Thermostat replacement

ACETHEMAN1

MEMBER
2010 DODGE AVENGER
4.2L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
85,000 MILES

I have the housing off and apart but cannot remember which way the thermostats point. I think the top one points into the engine and the spring is in the housing. But does the bottom one from/to the hose point toward the housing or towards the hose?

Saturday, December 2nd, 2017 AT 1:17 PM

7 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,752 POSTS

The point goes toward the radiator. Think of it as pointing in the direction of coolant flow. The spring surrounds the sensing element. That element has to be closest to where the heat is being generated, in the engine.

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Saturday, December 2nd, 2017 AT 3:29 PM

ACETHEMAN1

MEMBER
4 POSTS

Thanks. So does this look right?

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Saturday, December 2nd, 2017 AT 3:42 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,752 POSTS

If you turn them around, I suspect you will find they will not fit in the housings.

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Saturday, December 2nd, 2017 AT 4:21 PM

ACETHEMAN1

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4 POSTS

I will keep it the first way then. I am sure of the top one but the bottom will fit either way with the big bell like attachment on the end of the hose.

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Saturday, December 2nd, 2017 AT 5:18 PM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
42,959 POSTS

It looks they are both in backwards now can you please give me a picture of the full housing and how it goes onto the block/cylinder head?

The spring side of the thermostat should go toward the engine block/cylinder head.

This may help.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-thermostat

Here are some diagrams (Below) of the locations in all the engine this car came with

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken

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Tuesday, December 5th, 2017 AT 3:10 PM

ACETHEMAN1

MEMBER
4 POSTS

I put the housing back on like the first pics. It seems to run fine now with good heat blowing and never gets above half on the temp gage. My original problem was over heating due to the fans not kicking on and a small coolant leak around this housing. This was fixed by replacing the temp sensor on the top of the housing and replacing the thermostats and seals. I just could not remember what they looked like when I took them off. I usually take a pic before I start tearing things apart.

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Tuesday, December 5th, 2017 AT 3:37 PM

KEN L