Temperature Guage Cold...Always
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Freshman User
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Temperature Guage Cold...Always
Ok,
Read the Subject line.....my temperature guage shows the engine being cold. Always cold....drove 100 km....cold. Either I have the best cooling system ever, or my temperature guage is gone.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
96 Explorer, 190,000 km. 4x4
Read the Subject line.....my temperature guage shows the engine being cold. Always cold....drove 100 km....cold. Either I have the best cooling system ever, or my temperature guage is gone.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
96 Explorer, 190,000 km. 4x4
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 426
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From: Raleigh, NC
Your thermostat is stuck open. That's a good thing b/c you don't want it stuck closed. Replace the thermostat. One that is 195 degrees. Replacement is pretty easy. It took me about 30 minutes to replace. Good luck!
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Winnipeg, Mb. Canada
Change the thermostat. And like theloneranger said, don't get the motorcraft one. I had Ford replace my thermostat and it failed within 4 months. Went to the local Canadian Tire store, they put a 197 degree one and have never had as much heat in the cab as with this one. You'll get better gas mileage too if your engine is running at the proper temperature.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: SoCal
Originally Posted by wtppower
Is it possible it could be a sender unit of some sort instead?
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Freshman User
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It works ok....I can't remember if there was a major decline. I alwys thought it was a little slow warming up. I'll check that first ...then to the thermostat...thanks for the tips.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Raleigh, NC
Originally Posted by 87 XLT
Hows your heater working? If it's blowing colder than normal, change the T-stat. If it's working the same as always, pullt the single wire connector off of the temp gauge sending unit & ground it. If temp gauge shows full hot, replace the sending unit.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: SoCal
It's very possible that this is a T-stat problem, but it could also be a defective temp gauge, an open in the wire to the sending unit, or a bad sending unit. Hard to tell from here. The first thing that I would do is ground the wire & see if the gauge goes to full hot
Last edited by 87 XLT; Oct 27, 2004 at 03:17 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: SoCal
Originally Posted by wtppower
Is it hard to replace the thermostat? Canadian Tire says 1 hour...but for someone who's never done it...what's involved?
Just remove the housing & theres the T-stat.
Instructions are in your Haynes manual. Just dont overtighten the housing bolts. Dont want to crack it. Been there & done that myself.
New User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 22
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From: desert
What is the difference between the 195 & 197 stat? I've changed mine 3 times but all 3 times changed with (think) Motorcraft $6.95. Also I think I may have stripped one of the bolts the last time but have no leak. If I stripped 1, how do I fix it? I get p-poor gas milage so would consider changing again and trying a Stant (?) t-stat this time if that is going to help fix some of the gas milage problem.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 950
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From: Conroe, TX
The difference between a 195 and a 197 is that some computers like to see the tempature at 195 and others like to see it at 197 to get the best milage(read extremely small difference). They are virtually the same thermostat.
After doing some math I came up with a hypothesis. (edit) Never mind, i'm thinking too hard.
The only way that our milage would change considably, is if your your thermostat was opening 30-40 degrees or more too early and you replaced it with a correct thermostat.
Chris
After doing some math I came up with a hypothesis. (edit) Never mind, i'm thinking too hard.
The only way that our milage would change considably, is if your your thermostat was opening 30-40 degrees or more too early and you replaced it with a correct thermostat.
Chris
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,450
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From: Baltimore
When changing the thermostat, make sure you also change the o-ring gasket. Not all replacement therms have it included, so you may need to ask for it. You may find it easier to take the serp belt off so that the tensioner pulley swings out of your way. I've found that to be the easiest way to get to that third bolt.
Mike
Mike