The thermostat on a car engine is the device that allows water and antifreeze to run through the engine block once the engine heats up. If the thermostat sticks, it can block the coolant from getting into the engine block and cause the block to crack or, even worse, blow up. The thermostat on a 1998 Dodge 2.7 liter engine is easy to change because it is accessible. You can change the thermostat yourself in just a few hours.
Instructions
- 1
Park the car and let the engine completely cool down.
2Pop the hood and remove the radiator cap.
3Drain the coolant by loosening the drain cock on the bottom of the radiator and letting the coolant run into a bucket.
4Locate the lower radiator hose. The thermostat housing is located on the other end of the lower radiator hose where the hose goes into the engine.
5Remove the radiator hose from the thermostat housing slowly by using a flat head screwdriver.
6Take the appropriate socket and ratchet and remove the two bolts that hold the thermostat housing on the engine. Remove the thermostat housing and place it to the side.
7Remove the old gasket from the thermostat housing. Use a flat scraper if necessary to remove the gasket.
8Remove the thermostat and put the new thermostat in. Make sure that you put the new thermostat in the same way that the old thermostat came out. If not, you will install the thermostat upside down.
9Put a thin coat of high temp red silicone on the thermostat housing where the gasket will go and put the gasket over the red silicone. The silicone will hold the gasket on and will help seal the gasket to the thermostat housing.
10Tighten the drain cock back tight on the bottom of the radiator.
11Add coolant until the radiator is full and then crank the car up and check for leaks. Let the car run until the engine reaches operating temperature. Shut the car off and recheck the coolant level. Add more coolant if necessary.
