1500 vs 2500 trucks gassers..learns me

If that is true, then you are wasting a lot of potential power. It needs to run warmer to allow for a more complete combustion. At 175 operating temp, you are dumping more fuel than at say 200-210.
How do you know it's at 175? Those have C-H gauges without numerical indicators?
with my scanner plugged up to it it stays right around 175-182, on highway right at 174 average. I put a 180 HD thermostat in it...it's what i've always run in all my vehicles and I was taught engines run better with temps between 160-180 nothing higher by many "certified" techs so i just stuck with it.
 
i never really looked into it as far as the "technicalities" since i figured lot less to worry about with engine running cooler. stock 210 running engine is good in winter but the minute you pull heavy loads up steep grades (hhmmm...me coming up boone mt LOL), or you get stuck mud, snow,ice whatever and have to sit there revving it, it's gonna run hotter and i always figured Aluminum engines should be kept a little cooler than average since well, they freakin warp under high heat.
 
At 175 operating temp, you are dumping more fuel than at say 200-210.
i'm not trying to argue by no means but this sounds to go against what i've heard and what's sold/taught everywhere: Cold Air (True Cold Air) Intakes are very popular and proven true, dual electric fans..aka clutch fan delete is also very popular seller and power/mileage motivator to keep engines and tranny cooler so are these newer engines (such as mine that your referring to) exempt from such modifications and upgradable tuning such as these and left best running in their stock temperature and flowing form? i'm really not trying to be difficult but isn't that why so much stuff is sold and tested for keeping engines breathing cooler air, staying and running cooler, and underdrive pulleys with no a/c and no clutch fans are such a popular upgrade...otherwise i feel like all my life i've been taught by every shop, mechanic, aftermarket supplier, and personal experience has all been a lie and hoax. again not being rude.
 
He's right. Modern engines are set up to run at a specific temp. You are better off leaving a stock temp thermostat in there. cold air intake and engine operating temperatures are not related.
 
He's right. Modern engines are set up to run at a specific temp. You are better off leaving a stock temp thermostat in there. cold air intake and engine operating temperatures are not related.
well then...learn something new everyday. i will swap out the T-stat back to spec one i reckon. Good to know. Thanks
 
The best way I can try to explain is to compare it to the choke on a carbureted car. It dumps a bit extra until it gets warmed up to operating temp. If you get too low on the thermostat, the computer may keep trying to warm the engine to spec.
 
If you've already got a lower one in it, I would run it a bit and see how it does. As long as it's not a 160, those seem pretty pointless to me.
 
The best way I can try to explain is to compare it to the choke on a carbureted car. It dumps a bit extra until it gets warmed up to operating temp. If you get too low on the thermostat, the computer may keep trying to warm the engine to spec.
well said. this i can understand and makes sense. I suppose this type of info is where some "certifications and schooling" would've come into play.
 
If you've already got a lower one in it, I would run it a bit and see how it does. As long as it's not a 160, those seem pretty pointless to me.
no its a 180 HD which seems to run just fine...but i don't know enough about this ford to know the difference. Jeeps i can tell running differences in the 4.0 but other cars not so much cause i haven't been around them enough. soon i gotta pull the head :( anyways cause of #4 cylinder so i will change it then.
 
i'm really not trying to be difficult but isn't that why so much stuff is sold and tested for keeping engines breathing cooler air, staying and running cooler, and underdrive pulleys with no a/c and no clutch fans are such a popular upgrade...otherwise i feel like all my life i've been taught by every shop, mechanic, aftermarket supplier, and personal experience has all been a lie and hoax. again not being rude.

1- Companies make things so poorly informed customers will buy them. Shiny boxes and free stickers sell things.
2- Peak horsepower gains ain't nothing compared to usable torque for towing
3- I'm usually right
4- I won't tell you something wrong
 
Since you're a Jeep 4.0 guru, I'm sure you've seen P1281 codes. Care to explain that one in relation to thermostat choices?
ohh yeah LOL, that's on these newer jeeps that don't like the cold...which is again why i like the older XJs pre 97 but yeah these codes need to have proper thermostats running right engine temp. i hate these stupid codes and took me while to figure out their meaning, still don't like when they show up
 
1- Companies make things so poorly informed customers will buy them. Shiny boxes and free stickers sell things.
2- Peak horsepower gains ain't nothing compared to usable torque for towing
3- I'm usually right
4- I won't tell you something wrong
I love #3 and #4 the most. :beer:
 
The oems spend tons of time, money, and energy getting every mpg, hp, and reliability for a given setup and price point.

What makes you think an extremely cheap change of tstat temp change is going to make an improvement.

Here is some tech.

Running an overly cool tstat with no big external oil cooler with cause the oil to degrade faster due to water contaminating the oil due to the greater temperature differences creating condensation.

If you have a scanner than can, watch your fuel trims both short term and long term with a cooler tstat. The ecu will add fuel due to cooler intake air temp, and/or cooler engine temp. Seen it, done it, moved on.

When you run either cooler, you change which cell in the fuel table the ecu uses. To explain this in greater detail would take much more time and words. Google how fuel injection works.

Most factory tunes are more rich than necessary to make the engines last several hundred thousand miles.

If you want more power, lean it out, or advance the timing. Either of which in excess will damage any engine....

Aluminum warps due to temperature swings, not necessarily high engine temps.
Ie: You put in a 160 degree tstat. You start your engine, tstat is closed, engine temp goes up to 200 ish as the tstat opens then drops to 160
As that cold shot of water from the radiator enter then engine.

If you are seeing temp swings, that's bad.


Electric fan conversions,
Cold air intakes, under drive pulleys, etc are all attempts to free up engine hp.

Most people trick* an engine to run more rich by cooler Tstats, so they are able to advance the timing more.

Cooler temps also keep from having preignition or detonation issues with advancing the timing more.

Cold air intakes are pretty self explanatory trying to increase a denser air charge with more oxygen to then engine. An extreme version of the same principle is a dry nitrous system.


Since we are talking about your tow rig, leave it alone. It's what you rely on to drag your rig around and get you home. Stick to simple stuff.

Cold air intake, k & n filter, better exhaust etc. Keep reliability in mind. Underdrive pulleys reduce ps pump pressure, reduce alternator outputs, slow down the water pump, and none of that sounds good for a tow rig.

Mechanical fans are the most reliable and most efficient means to pull air through the radiator at a rate matches to engine speed. Improve them by finding a clutch that locks up sooner than stock, or a fan with bigger or more blades.

Don't try to squeeze every hp out of the truck, you'll get there. It's far better and safer to spend your upgrade money on better or bigger brakes.

Drilled slotted rotors, bigger rotors, bigger calipers. 2500 brake conversion, hydroboost conversion, stainless lines, Kevlar pads, trailer brakes on each axle, breakaway brake box, weight distribution hitch, etc.

Save your electric fan and Underdrive pulleys for the Cherokees. Keep your tow rig as the most reliable and safest transport home. This will allow you to have more fun beating on your rig, with no sub conscious worry of how to get home.

Throw it on the trailer and drag it home.

Get up and go to work the next day.
 
well said and great info ^^^. my scanner does show the fuel trims and they are high/not normal so i think you're on to something as far as my thermostat being too low. i improved the intake and better muffler which helped a lot and other sensor stuff but now unfortunately i have to replace the Pass side head since the light came back on today for #4 miss...FREAKING FORD!!!:kaioken::kaioken::kaioken: oh well, i took my chances when i traded the volvo for it and well, to no surprise the head has to come off. it must be like the "SLIGHTEST" miss ever cause it runs very strong now and can't tell it's missing except in OD at very low rpm (shutter) otherwise you wouldn't know it so at least it is very driveable and my mpgs are still up there compared to before. the new helicoil insert must have just the slightest ark to it i'm guessing for it to throw a code/miss but it took me putting over 70 miles on it and going on the highway at 50 up small inclines and purposely holding the throttle just enough to "shudder" in OD and finally the light came on 5 days later. if i drive around with OD off, the light will never come on and never throw a code...weird but good enough for now. I guess i'm gonna try swapping injector "JUST TO MAKE SURE" it isn't that cause that's the only thing i haven't done.
 
1- Companies make things so poorly informed customers will buy them. Shiny boxes and free stickers sell things.
2- Peak horsepower gains ain't nothing compared to usable torque for towing
3- I'm usually right
4- I won't tell you something wrong


 
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