If you've noticed that your 2000 Dodge Dakota hasn't been cooling off properly when you're hauling heavy loads it's time to swap out that tired thermostat for one that will keep that V8 engine cooled. If the thermostat fails while the truck has a heavy load on it there is a good possibility that you could warp the engine heads and that could cost thousands of dollars to repair. This can be easily avoided with a small amount of time and a few dollars worth of parts.
Locate the cover that holds the thermostat inside of the intake manifold on the Dakota. The cover can be found by tracing the radiator hose to the location on the engine where it connects to the intake manifold. The part that the hose connects to is called the "thermostat intake housing."
Remove the radiator hose from the thermostat intake housing by removing the band clamp that squeezes the hose around the housing. This is done with a screwdriver or an adjustable wrench. Once the hose is loosened pull it off of the housing and push it to the side.
Remove the thermostat intake housing from the intake manifold of the Dakota by removing the two bolts that hold it into place. With the bolts removed, the housing will lift off of the thermostat. Pull the thermostat out of the intake manifold.
Remove the thermostat gasket by peeling it off of the intake manifold. It's possible that the thermostat gasket will stick to the bottom of the housing. If so, pull it off of the housing. It is also possible that Dodge used PVC sealer to prevent fluid leaks. If they have done so, place a shop towel into the hole the thermostat was in and scrape the gasket and PVC gasket sealer off of the intake manifold with a scraper. Once the removed, pull the shop towel out of the hole.
Place a new thermostat into the intake manifold of the Dakota and then place a gasket onto the manifold. Reattach the thermostat housing using the bolts that were previously removed.
Reattach the radiator hose and tighten the band clamp around the hose and thermostat housing. The clamp should be tight to prevent any radiator fluid leaking. Start the Dodge Dakota and allow it to warm up. Inspect for any leaks. If there are any leaks the band clamp and thermostat housing should be tightened.
