How to Repair the Thermostat in a Dodge Intrepid
If you've been driving a Dodge Intrepid you know that it's a full sized, four-door, rear-wheel-drive sedan that packs a punch of 200 horsepower. Due to this mix of engine size and horsepower the engine can possibly overheat due to the coolant system failing while under hard acceleration. If you have noticed the temperature gauge has been higher than normal when you're driving your Intrepid you need to swap out the thermostat for a new one. This job can be done with basic tools in your garage in a relatively short period of time.
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Things You'll Need
- Wrench
- Thermostat
- Thermostat gasket
- Adjustable wrench
- Radiator fluid
- Ramps
- Fluid container
- Distilled water
Instructions
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1
Place the Dodge Intrepid on a set of car ramps to lift the front end of the car off of the ground. The thermostat housing is located beneath the car, which is different from standard positioning.
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2
Remove the radiator cap and open the petcock located on the bottom left hand side of the radiator to allow the radiator fluid to drain out. The fluid should be drained into a pan with a lid to prevent spilling any fluid.
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3
Locate the thermostat housing by following the bottom radiator hose to the engine block. The thermostat is located inside of the housing that the radiator hose is connected to. Remove the band clamp that holds the hose to the thermostat housing with an adjustable wrench. Pull the hose off of the housing.
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4
Remove the housing from the engine block by removing the bolts that hold the housing to the block. These bolts will be reused so they should not be discarded.
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5
Pull the housing away from the block. The thermostat can fall out of the engine block so be cautious when removing the housing. Both should be removed at the same time. Once removed, pull the old gasket off of the block and discard both the old thermostat and gasket.
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6
Place a new gasket onto the bottom of the thermostat housing and place the thermostat inside of the housing. Place the housing back onto the engine block by first feeding the thermostat into the block. Bolt the thermostat housing back onto the engine block with the original bolts.
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7
Close the petcock on the radiator and refill the radiator with 50 percent radiator fluid and 50 percent distilled water.
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8
Allow the engine to heat to operating temperature and check the thermostat housing for any radiator fluid leaks. If there is a fluid leak, the thermostat housing should be tightened by tightening the mounting bolts.
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Tips & Warnings
The Dodge Intrepid should be cool when you replace the thermostat. An engine runs around 200 degrees and the radiator fluid can cause burns if the engine is hot.
References
- Photo Credit radiator humor image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
