Originally Posted by erick846

If you're willing to try the valve cover gaskets yourself, there's an excellent writeup online - it's just a lot of work, but the work itself isn't really difficult at all.

Originally Posted by erick846

Haha I know the feeling --- No more ski gear for me, it's just U joints, air springs and meter hoses

But on the real, I'm reasonably certain you don't have to worry about the rear driveshaft, most people just rebuild the front shaft because it's the one with the double cardan joint, AND is close to the catalytic converters so that's what dries out the grease.

If you're willing to try the valve cover gaskets yourself, there's an excellent writeup online - it's just a lot of work, but the work itself isn't really difficult at all.

If you wanna switch up the cooling system, I'd say throw the inline tstat in when you swap out the radiator - it's seriously not crazy expensive, and totally worth doing. Also, throw an electric fan in there too. You will have temperatures that will let your truck run until 200k and beyond :}

Originally Posted by chubbs878

I was wanting to convert the thermostat since I live in Texas and temps get well over 100 for days on end but I had decent temps after I replaced everything. Never got over 200 until the temp dropped, therefor losing the extra cooling of the condensor fan, resulting in that small spike. I looked at that rubber doughnut and it is rock-hard with stress cracks, or no - there is a different term for it - encompassing the through-holes for the bolts. If it wasn't wet and raining I would post pics, but it looks bad. Appears to be a much easier job than the front shaft, yikes! Freaking $100 worth of parts within a 2-foot span! Who has the best deal on a full-rebuild kit, including centering-ball?

I'm taking a few days off @ Xmas to do the VC gaskets, plugs, wires and driveshafts. But such as you advised, I will get a new radiator and convert the stat sometime in the not-too distant future

Originally Posted by erick846

If you want to do the VC gaskets, just visually inspect them first to make sure they're what's leaking -- it could be a timing cover leak!

Also, here's the parts that I used for the driveshaft rebuild, they are still available at most auto parts stores and online, unlike the Neapco parts:
x3 MOOG #344 (U-Joint)
x1 MOOG #617 (Centering Ball)

Make sure you have a pair of spring clip pliers

The driveshaft rebuild is VERY easy, just a little time consuming and requires some wrenching. Here's the writeup I used to do it:
www.discovery2.co.uk / Workshop :- front and Rear propshaft

It's confusing to read until you actually get working on it yourself. I'm NOT very mechanically inclined and this was pretty simple.

I WILL SAY, however, there is a 'sleeve' that holds the centering ball in the socket. When you buy the centering ball kit, you'll see the sleeve that slides around the ball. The old sleeve from the stock driveshaft was seized like CEMENT in my old driveshaft. That took me about an hour to remove, but other than that it was just hammering away at the old UJ's and putting the new ones in. Do it! You'll learn something.

Originally Posted by erick846

I'd just pony up and get an inline thermostat installed -- I get 185 degrees at the MAXIMUM (sometimes 190-192 in the summer), and no fluctuations in temperature higher than 2 degrees when coming to a stop.

Anything above 200-205 degrees, with the stock engine, is going to eventually get you a slipped piston sleeve. I'm serious.

Originally Posted by acg

An interesting observation which I would like to share... as well as a puzzle....

I changed to a new radiator, water pump, 180-deg thermostat, temp sensor about a year ago. My temps according to Ultragauge was 188-deg to 194-deg (cruising) and up to 205-deg (idling at stop light).

1) The headgasket blew a week ago. I took it to a reputable independent LR shop to get the head gaskets changed. The shop was not familiar with the 180-deg thermostat. They replaced the headgasket, machined heads and also changed to a new 192-deg thermostat. I collected the car upon completion of the job. Drove her for a week. Ultragauge is now showing 205-deg to 215-deg (cruising) and up to 221-deg (idling).

2) I subsequently requested a change to the 180-deg thermostat today. Observed Ultraguage showing temps back to 188-deg to 194-deg (cruising) and up to 205-deg (idling at stop light).

As I observe #1 and #2 (180-deg vs 192-deg thermostat, that is 12-degree thermostat opening difference)..... there is a relatively wider delta in the respective coolant operating temps at cruising and idling.

What are your thoughts as to the cause(s)?