austinrick
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2009
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 1
- Vehicle Year
- 1993
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 3.0L
- Transmission
- Automatic
Since I bought my '93 XLT 3.0L in 1998, with 120,000 miles (now 360,000 miles), I have run 180˚ t-stats (first went in in 1998, the second c.2008). Normal reading on the gauge has always been needle at or just above the small tick mark above C (iow, basically cold).
Today I installed a Motorcraft 197˚ t-stat and the new normal seems to read between 11 and 12 o-clock on the gauge and that's before turning on the a/c. Is this what I should see? I would think when the t-stat opens, coolant will flow, regardless of the opening temp, and gauge should read similar with either t-stat. With that many miles on the engine I'm sensitive to those head gaskets, etc.
How should that gauge read with a 197˚ t-stat installed? -thx
Today I installed a Motorcraft 197˚ t-stat and the new normal seems to read between 11 and 12 o-clock on the gauge and that's before turning on the a/c. Is this what I should see? I would think when the t-stat opens, coolant will flow, regardless of the opening temp, and gauge should read similar with either t-stat. With that many miles on the engine I'm sensitive to those head gaskets, etc.
How should that gauge read with a 197˚ t-stat installed? -thx