OK or failed, rarely off by say 15F.
Always hard to diagnose over RUclips, but might be a bad "new"thermostat, not much else can keep an engine from heating up.
My 2005 is getting hot until the temp alarm goes off. If I turn on the heat, the gage will go back into the normal zone within a few seconds. Then I can go anywhere, drive forever and the temp stays in the normal zone. Any idea what that could be?
Mine does the same wtf
Did you figure what was wrong mine also does the same thing!!!
Same here. 06 t&c. Hmmm.
Tanks
Because no water to your heater core
great job brother😄
Mines about to hit 180k, I'm replacing mine
People just like me come to RUclips to find information about projects there working on. You actually dropped tools in the engine compartment that you never found, so later it could bounce out on the road and damage someone's vehicle. You spent 24 minutes on a video that had nothing to do with a defective thermostat. And some parts of the video we couldn't even see as you were describing something. If you're going to continue to make videos, then perhaps you should take a look at the way "Chrifix" does his. They are informative, they get "right" to the point, he doesn't lose tools in the engine compartment, and he knows how to "edit" a mistake.
OK, thanks for actually providing reasons why you had concerns:
1. Lost a socket. Probably later caused a multi-car pileup.
2. Replaced a 13 year old non-defective $12 thermostat. Later determined the impeller slipping on the water pump shaft was the root cause.
3. Couldn't see everything I was doing.
4. Talked too much.
5. Not up to ""Chrisfix" standards for video shots and video Editing.
6 . I don't edit out my mistakes.
I'm not a PRO like you probably are, and I don't make my living on RUclips like "Chrisfix", but I do it all for free, because I like helping people.
Thanks for your input.
Are you really that much of a curmudgeon?
Maybe the tool fell out and someone found a nice uv socket adapter.
Why does he need to "explain" about a defective thermostat? We're HERE because of a defective thermostat...
You complain about a 24 min vid (which you can move past parts if you want) and your response rivals if not exceeds it.
No one knows who "Chrifix" is. What are you even talking about????
@jimdandy6472- pay no mind to this meathead. I found your video to be helpful and years later STILL helpful. Simple jobs like this are nice to "watch" the steps just to be clear on what to expect. Just did ours last night. (A repair shop did it a yr and a half ago and failed to scrape the block properly, so it was leaking.) Cheers!
Could be, just could be, removing the negative battery cable is to remove any engine code that may have been tripped! while your replacing what ever your doing !
I appreciate your honesty but you obviously don't really know what you're doing and you just watched 10 RUclips videos before you made your own. Glad you corrected yourself throughout the video. But you don't want to give people misinformation right off the bat.way too long-winded for someone that really doesn't know what they're talking about too
Why don't you fill us in on what you think I don't know, or any mistakes I didn't correct. I see you don't have any automotive videos posted on your site, so thanks for nothing but criticism.
@@jimdandy6472don't even try to reply to comments like that just say thank you with a :-) and move on
Detailed Video. I lost a socket Too.
Bien vouloir me tenir informé en langue française merci.
Нечего не понял . Но интересно
Duuuuuude....Its a 10mm not a 13mm..........arrrrggghhhh
Dude relax.. not that serious. It's not your van he working on..there's room for flaws
@@CHEVELLI454 yeah more misinformation! That’s cool right? Expert textpert! I don’t give a rats ass, just another example of Trumps Walmart world!
I think you should stay away from doing any engine repair videos.
OK, I'll let you take over. Oh, I see you have zero videos posted on your channel. Thanks for your support.
@@jimdandy6472 Try not to be a cry baby about it and remember a lot of people look at these videos. If you don't want the feedback than turn it off.
@@timbailes8091 Let me guess ASE certified mechanic . About 12 yrs at a dealership?
No videos posted to help DIY'ers, but you like to make negative comments about those who take the time to do so.
Instead of saying "I think you should stay away from doing any engine repair videos", why don't you let us know what your concerns or expert advise is to improve things?
Tim your a dick
This was a somewhat good video but it would have been better if you knew what you were talking about. Why not test the thermostat before buying a new one?
I've owned the van since it was new, so I knew the thermostat was 11 years old. Since a new one costs like $10 bucks why spend the time removing one, buying a new gasket, testing an 11 year old thermostat and risking putting an old one back in?
I was having an overheating problem and the thermostat was a logical first step. I tested it and found it worked, which told me it was not likely the problem. It turned out the impeller was loose on the water pump shaft which is an unusual thing to happen, but ruling out the thermostat was a logical first step for a vehicle that suddenly overheats and is not low on or leaking coolant.
Jim Dandy
That's right it's called preventative maintenance if all else fails...it doesn't hurt to change these type of parts after about 100,000 kms last thing you need is being on a road trip and it failing.nice video heading to the garage to do my 07
Really necessary to insult the guy?
yeah i dunno whats the deal here with the comments and everything. if lower hose is cold and uppe rone ih super hot and its overheatign then obvuiously its ttoally blocked cooling system which normall yalways means thermostat has failed and is stuck shut. so replac eitr.. and you dont need to replace the T-stat housing or naything else. we have a 05 3.8L one out here righ tnow it randomly decided to stay shut and overheat today,. first time ever. so i just pulled it out and cut the center spring and wax pellet cetner out of it and then reassembled it for now, while its still summe and hot out. its 1 am so cant go and buy a new one and need the van earyl in the morning, so... it wil be great fine, until i can go buy a new T stat and install it,. these 3.8L stats ar ein a super easy location plenty of room super easy as easy as all the old chevy old school ones etc. wish all of them these days were like this! replace itn 5 mins with a basic ratchet and 13mm socket. it doesnt get any easier or quicker to replace a stat than this.. so ill run this one without a stat for now and put a new one in it in the near future sometime,
Lol 16 whole dollars. Its maintenance.
Did you know that thermostat was made to kind of screw in there if you get it position and you turn it and it stays locked in there mistake
thanks
My 2005 is getting hot until the temp alarm goes off. If I turn on the heat, the gage will go back into the normal zone within a few seconds. Then I can go anywhere, drive forever and the temp stays in the normal zone. Any idea what that could be?
Always hard to diagnose only knowing a couple bits of info and nothing about what maintenance has been done since new, but my best guess is that turning on the heater acts like an additional small radiator and provides just enough extra cooling capacity to keep you from overheating. This might fail to provide enough help on hot days.
Sounds like the radiator may be plugged internally (stop leak?), or that the radiator and/or the A/C condenser in front of it needs cleaned (bugs & leaves). Less likely it could be your electric cooling fan(s) are not working, something is causing a flow restriction like a collapsed radiator hose, stuck thermostat, or the water pump impellers may be worn down causing reduced coolant flow. This one of those deals where you have to have some experience, start feeling hoses, looking inside the radiator, checking things that reduce cooling capacity, and probably eventually taking your best guess and start replacing parts (SWAG: Bad Radiator, replace both hoses and the thermostat along with it. If that doesn't fix it then change the water pump.)
Your symptoms and mine were almost exactly the same. As the car warmed up, the temp gauge would rise and then shoot past normal to hot. I would get the warning light and before I could do anything else, the temp would start dropping and return to normal.
These are classic thermostat stuck closed symptoms. If would have let this go longer, eventually the thermostat might not ever open and then I'd have been in big trouble. With the new thermostat, the car is actually running a big cooler as well. It might have not have been opening all the way restricting coolant flow. I'm glad it's done. BTW, it took all of 10 minutes to change. Thank goodness its really accessible on the T&C. Mine was a 2004 3.8L for the record.