Thermostat Location

Hi Taco Experts!
I just replaced all my coolant by draining both the rad and the block and now I think there is something wrong with the cooling system. The upper rad hose gets quite hot and the lower hose is stone cold. Temp gauge is planted right in the middle. Coolant is just not flowing.
Can someone please tell me where the thermostat is? I would like to try replacing it to see if this fixes the issue.
Many thanks in advance,
P.J.

 

Awesome! Thanks Chris!

Anything special I need to know to replace the thermostat? I'm pretty sure it's stuck closed after I changed the coolant. Any tricks of the trade you can share?

Thanks again!

P.J.

 

I just took my '06 in to have the leaking water pump replaced under warranty, and I paid for them to do a coolant flush and thermostat replacement as well. I asked them to do the thermostat because I also noticed that my lower radiator hose was ice cold at operating temps, even though the top hose was hot.

I suspect that the dealership didn't replace the thermostat. The upper and lower hose temperature difference is still exactly the same. In addition, the dust on the housing bolts and hose connection were not even disturbed.

Please let us know if there's some heat in the lower hose after replacing the thermostat. Thanks!!!up

 

If this is a fact....we hope you took it back and advised the manager....they did charge you,right!.

 

I just went through all of that on Friday of last week. I haven't had the chance to pull the thermostat out and check its condition or compare the part number to what's listed on the bill. It would entail draining at least half of the brand new $25/gal. coolant from the block and radiator. This is why I asked them to do it in the first place, since they were draining it anyway for the warranteed water pump replacement. They still charged half an hour of labor ($50) plus the thermostat/gasket ($30), AND charged for the coolant ($80) and radiator flush labor ($40). I could have replaced the water pump, replaced the thermostat, and flushed the coolant myself for $200 and it would have been done correctly. I didn't argue it because I was extremely angry at the shop foreman for burning up my clutch (smelled really bad) a few minutes before when I asked that he and I take the truck for a drive to check out some vibrations in the steering wheel. I'll not be going back to this dealership ever again.

Anyway, coolant temps are consistently holding at 190.4*F once warmed up and cruising, and only vary +/-3*F while in stop & go traffic according to the temperature sensor (read with an U.Gauge). But that difference in temperature between the upper and lower radiator hose, even while idling, is very confusing. Hoping that the OP can report on whether replacing the thermostat changed anything for him.

Sorry this got off topic.

 

Isn't the lower hose the inlet and the upper is the outlet? If so than its probably normal. Hot fluid coming out taking heat away from te engine and them it's cooled in the radiator and re fed to the engine as cold coolant. I think it's nothing to worry about.