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Should I replace the thermostat on my 2000 Caravan myself?

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D

djheater

Lifer
My garage is a mess, and I'd probably need to leave the door open to work on the car. It's about 20 degrees out, and I know this will take me at least four hours, cause I'm a noob and haven't done it before, plus however many trips to the store to pick up tools I don't have.

On the other hand, taking it in will be $200 I bet and parts and coolant should only be about $30 if I do it myself.

$170 is a LOT of beer.
 
Just a thermostat without a flush of the cooling system is easy. Find the radiator drain cock and drain about 1/2 the coolant out.
Unbolt the thermostat housing (usually 2 bolts), on some cars, there may be some engine parts that need to be moved to get
access to the T-Stat .. Follow the UPPER Radiator hose to see where it is. After T-Stat is out, clean the old gasket off with a scraper
(if the car uses a gasket, some use O rings to seal the T-Stat housing) .. Install the new T-Stat with the Jiggle Pin UP, new gasket,
replace housing cover and tighten bolts. Then refill the cooling system. On some cars, you have to bleed the air out of the cooling
system. See shop manual for your make / model. This is usually done at the Highest point in the cooling system. Bleed it until just
coolant comes out, the top off the overflow bottle. Recheck in a few hours or next day and add as needed.
 
Change it yourself. Now if you are asking if you should change spark plugs on a 2000 Caravan with a 3.3, I would say definitely take it to a mechanic.
 
It's REALLY a piece of cake to DIY. Drain about 1/2 gal coolant and remove upper radiator hose from the thermostat housing. Remove the 2 bolts on the thermostat housing and take out the thermostat AND gasket. Clean the housing mating surfaces. Dip the new gasket in clean water and place it on the water box surface. Center the thermostat on the gasket, in the water box. Install the housing and tighten the retaining bolts. Do not overtighten. Top off your coolant and run the engine to check that the new thermostat opens. Total cost of thermostat, gasket and 1gal of coolant should be less that $15. Knowing you did it yourself...........................................PRICELESS.
 
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