Running cold?
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,533
Likes: 17
From: SW Florida
Yeah mine did that ever since I took her home. Finally got around to taking a look at it, and found the thermostat in 3 pieces inside the housing.
Put in a new 180* stat (stock is 195*) and now she runs right at the N in NORM.
Put in a new 180* stat (stock is 195*) and now she runs right at the N in NORM.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,533
Likes: 17
From: SW Florida
What was your MPG then and now? Never given me a problem on any Ford... just curious what it did for you.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11,958
Likes: 228
Its my understanding that the computer expects the truck to run at a certain operating temperature and if its cooler than that it will run rich because the computer thinks the truck is not warmed up.
Also, if the engine runs at a cooler temperature moisture in the crankcase will not burn off. It causes more wear on the engine.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,533
Likes: 17
From: SW Florida
Interesting. Mine gets around 13.2 around town, 17+ on the highway... averages out to around 15.2 or better. I'd say maybe it's a difference in elevation but you're near sea level like me so... I dunno. If I ever have a problem with it I'll go to a 195, but until then I just don't see the point since the 'stat only sets the minimum temperature anyway.
I hear you on the moisture in the crankcase. My truck gets run up to temp almost every day, so not too worried about it. That and I change my oil based on color rather than mileage.
I hear you on the moisture in the crankcase. My truck gets run up to temp almost every day, so not too worried about it. That and I change my oil based on color rather than mileage.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 4
From: Sussex County, DE
i recently converted my truck to 4wd, so I can't comment on the current MPGs, since I have not even had the opportunity to put 100 miles on it yet due to my surgery. However, before I did the swap, it was an NP-435 and 2.73:1 gearset 2wd truck, and it would average 16 MPG. I admit, I drive like an old man. The MPG was about 20 on the highway, 13-14 around town. When my 195 stat failed and it went cold, my mpg dropped to about 12 average, with 15 highway, 10 around town (of course, it had to break in the winter and when I didn't have time to replace the stat for 2 weeks). When I replaced it, I decided to try an experiment and use a 205 stat. It didn't really change the around town mileage, it went back to 13-14 MPG, but the highway MPG went up by about 1 to 21 MPG. The average MPGs are about 16.4-16.5 now. The slightly hotter temps seem to allow for a slightly leaner cruising mixture.
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