I recently installed a scanguage 2 in my truck and have been monitoring a few settings. I've been noticing that the truck runs at a consistant 173 degrees once its warm. This seems cooler than I expected. Anyone know whether this is normal? Thanks.

 

The Scanguage in my '01 reads around 183-5 when driving around the Lower Mainland, so I think you're in the ballpark.

Mike

 

Thanks for the reply Mike. If I'm running 10 degrees cooler, does that mean that my truck has a cooler thermostat? I thought I read somewhere that stock for these trucks is 195 degree thermostat?

 

My 04' always seems to settle on 188 degrees F when driving empty summer or winter. When towing in warm weather it will hit 192-194. My truck has 195 degree stat in it. You should be able to watch the Scangauge and tell when the stat opens. The temp will drop a few degrees.

 

Maybe someone can explain for me how this is supposed to work. A 195 stat means that the stat opens at 195 and allows the cooler to flow through the rad, cooling it down. If my gauge says that the coolant is running a fairly consistent 173, does that mean that the stat isn't opening? Or that its opening and cooling the truck down so effectively that it cools to the point that the stat closes and stays closed?

Seems to my (small) brain that at normal operating temperature, the coolant should stay a bit higher than the stat temperature. Am I wrong?

 

Mine ranges from 191 to 196 on the SCII.
yours does sound low, but doesn't sound like a problem.

 

Mine on my scangauge reads between 190-198. It will reach usually 195-198 then cool down to arount 190. Summer time it usually at 198. I have heard their is 3 diffrent temp. thermistat for our trucks. If I remember right they were 170-179, 180-189, 190-199. Sounds like you have the cooler thermistat. I think you would use the cooler thermistats for hotter climates, then the hotter ones for colder climates.

 

A 195 degree stat will open approx at 195 degrees. Until it opens the stat is keeping the coolant from flowing through the complete coolant system" loop" where the radiator pulls heat out of the coolant which is then returned to the engine and the process continues. The temp drops when the stat opens because the coolant starts to circulate through the system and pulls heat out the coolant which goes back into the engine. I usually see a 4-6 degree coolant temp drop on my truck when the stat opens. 194 degrees down to 186 then settles on 188-190.

I don't have a clue why you guys north the border would be getting colder stats in your truck. Thermostats are designed to fail in the open position. You can pull your stat, put in a pot of water on the stove and ramp up the temp until the stat opens. Use a thermometer to monitor at what temp it opens.

My 74' 302 has a 195 degree stat on it also and came with one from factory. I tried a colder stat and it seems to run better with the 195 degree which is not surprising because Ford designed everything to work well around that temp.

The cooling system on my 04' is far more efficient than the system on my 74'. In that department Ford really improved over the years.

 

Shawn, I think you may be right about the cooler thermostat. I just took the truck for a short drive to the store, temp climbed to a max of 173 again and then just stayed there. When I pulled back into the driveway, I popped the hood and checked the upper rad hose and it was hot, so the thermostat had opened.

I may have to swap it out for a hotter one. I'm thinking a higher temp stat would maybe help mpgs.

 

If these mod motors are anything like Dodge Magnum V8s, theyll make more power cooler, but be super efficient when run warm.

I'm looking into swapping t-stats in my 00 as the heat never really gets hot, n maybe my mpg will jump back up.

 

The V-10 uses a cooler t-stat than the V-8's do. I don't remember the temp but I do remember that there is different part numbers for them. Maybe one of the current parts guys will jump in on this and give us the temp numbers off of a t-stat they have in stock.
FWIW, if you change out your t-stat to a hotter unit, be very mindful when towing or running hard in the summer. Wouldn't take too long to warp a set of heads under the wrong conditions.

 

I tow a 28' Travel trailer 7500gvw and I don't remember my temp going over 210 deg. when climbing or pushing hard. So I wouldn't be worried unless you start to sky rocket in the temp. But if I lived in the south were the temp is always over 100 deg. then I would put in a cooler thermostat. This is why I bought the scangauge to moniter my temps while towing.

 

My '05 EX runs at 190' per my Ultra-Guage once fully warmed up. When towing our 9k+ ToyHauler in last summer's heatwave, 95-100' in New England's hills never saw it go over 205'. I will have to watch my U-G display to see if the instant Gallon/Hour flow has stabilized to it's normal idle rate at the 173', if not I would think the higher t-stat might help the MPG's some, I'm pretty sure it should be out of warmup enrichment by 170' though.
Typical for motors to be a little more efficient at hotter temps and have a bit more grunt when cooler.

 

Stock thermostat for a 2001 V10 is the RT-1147, 185F.

Keep in mind that a thermostat that is stuck open will cause the engine to run cooler than normal.

 

I know this, I was working in Wyoming and had to make a 2.5 hour trip to Rock Springs the temp was -30deg. and my thermostat stuck open on the way. I barely had enough heat to keep the windshield clear. After doing what I had to do in town I went to the Ford dealer and 4 hours and $189 later it was fixed. My drive back was warmer.