Thermostat brand-matter?

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Hi I'm a new member... what a great forum! I've been reading the posts, searching through some of the old posts and it sure didn't take me long to decide to join. I'm from Newport News, VA near the Chesapeake Bay and my name is Wes. I have a '90 D250, 2WD reg cab, red/silver with 170k miles on it. I just bought it two weeks ago and love it, and am now trying to learn everything I can about CTD's, like I have everything else I have owned/worked on (SB/BB Mopars, Chrysler Turbo 4cylinders)

I will be using my truck as a 50+ mile a day daily driver, and a tow vehicle for my racing Mopars.

Now for my question. Ever since the day I brought it home, it has run TOO cold, acting like the thermostat is sticking open. With the weather like it is, I wasn't sure until now that this is not only NOT normal, but dangerous to the health of the engine. It has never been anywhere in the "normal" range any part of my trip... which means no heat, but now I'm worried about damage to the engine. Not sure how long the previous owner has run it like this. . we may need to have a talk. Now I called around and finally found a local Dodge Dealer who stocks the Cummins thermostat. . for $33. Autozone has one for $4. Is it worth the difference? The only post I found during the search on this said that the parts store one "wandered" on the gauge a little more than the Dodge one does.

I just hope I haven't done any damage by driving this past (200 miles) or so, this COLD... .

Anyway... Have a Merry Christ Mass to all and I look forward to some good conversation!

-Wes

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WDW
'90 W250 Daily Driver
'72 Valiant Pro Street Supercharged 383

 

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No harm, no foul. . These ol' beasts are cold blooded!!
IMHO Get a winterfront for any temps below 40°F to keep some heat, without it your gauge won't clear the first tick after C even on the highway unless you are towing.

I stuck with the Cummins thermostat just to be sure the part is quality. $4 is worth just that.

Good luck and Welcome!!!

J-eh

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Jason Hoffman
Lil' Mack - 89 D250LE 5 Spd 3. 54 Reg Cab. K&N,"tweaked pump", BD Injectors, Banks Pyro/Boost, 3. 5" Exst tail section straight. E&M Custom seats. Bosch H4, PIAA 80W/80W HdLites. 100W Drv,55W Fogs. 237,500 miles (380,000 Kms) 7850 Hrs.
Cummins Power Booster member.
The Original Turbo Diesel

Lil' Mack Pics

 

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Hello Wes, I purchased a thermostat from NAPA for $12 and it works very well. When it gets real cold (below 0, like now) my temperature guage will hardly move unless I am really getting on it. I just put cardboard over 3/4 of the radiator and that helps the engine warm up. Have a good Christmas!!

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Jeremy Sweeten
1992 Dodge W-250 4x4
Cummins Diesel, Intercooled,
LE Package, 165K, AT, Warner Hubs, 3. 54 limited slip differentials, 3" straight pipe, K&N air filter
http://home.earthlink.net/~sweeten1/index.htm

 

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BadHemi,
If the one at the part store looks like the ones you would put in a car then that isn't the correct one. The correct one looks different. The car looking one will work but you will get gauge fluctuations all the time. Please excuse the technical explanation.

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90 W250, 5-speed, isspro gauges, 16 cm2, K&N, Borgeson shaft, JRE 3" exhaust

 

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I bought the NAPA one, they always close much earlier than the other stores so I never get to check them due to my working hours. I think the difference in the Cummins part is it's a dual stage thermostat correct? Compared to other parts of the country, we have mild winters here, and the summers, although humid, aren't too bad, so I think it should be just fine.

I basically wanted to make sure I wasn't going to hurt anything above all else running it on the cold side of "normal" my entire drive to and from work. I'm sticking a piece of carboard on the grill today before I head home... Thanks for the replies. Now to clean off the EGG stuck to the side of my truck... PUNKS!!! (shakes fist) heh. .

-Wes

 

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Welcome Wes, One bad thing about blocking the front of the radiator is that you may also block the Intercooler if your truck happens to have one. I am not sure when they started coming as standard equipment. Some people have placed cardboard between the intercooler and radiator which is better. I replaced my thermo a while back and after it does its little dance it will settle down and behave. Scarey watching it start off at the high mark, go to low, go back to high and do this for a few times. When it is near the high mark, I take it easy on the motor. Hate to crack a head.
Aside from this, BADHEMI. I hope because it is a go fast mean hemi and not just a junk bad hemi... LOL. Gotta Love those MOPARS. MOPAR OR NO CAR. Have a happy XMAS.

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Scott
92 Ram, Bright White, Club Cab, LE package, 4x4, 130K, 3. 54 gears, Auto, Extra transmission Cooler, 285x75x16 Cooper Discovery A/T, 16X10 American Racing rims, RS9000, Tekonsha, Running boards, Lund Sunvisor & bug shield, Marker lights, Tonneau cover, Full cap, DynoMax, 5" Chrome tip, 16 cm Turbo, Isspro Boost, 23 lbs Boost, Pump Adj, Sprayed in Bed-liner, Rubber mat

'SHAKES, RATTLES & GOES'

 

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Welcome Wes-When you buy the thermostat be sure and get the nice little rubber gasket that does not come with it. Napa sells the rubber replacement gasket and I think it is always a good idea to replace related things like gaskets when it is so easy to do. I run a winter front and this keeps the temps reasonable and dosen't deem to affect my intercooler. with your '90 I think you won't have to worry about the intercooler issue, though. Any good canvas shop can make you a winter front or there are some available from parts stores. Even with the winter front it is hard to get my truck hot when the temps get below zero.

 

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I went ahead and bought the Cummins/Dodge dealer thermostat for $33!!! Well worth it for my truck I say... I gave up trying to find all the gaskets and decided to quit being a cheapass and get the right part. You get the rubber seal, the gasket and the CORRECT thermostat. I'll use the NAPA T-stat in my 383. . looks like it'll fit, and it's a "heavy duty" 180... perfect.

About that winter front, I fabricated one temporarily and it helps. The weather has been too cold here lately to replace the T-stat so in the mean time I'm using the home-made winter front and it warms up to 1/4 way on the gauge now and I get some heat, ALMOST before I get to work 20 miles away... . Heh.

I'll look into that canvas shop idea, would be nice to have a grey one to match the truck trim. Thanks.

BH

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WDW
'90 W250 Daily Driver
'72 Valiant Pro Street Supercharged 383