i called auto zone,cragen, pepboys,b&m, napa, and a few more
parts places about the thermastat temp for my truck
they all said ford spect is 197.
man thats hot. i even called a parts house in vages same 197
the truck came from vages.
i was hoping that the computer setting on the truck might be a little lower if it came from a much hotter regan.
i now the truck will not run its best if the if the temp is
running lower then what the factory calls for
ie.the computer staying in the chocked mode bad gas milage
and so.
well my quisten is sence every body tells me it needs to get to
the correct temp to run its best why cant or how come some one
hasent come up with a chip or reprograming to lower
the temp setting in the computer so we can run cooler stats
and still get good gas millage.
just wondering
94 f150 xlt
love my truck
thanks marc

 

I thought the stock was 194 or 195? I know not much of a difference but that's what I've always been told.

1995 F-150XL SC/SB
http://members.sounddomain.com/blind
5-Star Rated F-150 (Big Stereo)

 

>well my quisten is sence every
>body tells me it needs
>to get to
>the correct temp to run its
>best why cant or how
>come some one
>hasent come up with a chip
>or reprograming to lower
>the temp setting in the computer
>so we can run cooler
>stats
>and still get good gas millage.

I believe my '88 4.9 calls for 193 degrees F., but I guess it varies a little by model year.

Your question seems to imply that the "computer" could fully compensate for a temp. change from a lower-than-factory operating temp. simply by some sort of software change. If you think about the reason why the op. temp. was set at a specific value (in your case apparently 197 F) by the factory, it should help make it clear. The op. temp. is selected that will best allow the eng. management system to meet all of the (often conflicting) goals it needs to, i.e., best mileage, lowest emissions, highest output, smooth idle, good starting, etc.... As I say, these goals are often in conflict, e.g., highest output is reached easier if emissions are of no concern, but of course that is not environmentally sound. So the op. temp. selected is the one which best allows the conflicting goals and conditions to be met simultaneously, under a variety of changing environmental and operating conditions. If you change the op. temp., you compromise the eng. mgmt. systems ability to meet these goals.

Why is the above true? Because you are dealing with a CHEMICAL REACTION here--fuel burns at a given temp., (depending on the fuel/air ratio) and the cat. converters need a certain temp. to operate, just as the levels of various emissions are dependent, in some degree, on how hot the fuel burns. You cannot change the physics of a chemical reaction simply by changing the software in the engine management system, (other than perhaps for minor changes in fuel/air ratio) at least not without compromising some of the goals mentioned above, because you cannot alter the chemical nature of the fuel (in your gas tank) by a change in software.

Hope this helps.

BigSix

 

I can definitely say that a lower temo thermostat will affect mileage. I get 13-14, 14 sometimes with my 88 5.0, and I have a 180 degree thermostat installed. Which will be changed soon as I can do it. My temp guage rarely gets up to N on the temp guage.
I'm also going to have my cooling system flushed asap. mainly because the radiator in this truck is so stinking thin! Can you believe almost 1 1/2 inches thick? I might one of these days lay my hands on a 460 radiator, which has the same inlet & outlet locations I believe, but is almost 3 inches thick.


1988 F-150, SWB, 5.0 EFI (formerly 4.9 EFI), M5OD 5 speed, 3.08 gears, Summit shorty truck headers, Custom built Flowmaster exhaust system. Force 4 LP6000 lightbar, Federal signal PA-300 100 watt siren, Icom IC-V100 50 watt mobile radio.
=======================================
1965 F-100 (just purchased 1/18/01), SWB, 390, C-6 auto. Dual exhaust, Not much else to do to it.

Can see both below.

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