Which thermostat?
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 279
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From: Anchorage
Which thermostat?
I can't remember what the temp of the thermostat in my truck is now ( I got the hottest one Autozone had, 200 maybe?), but the gauge stays on 'O' most of the time and only creeps up to 'R' when pulling a trailer with the a/c on in the middle of summer. My truck also has a three core F-Superduty radiator. The 90,000 mile old engine runs like a top and you could eat out of the tailpipe it's so clean so I'm pretty sure the thermostat and everything else is right for the local climate, Columbus, Georgia. What changes do I need to make to the 4.9 before I move to Jackson, Wyoming next year?
Tom Willetts
Tom Willetts
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 772
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From: Glen Burnie Maryland
Which thermostat?
>I can't remember what the temp of the thermostat in my truck
>is now ( I got the hottest one Autozone had, 200 maybe?),
>but the gauge stays on 'O' most of the time and only creeps
>up to 'R' when pulling a trailer with the a/c on in the
>middle of summer. My truck also has a three core F-Superduty
>radiator. The 90,000 mile old engine runs like a top and you
>could eat out of the tailpipe it's so clean so I'm pretty
>sure the thermostat and everything else is right for the
>local climate, Columbus, Georgia. What changes do I need to
>make to the 4.9 before I move to Jackson, Wyoming next year?
>
>Tom Willetts
Tom: A 192 Deg. thermostat is standard for the 4.9 of your vintage. If the temp isn't wavering too much (and it sounds like it's not), I wouldn't worry about it.
You could find a mechanical/electrical gauge unit(aftermarket) and make a tee for the temp gauge sensors. Then run baselines not towing and towing. Mark the aftermarket gauge. But with that 3 row Superduty Radiator, you probably at the point of cooling overkill. You have plenty of reserve cooling there.
Before you go to Wyo. just change all your fluids, and boogie on down the road.
Larry
>is now ( I got the hottest one Autozone had, 200 maybe?),
>but the gauge stays on 'O' most of the time and only creeps
>up to 'R' when pulling a trailer with the a/c on in the
>middle of summer. My truck also has a three core F-Superduty
>radiator. The 90,000 mile old engine runs like a top and you
>could eat out of the tailpipe it's so clean so I'm pretty
>sure the thermostat and everything else is right for the
>local climate, Columbus, Georgia. What changes do I need to
>make to the 4.9 before I move to Jackson, Wyoming next year?
>
>Tom Willetts
Tom: A 192 Deg. thermostat is standard for the 4.9 of your vintage. If the temp isn't wavering too much (and it sounds like it's not), I wouldn't worry about it.
You could find a mechanical/electrical gauge unit(aftermarket) and make a tee for the temp gauge sensors. Then run baselines not towing and towing. Mark the aftermarket gauge. But with that 3 row Superduty Radiator, you probably at the point of cooling overkill. You have plenty of reserve cooling there.
Before you go to Wyo. just change all your fluids, and boogie on down the road.
Larry
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 479
Likes: 12
From: Louisiana
Which thermostat?
I have an original thermostat and radiator with 93K miles on it. The temp gauge stays between the "N" and "O". Only after a long highway drive ending up at a red light will the needle climb to the "R", but it goes back down. One of the reasons I put the Flowmaster on was to lower engine temps. They claimed... less back pressure = lower engine temps. I did notice before I had put the Flowmaster on the needle was on the "O", now it's below the "O". I think it worked. My 2Cents.
1993 F150 XL 4.9L with a series 50 Delta Flowmaster.
Plain and Simple. I Love it.
1993 F150 XL 4.9L with a series 50 Delta Flowmaster.
Plain and Simple. I Love it.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
From: Mesa
Which thermostat?
I just put in a 180* thermostat and my truck runs between 180-190, hardly ever gets up to 200 unless I'm stuck motionless in bad traffic, and thats in this scorching Arizona heat. I also installed a mechanical temp. gauge at the same time, I bought a cheap one, less than $20, but it seems to work. It's also easy to install. I put an electrical one in my car a while back and now I see the difference, get a mechanical, instant readings. 
It's hard to tell how hot "o" is, factory gauges aren't that accurate.
It's hard to tell how hot "o" is, factory gauges aren't that accurate.
