I want to do an inline thermostat on my D2.
I have searched many threads, and without a definative answer.
There seem to be several different housings and hoses that work, and many of the pictures in the old posts no longer show up.
What I am leaning towards is,

Meziere part#WN0071, 1.25" inline thermostat housing(pictured below).
I see no gasket mentioned, and *assume* this uses an included o-ring?

Which thermostat this takes I cannot find.
I plan to use a 180 degree. What I read says that sometimes a 170 degree throws a low coolant temperature code??
This inline housing takes a thermostat from a ??

For a bleeder,
GlowShift part#GS-AW32 temperature sender attachment(pictured below).
But a threaded insert with a "T" handle is used in place of the temp sensor to use as a bleeder screw.
That thread is 1/8" NPT, but I can't find anything with a T handle, or enough solid material to drill for one.

Lower radiator hose
Gates 22073
This is not for a D2, but supposedly a perfect fit from the water pump to lower side of the radiator, and Without any cutting.

Can anyone confirm that these are correct? Has anyone still here used these personally? Or, have a better alternative?
As said, I've been searching and reading, but wanted to ask before dropping $120

on the set up.
There are too many threads on stock style thermostats of All brands failing.
After the headaches my D2 have given me, I want one less thing to deal with(and yes, I know, any thermostat, or any part can fail at any time).
Thanks

 

54mm thermostat from any late model chevy should work. 180F no matter what brand you think it is will usually show up with Motorad stamped on it (be it from GATES, STANT, AC Delco, and a few others). I’ve always said the basic thermostat part itself is only made by a small handful of different companies & then shipped to another vendor so they can slap it into their housing.

I haven’t personally done an inline mod, but it’s something I’d try if I ever have an issue with an OEM style 180F. As far as the P0126 fault I see that pop up on SAI equipped LR’s vs non SAI.

Also in all my years of LR’s I have yet to see but one OEM style thermostat that actually failed. Even on that one the actual thermostat was not to really be blamed!

I had a friend drop off a D2 they just bought. Had 2k worth of receipts from a HG job but it still ran hot. Popped the hood & looked down. Staring me directly in the face was the original 01 Thermostat from the factory..... 2K worth of work & they didn’t think to change out the thermostat or radiator!!! When I removed the 190F thermostat it didn’t look to bad. However once completely off the lower hose connection was basically solid orange goo! The thermostat was frozen in place due to this goo.

I got him a new 180F Britpart thermostat (back when you could get them stamped at 78C in a legit Britpart box without a freelander mount on it!!!). I also got him a 65.00 Ebay wonder brand new radiator. While I had it all apart I flushed the entire thing & the heater core while I was at it. The T was also trashed so I got another one. After all of that his D2 went from 229F to 184/193/205F tops.

All the issues this summer & last summer were from a certain vendor selling a look a like Britpart 180F which in reality WAS NOT the true Britpart stamped 78C which came in a brown box with Britpart & a D90 on the box. Those thermostats were actually 190F or 195F thermostats & were marked & sold as 180F units. All the issues were with black thermostats which I recommended when it was stamped 78C and by Britpart. I never heard anyone have issues with the180F grey units once they bled it properly.

I live in a very hot & humid part of the USA & I wouldn’t be running OEM style 180F thermostats from Britpart or LR if I ran hot!!

4 LR’s I drive all over (3 D2’s & 1 D1) and they have zero issues. Bleeding improperly or other coolant hardware with an issue will never get the air out or all the bubbles in the world out. If coolant can get out air can get back in especially in the TBH area!!

 

I'll search for a 54mm diameter thermostat online, vs the deer in the headlights look at the local auto parts store.
As for the code only on SAI engines(which I have, and will keep to avoid any other codes) is interesting, but makes sense since it's emissions related.
And, as always, thanks for good info.

 

No problem yeah the SAI equipped vehicles have that additional temp sensor & I think when it combines the upper/lower sensors it comes back cooler so it trips the P0126 fault. My 04 is the only one that does it & it’s the only SAI D2 I own.

 

I took your advice last year and got the $60 ebay radiator.
The quality seems good and it didn't leak...but of course the truck has yet to run.
It has a new Gates waterpump(metal impellar) and new hoses.
It had a white motorad thermostat when I bought it, and ran just under half way on the guage(whatever that's worth).
I bought a black Britpart 180 and an UltraGage after, but again, not yet running.
I do need to flush the heater core too, as I completely forgot about that.
It's given no indications of being clogged or dirty, and the coolant, hose, and even the water jackets looked new inside.
All good signs, but can't hurt given the age.
After reading about several thermostat issues from bad parts, I decided I'de rather spend a little more and buy an inline housing. At least then I could get a thermostat in stock from most anywhere if need be.
My love/hate relationship with this thing wants everything completely sorted. That way there's hopefully less chance of failure, and if I do sell or trade it in future, I can do so with a clear conscience, and a future owner can follow it's rebuild history here.

 

Yeah I hear that, I drive with a Scangauge II so I monitor temps during the summer. D2 for sure in 2018 ran cooler off road at HCRR vs the D1 this year at HCRR. D2 in low manual mode 2nd gear was 188F & stopped on the trail was 209F. Same kind of driving in the D1 was 195-200F & stopped the poor thing got up to 220F..... it was due to a truck not making an obstacle & I was deep down in a creek bed with zero air flow. I shut it off once I saw 220F and let it cool.

I still like my Pyrex mod I have on my 02 Kalahari. I can look inside and see the flow, if any bubbles are present, or debris.

 

I forgot about your Pyrex mod!
I liked that. Wasn't that a $60 tube?
Can you post a link? I want to ad that to my to-do list.
Thanks again

 

My experience with online mod.

You don't have to cut the shroud. It's dark out so I can post a pic in the morning.

Do not buy a stant. Buy a motorad. Trust me on this.

 

The pyrex tube was off of Ebay, but the seller no longer had em listed. It was a 1 1/4 6inch pyrex tube.

 

Did the mode as shown on my 03...As pictured...never over 195 and mostly 183 degrees all around summer driving. so far in sub freezing 175 to 180 ...Very happy.