How to change the thermostat on a 1997 jimmy?

I need a description on how to change the thermostat on a 1997 Jimmy. I don't really have experience with this sort of thing but I heard it's easy to do yourself. Please include whether or not I need to drain anti-freeze and if the car needs to be cool when I change it.How to change the thermostat on a 1997 jimmy?
Anytime you are going to work with the cooling system, you need to make sure the car is cool. Not an extra step you need to know, just common sense.



A thermostat is one of the simplest things you can change. Basically, you're just going to follow a hose about 2 inches in diameter from the top of the radiator near the cap and trace it to the top of the engine. Unscrew the hose at that location and the thermostat will be visible after you remove the hose. Careful not to spill too much antifreeze when you remove the hose. If you do it right, you won't have to add any more antifreeze. Put it back in the reverse order.



If you spill antifreeze, make sure no pets drink it.How to change the thermostat on a 1997 jimmy?
Drain some coolant into a clean container until the coolant level is below the thermostat housing.

Remove the upper radiator hose connection from the thermostat housing.

Loosen the housing bolts and remove the housing.

Remove the gasket and scrape it carefully from the surface of the housing and the mounting surface on the engine. If the gasket remains on either of the surfaces, there will probably bea coolant leak after reassembly. Some engines use a rubber O-ring to seal a thermostat housing.

Compare the size of the thermostat to the old one. They are of different sizes, types, and temperature ratings.

The temperature rating is stamped on the sensing bulb on the bottom of the thermostat. The temperature bulb faces the block.

When replacing a thermostat, be sure that the thermostat fits into the groove in the block or outlet housing. If the thermostat is installed upside down, the engine will overheat.

Install the gasket.

Reinstall the thermostat housing. Refill the system and run the engine or pressure test to check for leaks.

When the engine has reached operating temperature make sure the thermostat opens.

You should be able to see coolant circulating within the radiator.

Another way of checking thermostat operation is to feel the top of the radiator hose or use a thermometer or multimeter with a temperature probe to confirm that the coolant is warming up.

If the engine is overheating, but the top hose is still cool to the touch, the thermostat is stuck closed and must be replaced.

NOTE

When a paper gasket is used and the recess is in the thermostat housing, it is a good practice to position the thermostat into the recess and glue the gasket to hold it in place. If it falls out of its groove during installation, the outlet housing can be cracked or a coolant leak will result. Before tightening the water outlet housing, try to rock it back and forth to be sure it is flush. Housings are often cracked during this step.
For starters it is not that hard to do. I would however purchase a repair manual and have it handy when doing the job. Yes you will have to drain off some of the radiator fluid. I can't remember off the top of my head if you can change it out without removing the plenum but I know you will have hoses to remove and the location of them can be confusing. Good Luck