Thermostat Swap
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Hemet, California
Thermostat Swap
Recently swapped out my stock thermostat for a cooler running 180 deg. thermostat and flushed the cooling system on my 99 F-150 4.6. Before the swap it would ping under load or wide open, having a hypertech 93 loaded into it. Took tune out and it still pinged just not as bad. Swapped stat and put tune back and took it out and got on it and took it up a steep grade and not a single ping, not once. While I know this isn't a revelation I figured I would share my results, considering I overlooked the thermostat and thought it would be something I had to live with
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,849
Likes: 1
From: Seattle
I had the same problem with my '69 firebird 400ci V8. The engine temperature would go when sitting in traffic and not come back down all the way with heavy pinging under all conditions. I replaced the radiator with a new one and the problem was cured. The old one was restricted and would not cool efficiently so the cylinder heads would be too hot causing the pinging. Your truck may have the same problem and putting in a 180 degree thermostat is a bad band-aid for the problem and not a lasting repair. The engine in your truck is intended to run at a higher temperature than 180 degrees for efficiency and low emmissions. The problem will come back eventually even with the 180 t'stat. Dan.
