Well I would stay away from the Dodge dealer for engine parts, its not a Dodge engine it is a Cummins. What you are trying to get away from is the oem thermostat. But that is just a suggestion from me.

The bottom disk broke off the thermostat on a brand new one. It totally blocked the bypass port on the engine whicl lost number one cylinder with no indication of an overheat. I went through the engine, not checking the thermostat because i just put a new one in. Bad move the engine lasted 950 miles and was right back where I started. That is the end of the thermostat problems, I then bought an engine that cracked in 6000 miles, then another engine and a couple of head gaskets.

 

Agreed! Just went there for information on possible TSB... and a look at what their parts computer calls for. The Dodge part was, however, made by Cummins....at least in a Cummins box.
Going to try the 180* T-stat. Curious about any differences. Based on your expirience...don't see how I can get into any trouble...and I would like to run cooler when loaded.

RJ

 

OK, I got my answer locally. My coworker has a 2000 24V And tows heavy here in the California mountains. He also has to back down the throttle as his water temperature will rize to the upper limit of the white normal range when towing up a grade. I forget that most of the USA is flat. I was towing up over a 7400 foot 'hill'.

 

To answer this from the first post.... No it is not normal. Tell your friend that also. I thought it was for a year or so, then I fixed the truck.

 

Well I picked up my 3967195 180* t-stat yesterday. Going camping this weekend...first time towing the new loaded 5er (except back from dealer)...plus it's going to be warm so I'll see what she reads with the stocker in there and the coated radiator. Probably next week I'll clean the rad, flush the cooling sys., and put in the new t-stat.....then we'll go for a tow.
Do you guys recommend replacing either the upper or lower hoses? They look fine on the outside after just under 60k miles.
I plan on doing my vacuum pump seal at the same time.

 

The weakest hose is the upper. I blew it once and could not get a replacement, had to go to a small town 60 miles away where a dealer had mis ordered and had two. I carry a spare. The one on there now likes to swell. It is OEM.

If I keep having problems with the hose I wll use a steel elbow and hose stock to connect it. The hose stock as used on big trucks is much stronger.

 

Because the lower hose has suction on it it has a tendancy to collapse and shut off flow when you need it the most. There is a spring to keep it from collapsing but if the spring is rusted away then you have a problem. Definately check the bottom hose by squeezing. If you can squeese it shut then it's time for a new one and a new spring. The new hose should come with the spring already inside.

Edwin

 

Edwin I don't beleive that the later models have a spring, mine does not.

 

Well I easily went well to the right of the 190* mark....almost to the next white line on some 6-8% grades. Outside temp was in the upper 80's to low 90's. The fan clutch works....I could hear it. Coming home was no problem....mostly downhill.
I'm also going to order exhaust this week since the straight piped oem is not going to cut it for egt's.
Maybe I'll wait on the hoses...I'm not sure of the expected lifespan, and they're probably not cheap. Thanks for the insight HID & Edwin.

 

Was that with new Cummins T-stat?
I installed new 180* (#3967195) and had a chance to test yesterday. What was always at 190-200* situation, in the past, would not get over 185* this time....and we had 100* yesterday!
Thanks HID.
RJ

 

No RJ, that wasn't the new 180* t-stat. Still have the stocker in there...since I wasn't sure what it would do. I am looking forward to the new one, a clean radiator, and that vacuum pump leak fixed....I just gotta make the time to do it
I'm glad the 180* gave you good results !!!

 

Well I put the new Cummins 180* t-stat in yesterday, pulled the radiator and cleaned all the junk off it from the old puke bottle, flushed it and the block, put in a bottle of Water Wetter and filled with Alliance 50/50 premix (which is blue) ...never saw that before.
Anyway, I didn't tow yet, but the gauge needle sits just a tad lower than it did normally before so that's a good sign. Can't wait to get the 4" exhaust on this week, and tow the 5er to see the real difference.
I also did the Vacuum Pump reseal. It was fairly easy, and I left the power steering pump hooked up too instead of taking the whole assembly out.

 

Lots of good info on this thread here. But what were your results moose? Also, is there any place to buy the cummins TS online?

 

Any 24v which hasn't had the puke bottle regularly serviced every 2 or 3000 miles, or moved away from the front of the engine, will eventually have over heating problems when towing. The problems begin at 30 to 50,000 miles. It's a fact of life and is the cause of nearly all 24v over heating problems.

Once the outside of the radiator is flushed and cleaned, the fan clutch will also begin to operate properly because it getting the enough hot air through the radiator which triggers it to enguage the way it was engineered to do.

 

I got my 180 degree TS from napa or kragen. it was a 'performance' version. Still the overheating still happens. It is hot here in the summer and hauling an empty two horse trailer will overheat it going over the grades.

I'll check the lower hose. It would be cool to actually find out what the issue is. I'm sure the truck has origional equipment hoses at 215 Kmiles .

I have to run the throttle at 1/4 to prevent it from overheating while towing over the grades. After the overheating problem is fixed (working on it for years), EGT is next. I then will be able to haul over the Sierria's faster than 35 MPH (with my tractor in tow (ford 445 industrial)).

Regards,

HoDiesel