spark plug question

[87RangerXLTct]

anybody step up the heat range of there plugs when you go to a 180* thermostat? i've done it before but i think it did more harm then good? just wondering if any of you guys recomend it. also i have a 1987 ford ranger 2.9l 5 speed and i want to put the thicker explorer 4.0 radiator in it, i just dont know what year explorer to get it out of? someone said a automatic explorer but isnt it thicker because of a transmission cooler? thanks in advance

 

[IMenriched]

anybody step up the heat range of there plugs when you go to a 180* thermostat? i've done it before but i think it did more harm then good? just wondering if any of you guys recomend it. also i have a 1987 ford ranger 2.9l 5 speed and i want to put the thicker explorer 4.0 radiator in it, i just dont know what year explorer to get it out of? someone said a automatic explorer but isnt it thicker because of a transmission cooler? thanks in advance

suggested plugs are nothing fancy these older unit just don't respond well to them.

Spark Plug AWSF-42C
Spark Plug Gap 0.044

42 heat range for stock ignition and 44 for advanced timing

as far as the radiator , one from a 91-93 explorer should do the trick. the one with auto tranny should be heavier/thicker than the one with manual gear box

 

[Big Jim M]

I'm curious

anybody step up the heat range of there plugs when you go to a 180* thermostat? i've done it before but i think it did more harm then good? just wondering if any of you guys recomend it. also i have a 1987 ford ranger 2.9l 5 speed and i want to put the thicker explorer 4.0 radiator in it, i just dont know what year explorer to get it out of? someone said a automatic explorer but isnt it thicker because of a transmission cooler? thanks in advance

Why would you want to put more cooling and a lower temperature thermostat in it? When everything in the vehicle is built to run at 195* or a little more?
Is the present radiator stopped up? Do you have another problem causing overheating? Is the system puking it's coolant out?
Big Jim

 

[87RangerXLTct]

yeah it was overheating before and then the head gasket went... replaced the head gaskets put on world heads, i do some towing and the truck has a/c i dont want this thing overheating again. i dont see how running a 180* t-stat will cause any harm i've run one before in a 2.9 without a problem thing ran great maybe even better than when it was new.

 

[Big Jim M]

yeah it was overheating before and then the head gasket went... replaced the head gaskets put on world heads, i do some towing and the truck has a/c i dont want this thing overheating again. i dont see how running a 180* t-stat will cause any harm i've run one before in a 2.9 without a problem thing ran great maybe even better than when it was new.

The head gasket was going south causing the overheating.. You simply were unaware of it. Everything in the engine will run at 300* + except the coolant.
When an engine overheats it is ONLY the coolant that was overheated.. Coolant is the weak link in cooling an engine...not the engine itself. Your engine was engineered by folks a lot smarter than we are... if 180* was better they would have installed a 180* thermostat in the engine from the factory. All the components depend on the engine temperature.. Put the
195* back in there. Don't try to outsmart the engineers..
Big JIm

 

[87RangerXLTct]

Taken from the 2.9 tech section:
Pat Kunz

"Of course there are always the cheap mods like the 180 thermostat and stuff which are under the tips section if you want a more detailed explanation."

"Oh yea, one of the things on a 2.9 owners mind all the time, cooling. Fist off get the 180 thermostat Robert shaw high flow preferred, also make sure the cooling system is in top shape, I flush both of mine every year and change the coolant from 50/50 winter to 25/75 summer (anti/water). Now there is often talk about electric fans, first off I don't recommend electrics with A/C still in use or the condenser still on the vehicle, but if the A/C is gone I recommend a 16" puller electric and a 12" pusher electric in front, this is more than adequate for mine in the midwest Summers, plus it free up a lot of room in the engine compartment, I didn't notice a whole lot of performance gain without the clutch fan however, but I'm sure the water pump appreciates the lighter load."