How to Replace a Thermostat in a 2000 Dodge Caravan

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Dodge Caravan is one of the safest minivans on the market, and the 2000 model year was no exception to this, garnering four- and five-star crash ratings in all tests performed by the NHTSA. The thermostat in your 2000 Caravan opens and closes to keep the engine's temperature within its prime operating temperature. When it fails to this, by being stuck open or closed, it needs replacing. The procedure for changing the thermostat in the six-cylinder engines found in most Caravans is the same.

Instructions

1

Park your Caravan and shut the engine off. Parking on an incline, such as in your driveway, helps decrease the likelihood of antifreeze dripping on the ground, since the thermostat is at the highest point of the engine. Set the parking brake and block the back wheels. Open the hood.

2

Place the drain pan extension on the pan and place the pan under the radiator drain valve and open the valve by turning it counterclockwise. Remove the radiator cap by pushing down and turning it counterclockwise. This allows the coolant to drain faster. Allow the engine to cool.

3

Follow the upper radiator hose to thermostat housing. Remove the bolts securing the housing to the engine, by turning them counterclockwise with a socket and ratchet. You may need an extension for the bolt closest to the center of the engine.

4

Pull the thermostat housing from the engine and remove the thermostat, making note of its orientation. Stuff a shop rag into the water box opening and remove the old gasket from the mating surface with the gasket scraper. Clean the mating surface of the thermostat housing. Remove the shop rag.

5

Clean the bolt threads thoroughly with the wire brush. If you have the proper-sized thread tap, use that as it will do a better job of cleaning all the way to the bottom of the threads.

6

Apply a thin, 1/8-inch bead of RTV blue to both mating surfaces and install the new thermostat in the water box opening. Ensure the new thermostat is installed with the same orientation as the old one, with the thermostat opening toward the engine to allow coolant flow.

7

Place the thermostat housing over the water box opening and install the bolts, turning them clockwise by hand until finger tight. Torque the bolts as follows: 105 inch-pounds for 3.0-liter engines or 21 foot-pounds for 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter engines.

8

Close the cooling system drain valve. Refill the radiator and check any worm gear clamps to make sure they are tight.

9

Replace the radiator cap. Start the engine and allow it to come to operating temperature and remove the radiator cap. Once the new thermostat opens at operating temperature, you may need to add coolant and let any air out of the engine block. Refill the radiator as necessary to bring the coolant level to just under the neck in the radiator cap opening. Replace the cap and check to make sure there are no leaks. Add coolant to the overflow tank as necessary.