I just did this and I made a chute out of a 55 gallon garbage bag (unopened) to direct the coolant into the drip pan under the van. That worked great in that I didn't get coolant on the pulleys, belts or anywhere else.
Great video. Made the repair easy. One thing to add, I took a small cup of water and poured it our over the thermostat housing, found the wet spot on the floor and put my drip pan there. Didn't spill a drop of coolant on the garage floor when I removed the housing.
Thank you! When my check engine light came on after two big and unexpected home repairs, I was really discouraged when my check engine light came on. I’ve never attempted to repair my car before, but this video made this project so easy! My car is fixed, I saved a few hundred bucks, and my sense of personal accomplishment is at an all time high. 😅
Awesome! I love hearing stories like yours! Sometimes repairs seem much harder than they truly are. Like you, the satisfaction of doing it myself is better than saving the money. Thanks for the support and for watching!
Thank you for creating this most excellent instructional video. I’ve watched a few and this is my favourite. I especially liked the list of tools needed at the beginning (I purchased the Dorman as well) and the clear and detailed instructions provided. Also, how you were able to do the job without removing a bunch of parts like the engine cover and air filter. Please keep the quality videos coming on the Grand Caravan.
I really appreciate the support! I always wonder how my directions are received. I've got a couple more Caravan videos on the list to make in the near future.
I was able to change the thermostat without removing the air filter box, saving time. Screwing the nut back on and using a bungee cord to keep the power steering oil container out of the way was a good tip. This video looks professionally done, not like a lot of the DIY videos on UA-cam.
@@reggiesdad2174 I appreciate the feedback. That was kind of a hard one to film being in tight quarters, but it worked out pretty good. I usually work harder not smarter, but I'm learning!
I really appreciate the feedback! I hoped with my explanations and video angles it could help the next guy! I love saving folks money and giving them the satisfaction of doing it themselves!
Thanks very much for this, it told me things the other videos didn't. I was just telling my wife the best way of fixing things on the car with youtube help, is to watch a few videos to get an idea of the best way of doing things. Yours really helped as it was the first to tell me about the bleeder valve!
I appreciate the feedback! It made sense in my head, but wondered how it was interpreted. I’ll have more van videos in the future. Thanks for watching!
Great video. It probably took me 1 hour for the work. Another hour to clean up the mess and put away the tools! I did remove the air filter box/snout etc. I'm impressed that you were able to access the bottom bolt on the thermostat housing! My car has a nasty/sharp ground strap/clamp thing on the frame very close to the thermostat. I put on a leather glove to keep from ripping the skin on my hand. I also failed in capturing all the coolant, maybe 50%. Thank you for taking the time to make the video. Fantastic.
Awesome Ken! I’m glad the instructions could help! I’ve got some pretty small hands! I also dump a bunch of coolant when I did it too. There really isn’t a good way to capture it.
Your vid was a total life saver! Or at least a total budget saver! I just finished doing this for our 2016 T&C. Biggest mistake I made was overfilling the reservoir, which made a little mess, but not as much as it sounds like yours did. Thanks again!
Fabulous video, you just saved me nearly $400 - thank you! My 2nd time doing this job (2nd vehicle) but your video was vastly superior on keeping simple and included the bleeder.
This is great to hear! I'm glad it was easy to follow. I'm always glad to help the next guy save money where I can. I'll have some more sweet mini van videos in the near future. Thanks for the support and for watching!
Great video. I did remove the air cleaner housing to get a better visual and space for arm and hands. For some reason my cheap code reader would not clear the engine light. It usually does clear codes and the light goes out. I had to disconnect the neg. terminal. The light has not come back on, and the temp is normal.
Thanks I was able to do this repair this afternoon. The hardest part for me was getting the hose clamp back onto the thermostat housing. My vise grips decided to break as I was putting the clamp back on making things quite difficult.
Thank you for the guide, I’m an idiot and I’ve never worked on a car before aside from a single oil change. This saved me a few hundred bucks, taught me a lot, and was very satisfying to complete! Lets just hope I didn’t cause any long term issues 😮
You are more than welcome! I'm glad to see you do it on your own. It's always nice to have that extra money in your pocket and get the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Thanks for watching!
Fantastic video and instructions. Unfortunately I’m up in central Canada and it’s -30c outside with a windchill taking it to -41. I’m going to have to bite the bullet on this one and pay for it to be done . Keep up the great work. I’ve liked and subscribed.
Ugh! That is crazy cold. We hit -10f this weekend which is pretty low for us in the Midwest. Maybe if you had a buddy with a heated shop, but sometimes paying the money is well worth it! Best of luck to you and thanks for the support!
Very good job thank you . Money is scarce rite now and the shop quoted just under 400 bucks 😢. Did as you said ordered the part on Amazon the coolant .removed the breather as my hands were just too big to get in there and it wasn't a hard job or terrible at all .no leaks good heat and normal temp again .thank you again for the video 🎉🎉❤.
Awesome! I'm glad it worked and saved you a bunch of money! The personal satisfaction of doing it yourself is a bonus! Thanks for letting me know and thanks for the support!
Great video Chad, I just started getting that p0128 code, looks like this is in my future. Thats 2 words you don't hear togerher often, Dodge and Smart😂.
Thermostat failure with the 3.6 is inevitable. It was a little intimidating changing it out for the 1st on camera, but now you know it can be done in the driveway. Thanks for the support and for watching!
I replaced it, now my temperature is good and it warms up nicely. But the code us still there it says pending fault. I can't clear it. What to do anyone knows? Ill see if i can disconnect the battery and reset the thing and hope that this won't come back.
Chrysler 300s...2015! Replaced 3 thermostats within 6 months...my problem? CHEAP thermostats! Got the OEM part...NO more problems! The part # will end in AA...Every time they make an upgrade the last letter moves up....EX: AA 1st Gen My part was AH...meaning it was redesigned or upgraded 7 times!👍
Since I had the battery disconnected, it reset when I hooked it back up. It probably would with out disconnecting the battery but I don’t know for sure.
“I’m just a cheap moron that likes to figure things out.” Same same! That comment had me dying ‘cause that’s me. Thanks for the laugh - and all the info!
Haha! Good to know I’m not the only one out there! I live by the old Payless shoes commercial slogan. “You could pay more, but why?” Thanks for the support and for watching!
I just did this and I made a chute out of a 55 gallon garbage bag (unopened) to direct the coolant into the drip pan under the van. That worked great in that I didn't get coolant on the pulleys, belts or anywhere else.
That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing that info! I hope others read your tip.
Hi chang haedrolek ger box
Great video. Made the repair easy. One thing to add, I took a small cup of water and poured it our over the thermostat housing, found the wet spot on the floor and put my drip pan there. Didn't spill a drop of coolant on the garage floor when I removed the housing.
I appreciate the support and that is an excellent tip! I made a mess!
Thank you! When my check engine light came on after two big and unexpected home repairs, I was really discouraged when my check engine light came on. I’ve never attempted to repair my car before, but this video made this project so easy! My car is fixed, I saved a few hundred bucks, and my sense of personal accomplishment is at an all time high. 😅
Awesome! I love hearing stories like yours! Sometimes repairs seem much harder than they truly are. Like you, the satisfaction of doing it myself is better than saving the money. Thanks for the support and for watching!
Please add more Van videos! This helped me fix my wife's van!!
Will do! I’ve got a couple more topics to cover. Thanks for the support!
Thank you for creating this most excellent instructional video. I’ve watched a few and this is my favourite. I especially liked the list of tools needed at the beginning (I purchased the Dorman as well) and the clear and detailed instructions provided. Also, how you were able to do the job without removing a bunch of parts like the engine cover and air filter. Please keep the quality videos coming on the Grand Caravan.
I really appreciate the support! I always wonder how my directions are received. I've got a couple more Caravan videos on the list to make in the near future.
I was able to change the thermostat without removing the air filter box, saving time. Screwing the nut back on and using a bungee cord to keep the power steering oil container out of the way was a good tip. This video looks professionally done, not like a lot of the DIY videos on UA-cam.
@@reggiesdad2174 I appreciate the feedback. That was kind of a hard one to film being in tight quarters, but it worked out pretty good. I usually work harder not smarter, but I'm learning!
This is the best of the thermostat replacement videos I've found, perfect!
I really appreciate the feedback! I hoped with my explanations and video angles it could help the next guy! I love saving folks money and giving them the satisfaction of doing it themselves!
Thanks very much for this, it told me things the other videos didn't. I was just telling my wife the best way of fixing things on the car with youtube help, is to watch a few videos to get an idea of the best way of doing things. Yours really helped as it was the first to tell me about the bleeder valve!
I appreciate the feedback! It made sense in my head, but wondered how it was interpreted. I’ll have more van videos in the future. Thanks for watching!
Great video. It probably took me 1 hour for the work. Another hour to clean up the mess and put away the tools! I did remove the air filter box/snout etc. I'm impressed that you were able to access the bottom bolt on the thermostat housing! My car has a nasty/sharp ground strap/clamp thing on the frame very close to the thermostat. I put on a leather glove to keep from ripping the skin on my hand. I also failed in capturing all the coolant, maybe 50%. Thank you for taking the time to make the video. Fantastic.
Awesome Ken! I’m glad the instructions could help! I’ve got some pretty small hands! I also dump a bunch of coolant when I did it too. There really isn’t a good way to capture it.
Your vid was a total life saver! Or at least a total budget saver! I just finished doing this for our 2016 T&C. Biggest mistake I made was overfilling the reservoir, which made a little mess, but not as much as it sounds like yours did. Thanks again!
I appreciate the feedback and I’m glad it worked for you as well! I’m always happy to save folks money when I can. Thanks for watching!
Fabulous video, you just saved me nearly $400 - thank you! My 2nd time doing this job (2nd vehicle) but your video was vastly superior on keeping simple and included the bleeder.
This is great to hear! I'm glad it was easy to follow. I'm always glad to help the next guy save money where I can. I'll have some more sweet mini van videos in the near future. Thanks for the support and for watching!
700 for me
Succint, but clear and thorough instructional video!
Thank you!
I appreciate it! I’m always happy help folks save some money. Thanks for watching!
Great video. I did remove the air cleaner housing to get a better visual and space for arm and hands. For some reason my cheap code reader would not clear the engine light. It usually does clear codes and the light goes out. I had to disconnect the neg. terminal. The light has not come back on, and the temp is normal.
I’m glad you could get it swapped out! I haven’t had much luck with my cheap scanner either.
Great video, thank you for producing it, saved me money and time.
You bet! I’m always glad to save the next guy money when I can. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Thanks I was able to do this repair this afternoon. The hardest part for me was getting the hose clamp back onto the thermostat housing. My vise grips decided to break as I was putting the clamp back on making things quite difficult.
I’m glad it helped you out! You had it almost all the way back together too! Dang tools! Glad you fixed it yourself!
This helped a lot, thanks. I've done before but good refresher. Biggest fight is getting that clamp off the hose.
You bet! I got it off ok, but it took me 4 or 5 tries to get it popped back on in the right place. It’s got a bunch of resistance.
Thank you for the guide, I’m an idiot and I’ve never worked on a car before aside from a single oil change. This saved me a few hundred bucks, taught me a lot, and was very satisfying to complete! Lets just hope I didn’t cause any long term issues 😮
You are more than welcome! I'm glad to see you do it on your own. It's always nice to have that extra money in your pocket and get the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the helpful video. Gave me the confidence to do this job and save a lot of money.
You are more than welcome! I always like the satisfaction of completing a job myself. Thanks for watching!
I may not own a family truckster, but it's nice to know how to fix it if I do.
There is always time to get one!
Thanks for making me comfortable enough to know I can do this on my own.
Good deal! It seems harder than it really is. Plus you can save hundreds of dollars now. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Fantastic video and instructions. Unfortunately I’m up in central Canada and it’s -30c outside with a windchill taking it to -41. I’m going to have to bite the bullet on this one and pay for it to be done .
Keep up the great work. I’ve liked and subscribed.
Ugh! That is crazy cold. We hit -10f this weekend which is pretty low for us in the Midwest. Maybe if you had a buddy with a heated shop, but sometimes paying the money is well worth it! Best of luck to you and thanks for the support!
..that was a fine instructional and helpful effort! Thanks.
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
Just did thermostat on my 201 caravan definitely take the air box out way easier to do the job
I would agree with you on that one!
Very good job thank you .
Money is scarce rite now and the shop quoted just under 400 bucks 😢.
Did as you said ordered the part on Amazon the coolant .removed the breather as my hands were just too big to get in there and it wasn't a hard job or terrible at all .no leaks good heat and normal temp again .thank you again for the video 🎉🎉❤.
Awesome! I'm glad it worked and saved you a bunch of money! The personal satisfaction of doing it yourself is a bonus! Thanks for letting me know and thanks for the support!
@@C10TruckNerd you are welcome !!
Best video on UA-cam thanks
I appreciate the feed back!
You mentioned you were going to show how to clear the code afterwards. I didn't see that part in the video. Could you add a link for that?
Sorry I didn’t mention that at the end. The code resets when you disconnect the battery. When you hook it back up, it will be cleared.
It will also rest after you drive it a few times.
@@C10TruckNerd You can turn the key on one click, pump the accelerator 3 times, turn the key off, and then start the car. It'll be cleared.
It could also be the temp sensor.
I didn’t see the code mention that but luckily it wasn’t bad on mine. I really don’t want to pull the intake to swap it.
Thanks for your video about this issue.
Loved it, nice and short video
Thank you! I’m glad it could help!
Great video. Thanks for posting
You bet! Thanks for watching!
Great video Chad, I just started getting that p0128 code, looks like this is in my future. Thats 2 words you don't hear togerher often, Dodge and Smart😂.
Thermostat failure with the 3.6 is inevitable. It was a little intimidating changing it out for the 1st on camera, but now you know it can be done in the driveway. Thanks for the support and for watching!
Great Video, really appreciate all the tips, now have to change mine on my Dodge grand caravan ;)
You bet! I love saving money and learning. It’s a pretty easy task once you get started. Best of luck to you and thanks for watching!
about how long does this repair job take? estimates are telling me 1 hr - 1.5 hrs. seems high. thx!
It took me about 45 minutes the time I got all my tools out, swapped it, cleaned up and washed the engine bay.
Better that the other videos. Thanks
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
How so i know if my van has reqch the correct temp?
The thermostat will open drawing down the fluid.
This video was super helpful! Thank you! 👍😀👍
You bet. Always glad to help folks save some cash when I can. Thanks for watching!
We're dose the. Gages set. I just did thermostat and I cant tell if I got all the. Air out
I just cracked the bleeder until pure coolant comes out.
Excellent video Chad
I appreciate it! I like saving folks money when I can. Thanks for watching!
I replaced it, now my temperature is good and it warms up nicely. But the code us still there it says pending fault. I can't clear it. What to do anyone knows? Ill see if i can disconnect the battery and reset the thing and hope that this won't come back.
Did disconnecting the battery reset it?
@@C10TruckNerd yes
@@19Blackskills97 good deal!
@@C10TruckNerd yeah!
Thanks for share, you help me save $300 .
You bet! I’m always glad to help folks save money! Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video
Now you can go buy a minivan and swap out the thermostat!
Chrysler 300s...2015! Replaced 3 thermostats within 6 months...my problem? CHEAP thermostats! Got the OEM part...NO more problems!
The part # will end in AA...Every time they make an upgrade the last letter moves up....EX: AA 1st Gen
My part was AH...meaning it was redesigned or upgraded 7 times!👍
Excellent info! I will keep that in mind the next time mine goes out!!
How is the dorman thermostat holding up?
Still working great! Wish I could say that for the rest of the parts. I guess I’ve got more video ideas!
Did the check engine light just shut off or you had to clear it?
Since I had the battery disconnected, it reset when I hooked it back up. It probably would with out disconnecting the battery but I don’t know for sure.
@@C10TruckNerd Perfect, I did everything but it still show the code. I’ll disconnect the battery then. Thank you.
@@sneakerquickpreviews did the disconnect fix it?
@@C10TruckNerd Yes it did. Thank you.
@@sneakerquickpreviews Awesome!
“I’m just a cheap moron that likes to figure things out.”
Same same! That comment had me dying ‘cause that’s me. Thanks for the laugh - and all the info!
Haha! Good to know I’m not the only one out there! I live by the old Payless shoes commercial slogan. “You could pay more, but why?” Thanks for the support and for watching!
You poured liquid in 2 different spots. Is it the same liquid?
Yes. The radiator and the overflow tank take the same coolant.
Thx
You bet! Thanks for watching!
Thanks
You bet! I hope it could help!
THanks
You bet!
Thank you. Very informative. I'm cheap too. Lol
Always glad to help! I’ll have some other van maintenance videos coming out soon too. Thanks for watching!
Good help thanks 😂
Thank you and I’m glad it could help. Thanks for watching!