Whew - what a hassle!
Rick at Amazon Racing suggested getting a 180 thermo, since my new power tune chip runs the fans almost all the time. So I went to NAPA and they showed a Standard-Thompson HD unit (p.n. 109) that was 180 degrees. It looks just like the factory one except it has a little poppet hole to help it burp (must have saved Ford 1 cent to spec theirs without it!). I wish I had heated it in a pan first and measured it w/ my digital thermometer, because it opens exactly the same as factory unit (about 190 or so).
I drained the Gold coolant from the thermostat L-housing - it has a bunch of hoses connecting to it (at least 3). Refilled, fired it up. Turned on heater to full hot setting. Waited.
Engine heating up. Fans cranking away. Thermo housinhg cool as the air. Gauge OK. No heat from outlets. There is a loop from the intake to the rad and nback up from the thermo housing to the driver's side of the intake (you guys who hav them look for the painted steel pipes). They are getting very hot. I am starting to worry. The thermostat has not opened.
I figured I had an air pocket, or maybe I had it in backward, but I did not. I opened the little high spot hole on the driver's side coolant pipe to purge any air.
Well, when the thingcooled down, I had to add more coolant. Ran it up again, same sequence, same no thermostat opened, same no heat from heater. I could not be sure if it was the heater valve (which i had never used before) or the thermostat, or air pocket, but I was not comfortable with the entire operation. A Ford tech on Stangnet said they have a purge tool which did not help me, but convinced me that I had done the install right.
So, it finally took 5 complete heat ups/ cool downs, adding fluid each time to get heat from the heater. At one point, the gaige spiked toward the red and I freaked, but it went down just as fast, and never came up again.
So for all y'all, I would not do this unless you have a bona fide 180 degree thermostat, because it was a major pain in the butt.
Rick at Amazon Racing suggested getting a 180 thermo, since my new power tune chip runs the fans almost all the time. So I went to NAPA and they showed a Standard-Thompson HD unit (p.n. 109) that was 180 degrees. It looks just like the factory one except it has a little poppet hole to help it burp (must have saved Ford 1 cent to spec theirs without it!). I wish I had heated it in a pan first and measured it w/ my digital thermometer, because it opens exactly the same as factory unit (about 190 or so).
I drained the Gold coolant from the thermostat L-housing - it has a bunch of hoses connecting to it (at least 3). Refilled, fired it up. Turned on heater to full hot setting. Waited.
Engine heating up. Fans cranking away. Thermo housinhg cool as the air. Gauge OK. No heat from outlets. There is a loop from the intake to the rad and nback up from the thermo housing to the driver's side of the intake (you guys who hav them look for the painted steel pipes). They are getting very hot. I am starting to worry. The thermostat has not opened.
I figured I had an air pocket, or maybe I had it in backward, but I did not. I opened the little high spot hole on the driver's side coolant pipe to purge any air.
Well, when the thingcooled down, I had to add more coolant. Ran it up again, same sequence, same no thermostat opened, same no heat from heater. I could not be sure if it was the heater valve (which i had never used before) or the thermostat, or air pocket, but I was not comfortable with the entire operation. A Ford tech on Stangnet said they have a purge tool which did not help me, but convinced me that I had done the install right.
So, it finally took 5 complete heat ups/ cool downs, adding fluid each time to get heat from the heater. At one point, the gaige spiked toward the red and I freaked, but it went down just as fast, and never came up again.
So for all y'all, I would not do this unless you have a bona fide 180 degree thermostat, because it was a major pain in the butt.
