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Quality T-stat ?????????

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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 06:19 AM
  #1  
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Quality T-stat ?????????

So the original on my '97 went sometime last winter. I finally get to put a new A-zone stat in last April. It lasted 2 days...
A month goes by I finally get to put a new NAPA stat in, it lasts 2 months...
These hang open and truck never warms up.

So I'm sick of this ***** now, do I just get one from Ford or IH, or are there good aftermarket stats?

Thanks.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 06:44 AM
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Jim, I have the 203 stat from the 'other' site. HERE
It's been about 2 years and all is well. It may even add a little power to the engine....I didn't really notice any. The extra cab heat is nice, seems to warm up faster too.

Oh, be sure to get a new water neck...HERE the old one probably won;t seal...they rust out too.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 06:49 AM
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"Quality T-stat ?????????"
No such thing as this Jim!
They all fail in the same way as you have stated.
Have the same issues with the 203* The 203 seems
ok until it goes thru a summer season. Than same old chit starts again.
I have had the best luck with the IH stat. Its a Behr Thomson, german
made. It has a rubber seal on the stat that helps with the restriction
closed. But they also are hit and miss until you get a good one.
They are the expensive!

Bill
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 08:34 AM
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Originally Posted by MADVAN
"Quality T-stat ?????????"
No such thing as this Jim!
They all fail in the same way as you have stated.
Have the same issues with the 203* The 203 seems
ok until it goes thru a summer season. Than same old chit starts again.
I have had the best luck with the IH stat. Its a Behr Thomson, german
made. It has a rubber seal on the stat that helps with the restriction
closed. But they also are hit and miss until you get a good one.
They are the expensive!

Bill
Did you ever finish the 210 mod ?...
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 09:03 AM
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I noticed in my extra parts box that an old IH stat (my '97 wasn't original) had that rubber seal. I'm thinking it's going to be IH this time. Last time I checked they were around $70 I think? It'll be worth it if it lasts. If...

I know about the 203 from riley, I have an IH 203 in my Black truck and never really noticed any difference. I don't know, maybe his is worth a shot this time...

I know all about the water necks, too, nothing to do with rusty, they are just flimsy. Getting tired of siliconing that stupid thing on there, but new ones aren't any better. I thought of making my own with a 1/4" plate on the bottom to be done with it.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 09:04 AM
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I also installed the 203 that cuda linked to late last summer. So far seems to work good, maybe 5000-7000 miles on it. Nice to have the heat especially during the Vermont winters. I did not replace the water neck and it sealed good for me, I haven't seen any leaks.

Is your coolant clean, if not maybe that is what is causing them to gum up, just a thought.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 09:08 AM
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Good thought on the coolant, but it's all new coolant when I replaced the water pump and all the hoses, just after the NAPA stat went in, like a week later. Seriously.

Maybe I need to look at adding a coolant filter. I did that on one of my older trucks, just to be safe...
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 07:41 PM
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The Motorcraft / Ford T-stat comes with the o-ring / gasket installed on the stat. I got allen head bolts to replace what was there and a new housing / neck. No issues. What was in there was the Behr-t. Had a piece of silicon stuck in it.
 
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Old Jul 22, 2009 | 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Action4478
Did you ever finish the 210 mod ?...
Worked well. Problem is its based off the oem chit.
Started working on a temp/flow adjustable electronic version t-stat.
Just have not had the time. The pita is choking off the bypass in the pump
to where iam happy with it. (lenght vs stroke issues)

Bill
 
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Old Jul 22, 2009 | 08:18 AM
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i have had the same t-stat from o-rielys for 2 years now. it gets warmed up quick and doesn't over heat in stop and go traffic for an hour and a half so i guess it's doing a great job so far. my water neck leaks a tinyyy bit. like haven't added any to it in 2 years and you can see it leaks a little. LoL.
 
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Old Jul 22, 2009 | 04:27 PM
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Well I went ahead and ordered the stat and neck from Riley. Figured I'd rather put some $$$ in his pocket than Ford or IH, we'll see if it holds up...
 
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Old Jul 23, 2009 | 09:10 AM
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Noticed this thread and thought to drop a line. Came home last night and saw coolant running out. I cant see where its coming from yet. Anyhow I disconnected the resourvor and plugged the hose. When the truck cooled down the flow almost stopped. I think its the water pump but i was wonder about his flimsy neck thing. Anyhow I will start pulling it apart and see what i find. Then I will drain the rest.
Rocky
 

Last edited by DRRXR; Jul 23, 2009 at 09:12 AM. Reason: fat fingers
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Old Jul 23, 2009 | 10:04 AM
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Rocky,
Pull your serp belt off and grab the water pump pulley. Give it a few tugs here and there. If there's any slop, you need a new pump.
When I replaced mine due to water leaking, I couldn't beleive how sloppy that pulley was, wonder how the thing even worked.

Generally, from what I have run into, the water neck doesn't leak until you mess with it.
 
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Old Jul 24, 2009 | 11:09 AM
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I need smaller arms

Originally Posted by DZL JIM
Rocky,
Pull your serp belt off and grab the water pump pulley. Give it a few tugs here and there. If there's any slop, you need a new pump.
When I replaced mine due to water leaking, I couldn't beleive how sloppy that pulley was, wonder how the thing even worked.

Generally, from what I have run into, the water neck doesn't leak until you mess with it.
~~~~~
I almost cut the top out of that darn fan shroud. Its a killer on the forearms. Anyhow the pully was fine, the seal just crapped out. Got er done.
A while back my wife was driving this on a trip and the fan belt died. I think that the darn fools put it on wrong as it was loose as a goose. I think they had it bassackwards on the cam and pump. Not sure, but I need to restudy if the way Ithink they had it would have still worked. I got it on right and there is hardly any slack. Before the change out, the dang belt kept slipping when I was pulling the belt guide (pully) off the pump.

I tried to find the IH 203 deg. F around here but could not fined it. I think I will order one if thats what the group thinks is the way to go. It should not be to hard to get the bolts back off and all seeing as I just did the pull adn install. My fluid looked and tested good. I took it to a buddy of mine at work, anyhow I ran it through a Tee shirt anf put it back inthere. Its the Texaco Red Fluid 500 K mile rated stuff. Hi dollar but looks good.
 

Last edited by DRRXR; Jul 24, 2009 at 11:19 AM. Reason: No pics
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Old Jul 24, 2009 | 12:00 PM
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i run the 203's from dieselsite in both my trucks. just use grey rtv on the stupid tstat housings and let it sit overnight. ive had the one in my truck for 5 years or so now and it still works great. although i am about to get a new coolant gauge the cyberdyne coolant temp gauge i have is screwing up. bout to order a spa digital for it.
 
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