01 Ford 350 5.4 - Which Thermostat?

[SwampSurvivor]

Working on replacing radiator, hoses, thermostat. All are original.

The truck seems to run at 180F all the time according to the scanner. It's a Ford, so the coolant temp. gauge is of no use. From what I'm seeing, there are two original equipment thermostats - 195 and 180.

Unless the truck is driven super hard, it will get a bit of white residue on the oil cap. Typical of these 5.4L engines.

I'm not sure what the theromstat is, but I'd like to go with a 195. I will be doing some heavy towing with it soon, but most of the time it doesn't see that type of use. I'd feel better with a 195 thermostat in it, but not sure if that would hurt it at all in anyway.

So what temperature would you run? I'm a warmer-is-better person

 

[Ramblejam]

Definitely 192°/195°, which is OE temp. Do not fool around with others (160°, 170°, 180°) on a stock truck.

If you're running it hard/towing, I would however highly recommend that you monitor knock retard; they'll start pulling a bunch of timing, and you're giving up a considerable chunk of available power (and you need every bit of it in the first place with such an application).

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I can't see any advantage of running a cooler thermostat. I believe this one may be slightly stuck or having issues. 195F it is!

I have the ability to watch KR on the scanner. The truck has been running 91 ethanol free for a few years now but once into PA that isn't readily available so it will be either premium ethanol or 87 with ethanol.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I can't see any advantage of running a cooler thermostat. I believe this one may be slightly stuck or having issues. 195F it is!

I have the ability to watch KR on the scanner. The truck has been running 91 ethanol free for a few years now but once into PA that isn't readily available so it will be either premium ethanol or 87 with ethanol.


Smart choice on the 195, and going with OE!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Trying to buy a radiator, belt and power steering lines for it.

I'm going to have to pull each of them out and bring them to my friend at a parts store. There's like 300 different ones of each. I think each of these trucks were one-off built