Change thermostat housing

[beadvised]

Hello,

I'm needing to change the thermostat on my 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SE 3.3L V6. It's an easy task but I have a question about the thermostat housing gasket. The thermostat housing has a hairline crack in it so I might as well change the thermostat while in there. There's a rubber gasket that goes around the thermostat and a paper gasket that goes around the housing that connects to the block of the engine. The dealership says there shouldn't be a paper gasket around the block of the engine and AutoZone says there should be. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[KGMtech]

I have not seen a paper gasket and a rubber gasket combination for a thermostat housing. I would trust the rubber o-ring to seal it all. Once you take it apart, see how the factory put it together.

 

[beadvised]

The problem with that is I've had the thermostat changed before and don't know the answer to that. The dealership says the thermostat housing gasket is for the 4.0 V6 engine and not the 3.3L. Youtube videos show the 3.3L using the housing gasket.

 

[bullwinkle]

My Gates app (NaviGates) only shows the rubber seal around the thermostat and no gasket. A nice layer of Spray Tack or similar wouldn't hurt anything, though.

 

[StevieC]

There are different revisions of the 3.3L V6 as Chrysler used this engine for quite a while. Earlier ones had the paper gasket and later ones have the rubber gasket around the thermostat. It would use one or the other, both are not required. I have changed quite a few myself so if yours has the rubber then skip the paper gasket or vice versa.

 

[Kira]

Related query: If a thermostat housing has a paper gasket, is some compound needed for installation or is the paper alone enough?

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by Kira
Related query: If a thermostat housing has a paper gasket, is some compound needed for installation or is the paper alone enough?

I have never used compound along with gaskets and never had a problem whether they are paper or some other material.

 

[ms21043]

Originally Posted by Kira
Related query: If a thermostat housing has a paper gasket, is some compound needed for installation or is the paper alone enough?


For thin paper gaskets Gasgacinch works well. Use it like contact cement.