I have to change the thermostat in my car and while i was waiting for the car to cool down i figured i would ask if anybody had any tips to make life eaiser.

I already have the cover off but it looks like i am going to have a challenge getting the second bolt out. Looks like i will have to move a few hoses and brackets to get to it.

Got about 20-30 min untill the car cools down.

Thanks

does anybody have any input or do i just have to start ripping sh*t off the engine?!?

Sorry, I don't remember anything difficult about doing the tstat. I just undid the two bolts and that was it.

It's easy. Have a new gasket availible, take the two bolts out, lift the coolant hose off, remove old gasket, pry out o-ring and put it on the new thermostat, put it back in and place new gasket, re-attach radiator hose.

I had a lot of trouble with my SE and the 3.1L and having to take the throttle body and then some off for clearance

Getting those bolts off can be a real pain, at least for me. I don't know about the rest of you, but those hoses and stuff above them didn't budge an fraction of an inch, and were right in the way.

Even not having much of a clue what I was doing, I finished in about 15 minutes. It's not hard.

It was a bit difficult at first, I had to take out the bolt of the front peice that holds the engine forward and take off a clip so I could move a hose out of my way and then there was a smaller hose with some retarded clip that went on the threads of the second bolt. I had to use a huge extention.

Getting it back in was easy except for the first bolt that holds the engine forward.

We will see if that solves the heat prob i have, the thermostat that was in it wasn't allowing the fans to kick in so it was overheating.

It still seems like it is running warm i will have to check out the fans during the day.