Thermostat and block heater

[skills4lou]

I finally got my roundtuit and started the thermostat replacement on Bud. Of course the replacement that I ordered off eBay is the wrong temp, and the gasket that came with it is even worse, wrong shape and material. I'm hoping my local Napa has one today, or I'll have to wait until Monday for the dealership to open back up.
While I have the coolant drained I also installed the block heater. At least that part of the job went well. I'm also going to be doing a couple little wiring changes. The work lights on the cab are on one double throw switch, so you only get front OR back lights. I'm going to add a switch so I can have both on at the same time.

 

[coolreinfarm]

You may want to check the amp draw of two lights, with four it may exceed the circuit ampacity, may need to split the circuits. I would go to the dealer for a thermostat, some things on eBay are not worth the trouble.

 

[skills4lou]

Napa usually does pretty good, but this is going to be dealer supplied. As for lights, it'll be two separate fused circuits from the battery.

 

[PILOON]

Napa usually does pretty good, but this is going to be dealer supplied. As for lights, it'll be two separate fused circuits from the battery.

If you replaced with LED light bars or floods the original circuitry would handle the current just fine all while providing better lighting.

On my CUT I front mounted a 12 LED small 12" bar that had 4 central spot LEDs with the 2 sides being floods.
Best lighting ever! (beat the 2 sealed beams and 2 roof halagens by a mile) call it day and night!!

 

[skills4lou]

Eventually I'll upgrade to LEDs, but for now the goal is just to have the option of both front and back at the same time. Most of my snow moving seems to happen before sunup or after dark, so having the lighting sorted out will be beneficial. And who doesn't like having more knobs and switches to play with?!

As for the thermostat, I could use the one that I got off fleabay, and make my own gasket. But, it's rated for 88C, and the OE one is stamped 71C (matches the FSM). Thankfully I'm getting time to do this now before we really start getting pounded with snow. If this year is anything like last year I'll have to change oil halfway through winter just because I'm putting that many hrs on pushing snow around.