Thermostat

[TBR]

This is regarding the Durango. Every once in a while the check engine light comes on and the temp gauge soars. Well, this normally happens under low stress conditions (ie: cruising at 55 mph with no A/C) and the light quickly goes off (figure 30 seconds at the most) and the temp down. And, actually, it seems to go back down faster if I punch the gas a little. So, seems to me like the thermostat is probably screwed up? Does that make sense? Does anyone know how hard it would be to replace it?

[footoflead]

This is regarding the Durango. Every once in a while the check engine light comes on and the temp gauge soars. Well, this normally happens under low stress conditions (ie: cruising at 55 mph with no A/C) and the light quickly goes off (figure 30 seconds at the most) and the temp down. And, actually, it seems to go back down faster if I punch the gas a little. So, seems to me like the thermostat is probably screwed up? Does that make sense? Does anyone know how hard it would be to replace it?

A thermostat is not hard at all to replace in my experience (89' mustang) simple hand tools and a little knowledge, not much however since a monkey could change one

It could be a sticky thermostat, but that doesn't sound like the whole problem to me..i would say get the check engine code read at Autozone but since it doesnt stay on long you can't exactly do that


I would change the thermostat out with a fail-safe one (fails in the open position instead of closed like the stock ones so you dont over heat) and see what happens and then go from there

[TBR]

How much does a fail safe one cost?

[footoflead]

nvm

It should be in the neighborhood of $23 according to the autozones around me

Its not much more than a regular OEM replacement, cheap insurance imo.


Edit-that price is with the gasket (2.49) i rounded up to include some tax  

[TBR]

Guess I'll talk to my dad (haven't mentioned this problem yet) and pick one up tomorrow.

[footoflead]

Guess I'll talk to my dad (haven't mentioned this problem yet) and pick one up tomorrow.

How old is the durango

[TBR]

It is a '98

[280Z Turbo]

Don't go to Autozone, though. They put useless idiots behind the counter.

I'd go to NAPA, if I were you.

[TBR]

I'll probably go to a regional chain just because it is the most conveinently located.

[footoflead]

Don't go to Autozone, though. They put useless idiots behind the counter.

I'd go to NAPA, if I were you.

There are one or two dumbasses at my Autozone but there are some good people besides them.

Maybe they are useless because its hard to get older car parts or they dont have them in stock;)

Maybe your area has more dumbass's compared to mine...who knows but in my experience Autozone is a good place to start.

[S204STi]

This is regarding the Durango. Every once in a while the check engine light comes on and the temp gauge soars. Well, this normally happens under low stress conditions (ie: cruising at 55 mph with no A/C) and the light quickly goes off (figure 30 seconds at the most) and the temp down. And, actually, it seems to go back down faster if I punch the gas a little. So, seems to me like the thermostat is probably screwed up? Does that make sense? Does anyone know how hard it would be to replace it?

A thermostat is not hard at all to replace in my experience (89' mustang) simple hand tools and a little knowledge, not much however since a monkey could change one

It could be a sticky thermostat, but that doesn't sound like the whole problem to me..i would say get the check engine code read at Autozone but since it doesnt stay on long you can't exactly do that


I would change the thermostat out with a fail-safe one (fails in the open position instead of closed like the stock ones so you dont over heat) and see what happens and then go from there

Is Autozone's scantool unable to read codes in memory?  Does it only rear codes that are apparent during the current "trip"?  I'm just curious.

[footoflead]

This is regarding the Durango. Every once in a while the check engine light comes on and the temp gauge soars. Well, this normally happens under low stress conditions (ie: cruising at 55 mph with no A/C) and the light quickly goes off (figure 30 seconds at the most) and the temp down. And, actually, it seems to go back down faster if I punch the gas a little. So, seems to me like the thermostat is probably screwed up? Does that make sense? Does anyone know how hard it would be to replace it?

A thermostat is not hard at all to replace in my experience (89' mustang) simple hand tools and a little knowledge, not much however since a monkey could change one

It could be a sticky thermostat, but that doesn't sound like the whole problem to me..i would say get the check engine code read at Autozone but since it doesnt stay on long you can't exactly do that


I would change the thermostat out with a fail-safe one (fails in the open position instead of closed like the stock ones so you dont over heat) and see what happens and then go from there

Is Autozone's scantool unable to read codes in memory?  Does it only rear codes that are apparent during the current "trip"?  I'm just curious.

Well, i'm not actually a 100% certain but i don't think it will read codes from memory, but i could be WAY wrong in that.  I am curious as well.

Does anybody know for sure?

[Run Away]

The ECU will have any codes it has shown stored in it's memory since the last reset, and any OBDII scanner will be able to read them, regardless if the code(s) is currently being triggered or is no longer active.

[Raza]

Don't go to Autozone, though. They put useless idiots behind the counter.

I'd go to NAPA, if I were you.

There are one or two dumbass's at my Autozone but there are some good people besides them.

Maybe they are useless because its hard to get older car parts or they dont have them in stock;)

Maybe your area has more dumbass's compared to mine...who knows but in my experience Autozone is a good place to start.

"Dumbass's" = Possessive
"Dumbasses" = Plural

Come on man, that's not even a logical mistake.

[footoflead]

Don't go to Autozone, though. They put useless idiots behind the counter.

I'd go to NAPA, if I were you.

There are one or two dumbass's at my Autozone but there are some good people besides them.

Maybe they are useless because its hard to get older car parts or they dont have them in stock;)

Maybe your area has more dumbass's compared to mine...who knows but in my experience Autozone is a good place to start.

"Dumbass's" = Possessive
"Dumbasses" = Plural

Come on man, that's not even a logical mistake.

Honestly don't you have anything better to do than follow me around and correct me

[JYODER240]

Don't go to Autozone, though. They put useless idiots behind the counter.

I'd go to NAPA, if I were you.

There are one or two dumbass's at my Autozone but there are some good people besides them.

Maybe they are useless because its hard to get older car parts or they dont have them in stock;)

Maybe your area has more dumbass's compared to mine...who knows but in my experience Autozone is a good place to start.

"Dumbass's" = Possessive
"Dumbasses" = Plural

Come on man, that's not even a logical mistake.

Honestly don't you have anything better to do than follow me around and correct me

Obviously not  

[footoflead]

Don't go to Autozone, though. They put useless idiots behind the counter.

I'd go to NAPA, if I were you.

There are one or two dumbass's at my Autozone but there are some good people besides them.

Maybe they are useless because its hard to get older car parts or they dont have them in stock;)

Maybe your area has more dumbass's compared to mine...who knows but in my experience Autozone is a good place to start.

"Dumbass's" = Possessive
"Dumbasses" = Plural

Come on man, that's not even a logical mistake.

Honestly don't you have anything better to do than follow me around and correct me

Obviously not

Yeah, i know i screwed up, obviously i wasn't paying attention.

I think most people can agree that i have gotten better about spelling, etc.    

[280Z Turbo]

Don't go to Autozone, though. They put useless idiots behind the counter.

I'd go to NAPA, if I were you.

There are one or two dumbass's at my Autozone but there are some good people besides them.

Maybe they are useless because its hard to get older car parts or they dont have them in stock;)

Maybe your area has more dumbass's compared to mine...who knows but in my experience Autozone is a good place to start.

"Dumbass's" = Possessive
"Dumbasses" = Plural

Come on man, that's not even a logical mistake.

That bothered me too, but I wasn't going to say anything. :P  

[Raza]

Don't go to Autozone, though. They put useless idiots behind the counter.

I'd go to NAPA, if I were you.

There are one or two dumbass's at my Autozone but there are some good people besides them.

Maybe they are useless because its hard to get older car parts or they dont have them in stock;)

Maybe your area has more dumbass's compared to mine...who knows but in my experience Autozone is a good place to start.

"Dumbass's" = Possessive
"Dumbasses" = Plural

Come on man, that's not even a logical mistake.

Honestly don't you have anything better to do than follow me around and correct me

Obviously not

Well, it's not like I have a job, and it's not as if I'm physically following him around; this one was just too blatant for me to let go.  He did it twice!

[jadewolf123]

says to stop the bad grammar

[TBR]

Well it is doing it more and more often but I still haven't gotten arround to getting the codes scanned. Actually, I was at autozone a couple of weeks ago to buy oil and a filter (didn't change it myself, but I had someone show me how to so next time I should be able to) but they only do the scans during the day it was like 9:30. Working 38 hours a week and taking 3 major classes isn't leaving me with much time to get this kind of thing taken care of. But, tomorrow I get off at 4:00 and have something else in town at 6:30 so I'll get the codes run then.

I really hope this is a simple fix.

[TBR]

Forget to mention, it didn't get any codes back when I finally got it to a parts store (during the day).

But, a mechanic friend looked at it tonight and he says that the temperature sensor is corroded and that replacing it will fix the problem, so I will do that Thursday since I am off. Just got to remember to get the part before then.

[3.0L V6]

Since it's a Dodge, you don't need a scanning tool. You can read the codes without it.

Put the key in the ignition.
Turn the key from "off" to "on", back to "off" and back "on", "off" and "on" (Not to the start position)
Look at the check engine light. Count the number of blinks it does. It will pause then blink some more. ex. BLINK, BLINK. Pause. BLINK BLINK BLINK (indicates code 23)
Then it should blink out 55, which is the sign for the end of stored codes.

Go to http://www.allpar.com/fix/80s-codes.html, they have what each code means listed there.

Edit: nevermind. Didn't see your last post. If it sets another code, then you can use this.

[TBR]

Well it set another code (and I thought that trick was for the Neon only, guess not). When I replaced the sensor I must have damaged the wires (or they may have been the problem all alone) because now it is getting no temp reading at all, even after I switched back to the old sensor.

[ifcar]

The Caravan does it, too.  

[TBR]

Well that isn't working, which is fine since I pretty much know what it is anyway (code 17: Engine stays cool too long).