Sorry if this has been covered by someone with my same setup

Motorad176 t-stat,Stant 18lbs Locking & clamped overflow hose (both sides)

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc154/Jeep_Trick/ValintineOneand%20Tints/P1010203.jpg

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc154/Jeep_Trick/ValintineOneand%20Tints/P1010204.jpg


This is what I'm getting :mad:

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc154/Jeep_Trick/ValintineOneand%20Tints/P1010216.jpg


Pink stuff is coolant spray

It appears to me that its coming out of the upper radiator hose where it meets the t-stat spout (it gathers on the top of the spout lip that’s why I don’t believe its coming from the t-stat itself and rather the hose)

So do I need to screw clamp all the hoses? If I do, will it find another way out?

What would cause the additional pressure in the system (the locking cap?)

Performance wise its great, coolant wise it sucks

I think changing the t-stat can increase pressure.

I have the stock t-stat with the stant cap. And sometimes I get spray on the under side of the hood and on the battery and the powersteering fluid res. it must be hitting the fan when it sprayes out. I hope it's not the water pump. I can't see where it is coming from.

T

Sorry if this has been covered by someone with my same setup

Motorad176 t-stat,Stant 18lbs Locking & clamped overflow hose (both sides)

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc154/Jeep_Trick/ValintineOneand%20Tints/P1010203.jpg

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc154/Jeep_Trick/ValintineOneand%20Tints/P1010204.jpg


This is what I'm getting :mad:

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc154/Jeep_Trick/ValintineOneand%20Tints/P1010216.jpg


Pink stuff is coolant spray

It appears to me that its coming out of the upper radiator hose where it meets the t-stat spout (it gathers on the top of the spout lip that’s why I don’t believe its coming from the t-stat itself and rather the hose)

So do I need to screw clamp all the hoses? If I do, will it find another way out?

What would cause the additional pressure in the system (the locking cap?)

Performance wise its great, coolant wise it sucks


Some people might disagree but the aftermarket tstats put more pressure on the system. I had one of my coolant hoses blow off, leaks from my cap, and the thermostat gasket go bad 8 months after changing out the tstat. I am back with the stock tstat right now until I figure out what aftermarket one does not effect pressure. I feel it has to do with the size and shape of the tstat opennings. And the coolant hose blowing off left me stranded on the side of the highway about 200 miles from home!

I think changing the t-stat can increase pressure.

I have the stock t-stat with the stant cap. And sometimes I get spray on the under side of the hood and on the battery and the powersteering fluid res. it must be hitting the fan when it sprayes out. I hope it's not the water pump. I can't see where it is coming from.

T


T unless the tstat your using has a smaller diameter thats not the cause of the coolant spray, make sure the stant is correctly seated and make sure your not spraying from the over fill tube.

The motorad is the has the exact same diameter flow opening but is 1mm bigger for fitment.

Some people might disagree but the aftermarket tstats put more pressure on the system. I had one of my coolant hoses blow off, leaks from my cap, and the thermostat gasket go bad 8 months after changing out the tstat. I am back with the stock tstat right now until I figure out what aftermarket one does not effect pressure. I feel it has to do with the size and shape of the tstat opennings. And the coolant hose blowing off left me stranded on the side of the highway about 200 miles from home!

The motorad is very similar to the stock as far as the thermostat opening size goes

T unless the tstat your using has a smaller diameter thats not the cause of the coolant spray, make sure the stant is correctly seated and make sure your not spraying from the over fill tube.

The motorad is the has the exact same diameter flow opening but is 1mm bigger for fitment.

I agree. I did a full write up about this a few weeks ago (pictures and all). The ValuCraft stat whether it be the 170 or 180 has the same port size and will not increase system pressure.

I also had a line blow off after i put in my 180* Tsat. they replace the stat... then it happened agiain! Brought it in, false radiator cap... happened a 3rd time and I sold the truck. Good luck. I never found out what was going on.

A little algebra. If (a) a lower temp stat + (b) lower H2O temps = (c) more hp, how can a+b also = (d) more cooling sytem pressure? Understanding that (d) more system pressure = (e) higher water temps and (e) higher water temps + (d) more cooling sytem pressure never equal (c) more hp?

JT -
I realize this is a small detail, does that aftermarket have a ~1/16" bleed hole?..

I also had a line blow off after i put in my 180* Tsat. they replace the stat... then it happened agiain! Brought it in, false radiator cap... happened a 3rd time and I sold the truck. Good luck. I never found out what was going on.

You had a hose completly blow off? Or was it just leaking from there. Which hose?

The t-stat was replaced with oem or 180 and were you runing with oem cap or aftermarket?


JT -
I realize this is a small detail, does that aftermarket have a ~1/16" bleed hole?..

I belive it did

You had a hose completly blow off? Or was it just leaking from there. Which hose?

The t-stat was replaced with oem or 180 and were you runing with oem cap or aftermarket?




I belive it did

I had the same issue as "tommy25000". The hose backed all the way off causing me to lose all my coolant. No leaks or cracks in the hose. This was the coolant hose running through the firewall for the heater coil. I was using the locking aftermarket cap and the 180 degree thermostat from autozone, I believe the motorad brand. I do push my truck harder than most do since I run it on road course events ever month, so these issues might not show up as fast on someone just cruising around town. Before I switched back to the stock tstat it was just a matter of time before the next weak link in the cooling system busted. I DO want to switch back to a lower tstat but don't want to be stranded on the side of the highway again!

I had the same issue as "tommy25000". The hose backed all the way off causing me to lose all my coolant. No leaks or cracks in the hose. This was the coolant hose running through the firewall for the heater coil. I was using the locking aftermarket cap and the 180 degree thermostat from autozone, I believe the motorad brand. I do push my truck harder than most do since I run it on road course events ever month, so these issues might not show up as fast on someone just cruising around town. Before I switched back to the stock tstat it was just a matter of time before the next weak link in the cooling system busted. I DO want to switch back to a lower tstat but don't want to be stranded on the side of the highway again!

I'm thinking I'll leave the t-stat and go back to the oem cap as I have clamped the over flow hose

Allow the system to relive the pressure to the overflow tank with a lower pressure cap

I would think that the locking cap only increases the pressure and doesn't let the system vent

Has any one ever had the resrve lid pop open or blow out?

I had the same issue as "tommy25000". The hose backed all the way off causing me to lose all my coolant. No leaks or cracks in the hose. This was the coolant hose running through the firewall for the heater coil. I was using the locking aftermarket cap and the 180 degree thermostat from autozone, I believe the motorad brand. I do push my truck harder than most do since I run it on road course events ever month, so these issues might not show up as fast on someone just cruising around town. Before I switched back to the stock tstat it was just a matter of time before the next weak link in the cooling system busted. I DO want to switch back to a lower tstat but don't want to be stranded on the side of the highway again!

i noticed my hose coming loose as well, the same hose sunny is talking about. noticed this when i had the intake off to put on the phenolic spacers. saw the pink spray and noticed the hose on the left looking into the engine bay was slipping off when compared to the right side. i have the identical set up. the 180 motorad t-stat and the stant cap. used to get a lil spray from the cap but none after installing the stant cap. not sure if the hose has slipped back down, since fixing it, but i don't smell any coolant so....and as for driving her hard, always. i am also located in CO at higher elevations, wouldn't the pressure be greater up here, hence having more issues than others?? currently everything seems to be a-ok

A little algebra. If (a) a lower temp stat + (b) lower H2O temps = (c) more hp, how can a+b also = (d) more cooling sytem pressure? Understanding that (d) more system pressure = (e) higher water temps and (e) higher water temps + (d) more cooling sytem pressure never equal (c) more hp?

and who said Realtors can't add:D

This may be beating a dead horse for some :( but,

I went back to the oem cap and wa-la, coolant coming out from the cap now :mad:

What causes the excessive pressure to the coolant system which causes blowout?

Only the t-stat is changed, what if the travel of the t-stat is different?

I’m not talking about the circumference, I'm talking about the actual travel

Any thoughts?

And is there anyway to monitor coolant pressure with the dashhawk?

I've had problems such as what you're experiencing with other vehicles in the past due to air being trapped in the system. Are you sure all the air is out of the system?

I haven't done anything with the cooling system of my SRT8 yet, but this is what I've done with other vehicles.

Some vehicles have a air bleed screw on the water pump, but this method will work regardless:

Fill up the cooling system overflow to full. Fill up the radiator to full (everything cold). Leave the radiator cap off the radiator. Start the vehicle up. Let it warm up several minutes. Eventually you'll see some air bubbles come up out of the radiator. The level may go down a bit... then come back up. Wait until it starts overflowing. Now quickly put on the radiator cap and tighten it down. Stop the vehicle, top off the coolant overflow and you've now successfully done what many refer to as "burping" the cooling system.

Give this a try. I'm curious as to what others think of this method as I've never done it on an SRT8 but has worked several times in the past on past vehicles of mine (and even my quads and Rhino).

Mike

I am glad I chose to stay with my stock stat and stock cap. Am I loosing a 10th in the Qtr in the Summer? Probably, but my Jeep has been 100% reliable to date, and with the B&G flash the fans feep things very close to 200all the time. I further find the stock stat to be better in the Winter months as the truck warms up as designed which impacts lubrication, sludge buildup etc.

I have never had any spray or leakage of any kind. I don't believe that adding all kinds of clamps to squeeze the heck out of the hoses will serve any purpose other than to adversely impact the long term reliability of these parts. Higher pressure aftermarket caps are overkill which add stress to the entire cooling system trying to compensate for the problem.

The evidence pretty clearly demonstrates that aftermarket stats/caps do put more pressure on the system, resulting in spray, and until someone engineers a cooler stat to Mopar SRT OEM characteristics mine will stay stock.

I am glad I chose to stay with my stock stat and stock cap...
Me too. It's amazing how many problems that you read about from SRT owners changing out their thermostats. I don't care what anyone says, no one will ever convince me that it doesn't fall under the "dumb mods" category.

Me too. It's amazing how many problems that you read about from SRT owners changing out their thermostats. I don't care what anyone says, no one will ever convince me that it doesn't fall under the "dumb mods" category.

Low price of admission? Check.
Operating temp now 198 instead of 215? Check.
Oil temp 10 degrees lower? Check.
"Dumb mod"? Uh...no.

Low price of admission? Check.
Operating temp now 198 instead of 215? Check.
Oil temp 10 degrees lower? Check.
"Dumb mod"? Uh...no.

Erratic heater temperatures? Check.
CEL's? Check.
Coolant leaks? Check.
Increased exhaust emissions? Check.
Decreased mileage? Check
Longer warm up time? Check
etc.

In my opinion the "benefits" of installing lower temp thermostat year-round are outweighed by the drawbacks. I think just a fan mod is a better idea with the same result, and just when you want or "need" it. Our engines were designed to run @215, and after almost 70 track runs the past couple of years, my best times have been when the engine has been the warmest. For others, your mileage may vary.

I've had the jeep for 3 months and will be getting my third radiator cap this weekend! Have stock tstat and cap and can't get rid of the damn spray. So I personally don't think its the tstat, but I'm no pro.

So I was thinking, when I first got the Jeep my coolant level seemed a little low in the overflow tank... Never had any issues with coolant spraying... Got the oil changed about a month later and they filled the tank up over the "full" line, I have had the coolant spray ever since... Could this have had an effect?

see pic of before coolant spray began

Under the heading "I don't know how to explain it"...

Put in 180 t-stat with stock cap = spray from cap after hard driving.

Put on aftermarket locking cap = spray from cap after hard driving.

Put on headers, heads & cam = not a drop of spray after much harder driving over 3K miles.

So there is a solution to the problem with the $20 mod...just spend $5K more...

Erratic heater temperatures? Check.
CEL's? Check.
Coolant leaks? Check.
Increased exhaust emissions? Check.
Decreased mileage? Check
Longer warm up time? Check
etc.

In my opinion the "benefits" of installing lower temp thermostat year-round are outweighed by the drawbacks. I think just a fan mod is a better idea with the same result, and just when you want or "need" it. Our engines were designed to run @215, and after almost 70 track runs the past couple of years, my best times have been when the engine has been the warmest. For others, your mileage may vary.


If you have all of those symptoms, you have other probs than a low temp stat. Or, your talking about things you do not know. Emissions? Do you have a before/after comparison? CEL? Longer warm time? Not from a stat. Maybe the install went wrong?

And if the engine runs when it is warmest, maybe some runs with high 90 degree weather will get you the best 1/4 run? Might have found the best mod yet. We can call it the Texas Heat mod.;)

I forgot to mention:

Increased cylinder and ring wear, shorted O2 sensor and catalytic converter life, higher abrasive particulate accumulation within the oil due to the higher engine wear, wash down of the cylinders resulting in fuel in oil and diluted oil.
Lower temp thermostats can prevent the computer system from going into closed loop mode resulting in codes being thrown and a overly rich condition. Water condensates in your oil causing acidic engine damaging conditions. The lower oil temperature prevents the water from boiling out.

The lower t-stat may provide benefits at the track, but running one year round is a bad idea in my opinion, especially if one never allows the engine to periodically reach adequate operating temperatures.

I forgot to mention:

Increased cylinder and ring wear, shorted O2 sensor and catalytic converter life, higher abrasive particulate accumulation within the oil due to the higher engine wear, wash down of the cylinders resulting in fuel in oil and diluted oil.
Lower temp thermostats can prevent the computer system from going into closed loop mode resulting in codes being thrown and a overly rich condition. Water condensates in your oil causing acidic engine damaging conditions. The lower oil temperature prevents the water from boiling out.

The lower t-stat may provide benefits at the track, but running one year round is a bad idea in my opinion, especially if one never allows the engine to periodically reach adequate operating temperatures.

Adequate operating temperatures being?

Fill in the blank _____Deg.

A follow up, I reseated the hose clamp that is connected to the t-stat spout (were I was getting spray from) and realigned it with the factory marks they make and so far no more coolant spray, Even with a good dozen wot runs to 60

I am still a little concerned about the coolant pressure

Like I said before, some people are looking at the circumference of the t-stat disk but not considering how much it actually opens (the travel of the disk) If it only opens half as much as the OEM it would be more restrictive. Would love to se a boiling pot test of the two :D

I'm in S FL so we rarely see low temperatures, w/176 stat I see operating temps 185-205

With the stock it would spike and hit 225-230

Just looking for an opinion

I forgot to mention:

Increased cylinder and ring wear, shorted O2 sensor and catalytic converter life, higher abrasive particulate accumulation within the oil due to the higher engine wear, wash down of the cylinders resulting in fuel in oil and diluted oil.
Lower temp thermostats can prevent the computer system from going into closed loop mode resulting in codes being thrown and a overly rich condition. Water condensates in your oil causing acidic engine damaging conditions. The lower oil temperature prevents the water from boiling out.

The lower t-stat may provide benefits at the track, but running one year round is a bad idea in my opinion, especially if one never allows the engine to periodically reach adequate operating temperatures.

Maybe we just live in different areas? In Houston, it is always above 50 degrees, so the engine will always get to its operating temperature.

Also, after reading the " higher abrasive particulate accumulation within the oil due to the higher engine wear" comment, where I live is based in reality.

Methinks you have been reading the Antartican's guide to proper auto care guide waaaay too much. H2O Condensation? In a internal combustion engine that runs an internal temp of over 212 degrees? Uh, no. Fail. The comments posted are smart...what your atributing them to is like saying the....never mind. Just don't do the mod. And be happy.

The debate goes on!..I'm convinced it's an cooling system design flaw!...I have tried just about everything..still happens..Happened when completly stock and when not...go figure that!

GC