302 tstat question
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302 tstat question
The engine is unknown year gonna gues at 70s to early 80s. its in my 77 f150 4x4 (vin says it came with a 300 6). When i got it i replace the tstat with a 180* because it was what was recommended. Decided it was running pretty cool (going by factory gauge) and i wanted warmer heat so i swapped in a 192* one. Truck doesn't overheat and if i let it idle in the driveway it sits right or slightly below the middle of the gauge. If i take it out and drive it though it climbs up to right about mp range where it says temp on the gauge. Hasn't gotten to hot yet and doesn't boil over. With the 180 i could pop the release valve on the cap and it wouldn't flow any coolant out of the overflow with the 195 with it warmed up it does. I guess my question do you guys think its running to hot or am i just being overly concerned with it. Should i switch back to the good 180 tstat? I used to have a mechanical gauge i could hook up to it to see exactly how hot its getting but i managed to slam it in the door and bust it and can't grab another one at the moment.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: South west Idaho
I don't see any problem,sounds like it is working fine. I'v had a number of 302s thoughout the years and allways use a 192 thermostat with good results. The original temp guages are not all that good in these trucks . I keep a mechanical one as a add on all the time. I like to know whats really going on with my engine and not trust the original. Don't worry. JIM 
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just makeing sure. I mean i back flushed it and even ran a bottle of the prestone radiator flush through it and put in the new heater core so i dont think its plugged up at all. Will have to pick up another mechanical temp gaugeone of these days so i can stop worrying about it.
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mechanical gauge holds steady at 190* regardless of how i drive it so i guess i was just being paranoid. Might have somthing to do with where they relocated the temp sensor to on the manifold instead of in the top of the tstat housing where i hooked the mechanical gauge to.
