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08:20:30 - 11/17/2024
Dakota Performance
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Jeff
Dodge Dakota
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1/14/2004
01:24:34
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 Subject: colder thermostat for hotter climate?
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Message:
i read somewhere that a cooler thermostat will help your vehicle if you live in a hotter climate.
any thoughts on this?
i live near palm springs, ca - it gets very hot here in the summer months, and never really gets that cold any time of year. would my '99 3.9 dak benefit from a colder thermostat? (i am running 3923's, but no other mods)
thanks,
jeff
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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1/14/2004
11:42:52
| RE: colder thermostat for hotter climate?
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Message:
Doubtfull. The thermostat controls how soon the cooling system opens for the engine to warm up. Once it's open, it's open, and has very little influence on cooling efficiency.
The V-6 usually has no troubles handeling hot climates as it doesn't produce as much heat as the V-8 does. Once summer arrives, pay attention to the temp gauge. If it's running hot, then I would swap in a bigger radiator. You could probably get one from a V8 in a boneyard for a reasonable price.
One thing you should pay particular attention to is auto trans fluid temps. If yours is an auto, I would worry about that more than engine temp. If you do any towing at all, add an additional cooler. If you have the factory HD service group and tow package, it should already have one.
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TexasTodd
Dodge Dakota
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1/14/2004
13:56:30
| RE: colder thermostat for hotter climate?
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Message:
so bob,
When I went to a 180 tstat, the gauge doesn't go up as much at normal operating temp. Then how come, since you dsay it doesn't matter?
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handi2
GenIII
1/14/2004
20:28:03
| RE: colder thermostat for hotter climate?
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The T-Stat does control the water temperature. It is constantly changing.
2002 Quad Cab SLT Plus 4.7 Every Available Option
Bed Rug/Access Tonnoue Cover/Roadmaster Suspension/HO Cams
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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1/15/2004
11:14:39
| RE: colder thermostat for hotter climate?
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A thermostat is almost an ON-OFF valve. Put it in a pan of boiling water and you'll see what I mean. Once it's open, it no longer has much effect on overall heat transfer. Now it's the job of the water pump and radiator to shed that additional heat. A cooler thermostat will open the system sooner, and allow you to get a jump start on the whole thing. But, again, will have very little effect on overall cooling efficiency. The job of the thermostat is to maintain a MINIMUM temp, the water will be no cooler than the rated thermostat temp. It has nothing to do with maximum attained temp.
Todd, your cooler thermostat (180*) allows the cooling system to start operating sooner. As long as the cooling system is up to the task, it will keep it there. But hook up a trailer in July and head north on I-35, and that may change. Now the engine is producing additional heat and the system has to try and get rid of it. The thermostat is now wide open, and won't effect the highest temp.
Jeff lives in Palm Springs, CA. It gets pretty darn hot there, so the A/C is always on High. And there are some long hills to contend with. Those two factors will tend to produce additional engine heat. If the water pump and radiator are not up to the task, he'll overheat. As long as everything works as designed, there should not be a problem with his V-6 truck. I've driven my truck pretty hard in 100 degree temps (>80mph, 5.9, 4x4, auto, 3.92, Colorado) without any overheating problems. If Jeff's truck does overheat, that means the water temp is above 220*, and that has nothing to do with the thermostat. By that time, the thermostat should be wide open.
Before deciding/making mods it's important to understand how things work, and what each part in the system does. Otherwise you end up replacing the wrong part for the wrong reason. You could remove the thermostat altogether and the engine could still overheat if conditions are right.
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