2.8 Crd Grand Voyager Thermostat Housing

[woodsy0810]

hi all ,,, i have my car in a local garage to replace the failed thermostat ,,,the mechanic said they have fitted the new one but the temp gauge in the car wont work as there was not a place to put the sensor ,,,,im no mechanic but surly this tells me he has brought the wrong thing  ,,,,when i questioned him he siad the one we need is 400 pound from chrysler only ,,,so he will drill a hole in the new part, thread it and put the sensor in ,,,,i have no idea but feel im being walked over due to my lack of knowledge on engines    any help would be great 

[maxcaddy]

All very interesting  .

 

I've been having the problem whereby it (2.8 CRD) runs sweetly, but now gets very hot (temp gauge up to 3/4 or more) when fully loaded/climbing hills. That said, as soon as I ease off, it quickly cools down again to the midway point. When checking it after a run, the top Hose is red hot, the bottom warm, so (to me) all the symptoms of a stuck Thermostat. 

 

Then, on reading on here that the Thermostat failure mode can only be open, I was starting to think that the system had to be okay, and that it had to be the Radiator core that was all gummed up with old HOAT antifreeze, which was stopping the circulation.

 

However, it now appears that if your GV is a mid 07 onwards (mine's registered Dec 07, so one of the very last 4th Gen), it has a different Thermostat and housing, and can in fact fail shut, which would give all the symptoms above ???.

 

So is my analogy of the problem correct ?, and if so, am I in need of a (very) rare late 07 Thermostat/housing, or is it a blocked Rad core ???

 

Advice please    

Edited August 22, 2019 by maxcaddy

[brit644]

Yes..As mentioned you need to give vin# to get correct part..not reg. Post Aug they changed to comply with euro regs [mine was made in Austria] so the sensor was added. Mine was stuck 2/3 rds shut. The sensor is 30 quid..correct therm is about 100..but yuou need to pre-order as these are not made anymore and are sourced from the usa.

I changed the rad also. Once I did full flush found a pin hole in the rad

Mine had touched red couple times on hills so bit worrying as assume affects oil. Hence the change of everthing

Have couple of 20% hills near me so tested after the changes..severely. .Didnt move off the just below mid mark..This is all maybe month back and actually runs better than ever

The therm is a pig, my advice change whatever you can whilst in there. 

[maxcaddy]

Cheers, thanks for answering. I wonder if the 2007 onwards Stat is the same as for the MK5 versions (2008 onwards) ?. 

 

Anyway, would you (or anyone else) know if the Stat is this one  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHRYSLER-VOYAGER-2-5-RCD-88kW-105kW-110kW-2000-2008-Thermostat/232628224210?fits=Model%3AVoyager%7CCars+Year%3A2008&epid=1623209413&hash=item3629b900d2:g:V9gAAOSwJc9aWJpv as that seems to have sensor fittings etc.

 

Alternatively is it possible to either remove the moving parts or sub unit, whereby I would then have in effect no Stat, and then worry about fitting an inline one to the top hose if needs be come winter time ?

[maxcaddy]

So, after looking under the bonnet to see how easy fitting a new Stat could be, I concluded that it was going to be a right game, and as Autumn/Winter was approaching, did the sensible choice and put off doing it   .

 

This weekend (some 6 months later) I thought that to be ready for Spring/Summer I would have to do it, and have spent the weekend trying to get the old Stat off. For anyone who as had a go with theirs, Wow well done, for anyone thinking about it, yes its do-able but a complete bitch of a job to do, and hopefully I will be able to get everything back together afterwards. The biggest issue is the plastic intake pipe which sits exactly where you need to get yer hands. To be honest I came back on here cos mine wouldn't move and after re-reading what's to be done, I now see there are 2 bolts on one side which I missed, taking only one bolt off from each side . If its not raining tomorrow it should come off. My plan is to take out the guts of the unit making it in effect an elbow, and use the inline Renault type unit to control the the Temp.

 

We'll see how it goes  .

[brit644]

The therm you need does have sensor . It changed mid year due to EU regs....Only way is vin number NOT reg [dont forget these gv's were made in Austria]

I bought the therm [correct one] which does not come with sensor [they assume you will use old one] the sensor was 20 quid or so, so bought both

Part number 68045469aa [312634794576] [from jeepchryslerparts] They dont make them anymore, They bring them in 3-4 per shipment from USA so need to get an order in as waiting list

Was 129.95 plus sensor

This therm is different, It is not stuck open as default..twas half shut, consequently had the 'hill engine gets hot' thing going on.

[maxcaddy]

Fairly sure it's one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THERMOSTAT-ASSEMBLY-WITH-TEMPERATURE-SENSOR-CHRYSLER-GRAND-VOYAGER-2007-2-8CRD/293170661711?hash=item444255494f:g:voQAAOSwQnFdP-FT

 

However as I say, my intention is to strip out my existing one and instead use an inline one.

[maxcaddy]

Well I've got the old one off after a mammoth effort and what an absolute sod of a job it was to do, I see now why I put it off for so long. In the end the only way was to break the Inlet air pipe off of the Thermostat as there was no way I could get in there to unbolt it, short of taking the engine out. Okay dead easy when its being assembled on an engine stand, but 12 years later and buried in the engine bay, not so simple.

 

Next, without expending an awful lot of effort I'm unsure that trying to get the guts out of the old one would have been that easy, so I've ordered a new one instead in the belief that if that were to last another 12 years/120,000, it'd be the only bit left working on the car  .

 

In my spare time I've been playing with a an old FIAT, and some of that is beyond belief, like you have to virtually completely strip the front end to change a Bulb, but in comparison it's straightforward compared to the GV Thermostat   .

Edited March 2, 2020 by maxcaddy

[QinteQ]

hi all ,,, i have my car in a local garage to replace the failed thermostat ,,,the mechanic said they have fitted the new one but the temp gauge in the car wont work as there was not a place to put the sensor ,,,,im no mechanic but surly this tells me he has brought the wrong thing ,,,,when i questioned him he siad the one we need is 400 pound from chrysler only ,,,so he will drill a hole in the new part, thread it and put the sensor in ,,,,i have no idea but feel im being walked over due to my lack of knowledge on engines any help would be great

 

Woodsy,

 

For which [i'm a 2005-see my sig line] year ?

 

You must be a Mk (V) 5.

Edited March 2, 2020 by QinteQ

[brit644]

Dominoes......We tried without the wire/sensor connected, threw all kinds of codes [inc egr solenoid as open ground..which I had just installed new month afore] Appears everything is linked to everything..That sensor just adds another degree of pain.

I watched as mechanic got stuck in, saw what a pig it is and told him change everything as you back-out from the bulkhead. Im lucky, he lets me source my parts [like the egr solenoid...paid 14 dollars from chrysler usa...Uk...40 quid used]     

[brit644]

On the year/model thing..Not sure if US manufacturers do it USA way....Buy a car today and its the 2021 model..Of course its a selling/pitch thing. Makes ya think you're getting something afore ya should.

[gordy]

Hi just going to check for these spark plugs fitted between the banks that mike reports. I've a 2003 2.5 CRD so ok ok ok don't rush me, wrong year, you's talking 2007/8. Been one of those days, weeks. Amazing what you find on engines as you get old and decrepit..

Oops white coats coming must go..

[QinteQ]

https://www.usautomotive.co.uk/

[maxcaddy]

At last, later type Thermostat fitted and it was as much a pig to do as getting it off. This later (expensive) Thermostat seem to have come down in price, and mine was £56.78 incuding sensor and gasket https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-THERMOSTAT-PACKAGE-68045469AA-CHRYSLER-GRAND-VOYAGER-2007-2-8crd/273885211824?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 It was exactly the same as the one already on there, and unfortunately seemed too difficult to test in a saucepan, so I fitted it hoping it would work well.

 

So all fitted refilled with new antifreeze, fired it up to check for leaks, and out on a test run , which of course it half past and half failed  . It's definitely running cooler, and there's flow in the top hose whereas before it was solid, but when provoked, it still gets hotter than it should 

 

Which leaves the Rad as the only area left to try. It wasn't fully blocked but equally wasn't gushing out either, making me think its too restrictive. So rather than strip that out to find it's not that easy to clean/empty out, I've spotted a new rad on eBay  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHRYSLER-GRAND-VOYAGER-VOYAGER-MK3-2-8-CRD-DIESEL-RADIATOR-2004-2008/163907916266?hash=item2629ac51ea%3Ag%3A3qUAAOSwWktdytoH&LH_ItemCondition=3&shqty=1&isGTR=1#shId  being sold for £36.90, which seems too good to be true ?. 

 

If anyone's still awake after all this, I'm always open to better analysis/suggestions  .

[bignev]

Yep I'd reckon your going in the right direction.

 

I changed the rad on our 3.3 1 year & a half ago for one from ebay, a different supplier, £56, and it wasn't quite spot on, the air con condenser coil fixings were a bit out, but at that point I was that naffed off with it (a few things had gone in rapid succession) I just zip tied it on. Still there so far.

 

Our rad wan't clogged, just rotting and leaking.

 

But at £36 if you're fitting it yourself I'd probably give it a go! Unless you went for the other genuine one that's 3 years old that's on there for £44.50 plus £7.28 next day delivery.

[maxcaddy]

So it was a nice day today, and I finally got the Rad out.

 

Whoever the Clown was at Chrysler who thought it was a good idea to put steel bolts into steel nuts in-order to hold the Rad in place, but then have those nuts only retained by the plastic around the Rad, which after 13 years had all rusted solid and allowed the nuts to spin in the plastic, making me drill and cut each of them off, doesn't deserve rewarding  . It wasn't a 5 minute job  .

 

Anyway, the old Rad was half blocked with oily crap, so I'm now optimistic the new one will work better. The other benefit is that the Rad off of eBay must have been wrongly priced as its now for sale at £136.90, and not the £36.90 that I paid 

 

 

 

 

[bignev]

So, which is the new one??

 

Good job mate, I seem to recall snapping small bolts now you mention it. I was lucky at that I suppose, they had corroded further so had no strength left!!!

 

Mine doesn't have the intercooler of the diesel so maybe that had some bearing on it, can't think why it should though.

[maxcaddy]

hi all ,,, i have my car in a local garage to replace the failed thermostat ,,,the mechanic said they have fitted the new one but the temp gauge in the car wont work as there was not a place to put the sensor ,,,,im no mechanic but surly this tells me he has brought the wrong thing  ,,,,when i questioned him he siad the one we need is 400 pound from chrysler only ,,,so he will drill a hole in the new part, thread it and put the sensor in ,,,,i have no idea but feel im being walked over due to my lack of knowledge on engines    any help would be great 

 

 

So, 3 years on and today's answer to the OP would be different to what it was then.

 

The correct Thermostat (2006, 2007 years) is available at around £55 inc new sensor, which isn't too bad. However changing it is an absolute bitch of a job to do, and if a garage/mechanic wants a lots £'s don't be surprised.

 

A new Thermostat made mine initially run better (presumably by either opening earlier or allowing better flow), but it still built up too much heat. Whereas with the new Radiator it totally solved the problem. Okay, I could have done some sort of flow test to quantify how much more water was going through the new Rad, or maybe it was because mine was also caked in 12 years of thick oily road dirt residue, but once fitted my problems seem to have disappeared .

 

Conclusion is that if you can do it yourself, then it's a worth while fix, but I suspect if it had to go into a Garage and pay mechanics and full part prices, the old girl would be now scrapped  .