My wife''s 97 Bravada started to have the thermostat gauge on her car</span></font> go up to the redline and then back down again on her way to work. I''ve never had this problem before. She was driving it and
the heat was working fine...but then the gauge went almost to the red
and the check gauges light went on and the heat stopped working. It went back down to normal when stopped
but kept going up obviously when she was driving. I had her fill up the resevoir to make sure that was full but it didn''t correct the problem. It''s been happening when it''s really cold in the morning. We live in different
states so I''m trying to figure it out so she doesn''t have to take it to
a shop. Any ideas on what the problem might be? Thanks!

Sounds like the t stat is getting stuck closed.

Would that happen just when it''s really cold out?

It could happen any time. Remember the t-stat will close every time the truck cools off, so it could get stuck closed at any time. It''s a cheap and easy thing to change, and probably needs doing anyway if it has never been done.

Like Iflylow said it could happen anytime. I had one stuck open one time. I have also read that sometimes when a t stat get stuck closed that the pressure from the hot coolant(whats in the block) will push the t stat open enough to let the cooler coolant in then the t stat shuts and gets stuck again till the pressure builds back up. I would change the t stat out just because its cheap.

I''ve changed my thermostat in a couple of my other cars. Is the thermostat housing easy to get to in the Bravada? What degree thermostat would be best to get for it?

I only saw two t stats, one was 190* and the other was 195*. 5* aint much but I would go with the 195*.


https://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y1...81323_21-1.jpgEdited by: rustyballs_69

rusty;; EXCELLENT POSTING.

Thank you sir!!

Yeah thanks for the pic...that really helps! I can change the thermostat without having to drain the whole system right? I know when I''ve changed my other one''s i just drained the whole system just to change the coolant.