what is the the water temp suppose to be on a 94 f150 5.0L. my old radiator sprang a leak and i replaced it with a 2 row radiator instead of the 1 row. i also changed the thermostat with a moroso water restrictor kit part # 63440 from summit racing. sorry for not linking that part to this site. i just don't know how to link things from web site to web site. there are 3 sizes 5/8, 3/4, and 1 inch hole in these plates. i used the 1 inch plate. i didn't use a thermostat cause i had those things break on me in the past on other autos i've owned and the motor over heated. the truck runs cool and the needle on the temp gauge hardly ever moves above the first line on the gauge. it will move when sitting in stop and go traffic just before the word (normal) on the factory gauge or just above the 1st line on the gauge. does running a truck this cool have any effect on how the rest of the engine is suppose to be running. i like it running this cool. to me i don't have to worry about it over heating......... any feed back on this is appreciated..........

 

Well to me it seems like your paranoid on thermostats. But as long as your oiltemp gets above the boilpint of water so that condensation can be evaporated from there, you are all set. Watertemp is just an easy way to tell if the heads are overheatng. Oiltemp is critical because after it gets so hot it loses lubricity and longevity. My 460 boat engine rarely gets above 65-70 degrees and that's after a mile of 7000rpm. My oil temp runs a sweet 210-220, though which is what I like to see.
Running no thermostat can hurt if your n cold climate because defrost works poorly. If you don't need defrost then you can still overheat your engine because instead of hot water siting in the radiator for the fan to cool, 100% of the water comes up in temp and you need to rev the engine some typically to cool it.
I do not run a thermostat in my 67 mustang with a 390 because I can't find one. And I have noticed that the temps are erratic from before I didn't run a thermostat (had different intake before). When my car starts to go past 190 I mak sure to get moving because I've had it go past 230 a few times and couldn't get it to come down.
First chance I get I'll be reinstalling a thermostat and it will solve all issues.

Quick tip.
When installing a thermostat, drill a 1/16th hole in the flat plate to allow the air to come through and prevent it being airbound and overheat. Saves a lot of frusteration.

 

Water temperatures below 180° will lead to increased cylinder wall wear and can actually reduce performance. See link: Performance Unlimited 4-Wheel & Off Road Center - Hartford, Wisconsin - USA

If you are worried about the thermostat sticking closed, you can get a fail safe thermostat that will default to the open position upon a failure.

 

I'm not sure about your truck, I know Mopar a lot better. I know in a lot of computer controlled engines, If it is running too cool; it will burn more fuel. It does this to help raise the temperature. An engine running too cool in some ways be just as bad as an engine running too hot. This can lead to carbon build up especially in combustion chambers. For as cheap as thermostats cost, and how easily they are to change; I'd say just put a 195 degree in. As far as over heating; just keep an eye on the temp. gauge. I have been lucky I guess, in that I have never had a thermostat fail. I think a lot of people install their thermostats upside down, then think their thermostat failed.

 

not haveing a thermostat will not cause u to over heat... i dont have any idea where u all are getting this information but it is wrong. the only thing it does is restrict the water flow in the block to w/e temp the T-stat is set for then it opens and stays open until it drops below w/e temp it closes at.

if u are over heating ur radiator is too small u have a blown head gasket or a hole in the cylinder wall.

and not being able to find a thermostat for a 390.... uhm... have u looked at advance they have 6 different ones on their website raging from 160*-195*

also when u r sitting idle or slow speed driving the engine will be at the normal opperating temp. but when u get up to highway speed and a little below that the engine will run a little cool because the T-stat isnt there to cut off the water flow to keep it warm...

 

Sounds like your running to cool , the gauges on these trucks don't tell you much . A good aftermarket gauge will be more acurate , you need a thermostat in it or is going to run to cool & will run in open loop all the time , i think your will be a 195....Lew

 

thanks for the feed back guys, very much appreciated. i will put a 195 in there and drill 2 holes in the flat part. thanks again..........

 

...... just wanted to know what is good electrical or mechanical water temp gauge.....

 

Mechanical would be fine

Electric is $$$

 

the tstat I need is not the typical 54mm size (whatever size it is) My car hasthe old dual quad intake that requires the 64mm tstat and expansion tank like what was on the ac cobra. No room for expansion tank under hood and with regular gooseneck on old intake the normal tstat falls right out and big tstat don't fit in the gooseneck.

I have a 3 core radiator and while it takes a long time to heat up all that water, it will heat it all up during my burnouts to warm up the slicks. Not having a tstat CAN lead to overheating. It's happened to a few cars I've owned and not runa tstat. Cruising down hyway it don't overheat, but in traffic it will heatsoak all the water cause it won't stay in the radiator long enough to cool without the tstat.

 

That theory doesn't make sense. Sitting in traffic your engine and water pump would be running a lot slower than when cruising down the highway(thus slower circulation). Also sitting in traffic your engine would be working less hard and creating less heat. Your problem was probably that the fan behind your radiator wasn't pulling the air through the radiator properly when the car was sitting still or going slow, possibly due to lack of a shroud. A lot of older vehicles would get hot sitting and idling. When cruising down the highway the motion of the car would push the air through the radiator, no fan really needed after your moving a decent speed.

I have read that no thermostat idea causing overheating many times but I just don't believe it. And I don't mean to argue with you UNTAMND just a little friendly discussion.

 

water is only going to flow threw the radiator as fast as its able to.... if the t-stat done anything it would cause it to run warmer because it would slow the flow of coolant OUT of the block....

so if u had a problem with overheating without the t-stat u would have an even bigger problem if u had one in it... and the cause would more than likely be the waterpump too small of a radiator timing being off or hole in the cylinder wall....

 

Removing the thermostat CAN cause overheating due to heat soak from not spending enough time in the radiator.

 

Yes a thermostat should be used even if its a 160 , the circulation needs to be slowed down a little so the radiator has time to do its job , but most of the EFI trucks need a 195 stat to run right ...Lew

 

Yes, get the 195°F thermostat, or you will be back in a few days talking about your truck running like crap.