• Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 1994 - 1995 Specific Tech

What degree thermostat is everyone using

  • Thread starter Thread starter Afastgts95
  • Start date Start date Apr 4, 2004
  • 1
  • 2
Next
1 of 2 Next Last

Afastgts95

New Member
Mar 11, 2004
50
0
0
Apr 4, 2004
#1
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #1
I have a question about thermostats. I live in florida so the weather is usually hot. My car runs a solid 200* degrees unless I have my a/c on. I installed a 180* thermostat and it made no difference unless my a/c was on. Why is that? I was also told Not to run a lower Degree thermostat because my car could run to cold and damage my heads? Would it do any harm to install a 160* thermostat. what does everyone else run? How low of a thrmostat degree could I put in? I've had different opinions so I figured I would ask the mustang experts.
 

Ryan Paterick

New Member
Dec 4, 2001
943
0
0
Apr 4, 2004
#2
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #2
180* stat
Fluidyne radiator
Red line water wetter
drill two pin holes in the stat itself. On either side of the stat. Prevents air pockets.
 

AznStanger3v

Active Member
Aug 11, 2003
2,026
0
47
Northern VA
Apr 4, 2004
#3
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #3
im running 180*. Horribly cold winters and deathly hot summers here in Northern Va the past couple years.
 

VibrantRedGT

"STANGNET'S PENGUIN SMACKER"
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
14,679
424
154
Boca Raton, Florida
Apr 4, 2004
#4
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #4
punestang said:
180* stat
Fluidyne radiator
Red line water wetter
drill two pin holes in the stat itself. On either side of the stat. Prevents air pockets.
Click to expand...

Same except 160 stat.
 
W

wytstang

Mustang Master
Mar 14, 2004
4,988
4
78
Summerville,SC missing South Fl. weather :(
Apr 4, 2004
#5
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #5
I run a 180* runs fine the gauge hardly moves. I live just before you enter the Florida Keys ( Florida City ) So I know what you mean about the wheather. I was told if you run a 160* stat that the water does not have enough time to stay in the rad. to cool off before the stat opens again. just a thought
 

S/CBlack95GT

New Member
Apr 6, 2003
2,018
0
0
Tampa Palms, FL
Apr 4, 2004
#6
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #6
I have a 180. You must remember that the car will not stay at 180 unless you have a good amount of air moving through the radiator. If you are in traffic or just cruising around town at 35mph or so the car will heat up. My car heats up to around 210 when Im in traffic and then the electric fan maintains that temp around 200-210, depending on how much Im stopped. On the interstate or highway the temp is dead on 180.
 

viperos

New Member
May 19, 2003
2,943
0
0
Bellevue, WA (yes, the land where every 16 year o
Apr 4, 2004
#7
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #7
well, I (not being lazy, and caring about both performance, any engine's internals) change my thermo about every 5-7 months... 160 in the summer (during the racing season) and 210 in the winter... I get heat so freaking quick, so nice! I can change mine in about 20 min, after all's done... so, I'm getting better at it..
 

Killercanary

The car that set the bar.
Founding Member
Nov 29, 1999
5,676
1
76
Altoona, PA
Apr 4, 2004
#8
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #8
I run a 180* stat, water wetter, and my t-stat also has 2 small holes drilled in it to prevent an air lock in the cooling system when filling it.
 

blksn955.o

Founding Member
Mar 15, 2002
3,263
0
66
st.louis mo 314
Apr 4, 2004
#9
  • Apr 4, 2004
  • #9
S/CBlack95GT said:
I have a 180. You must remember that the car will not stay at 180 unless you have a good amount of air moving through the radiator. If you are in traffic or just cruising around town at 35mph or so the car will heat up. My car heats up to around 210 when Im in traffic and then the electric fan maintains that temp around 200-210, depending on how much Im stopped. On the interstate or highway the temp is dead on 180.
Click to expand...

I run a 180

Thats what mine does too. It was realy bad and I spent about a year (only drove the car 1/4-1/3 of a tank in that time) trying to find out why it ran soo hot on a or l. Changed the pump, ccrm,t-stat,hoses, head gaskets, fuelpump (in a thought maybe its realy lean). Ended up a bad block to chasis ground was not letting my fans turn on, this is only a guess since before all my guages were acting funny and since the fix not a bit of trouble on the n or o 95% of the time unless as stated above it has gotten to the top of o or r for a sec. in heavy traffic then back down it goes.
 

TrueBlue95GT

Member
Sep 29, 2003
966
0
16
Connecticut
Apr 5, 2004
#10
  • Apr 5, 2004
  • #10
Where is the ground to the block?
 

94GTLaserRC

Squint as you approach, lest you be blinded by my
15 Year Member
May 7, 2002
11,178
13
89
Ernan Says "here it comes... dushbag"
Apr 5, 2004
#11
  • Apr 5, 2004
  • #11
180, Fluidyne, and High fan at 185*.

Joe, You have a 160 now?
RC
 

5.0 from 95

Founding Member
Nov 6, 2001
738
0
0
Emory, TX
Apr 5, 2004
#12
  • Apr 5, 2004
  • #12
You can also run a fan on a switch so you can control the air flow. I thought more people on here did that. I do have a wiring diagram of it if you need one. I will be running a 180* when I get my car finished up. Should be in about 2 weeks.


Paul
 

Venom351R

Founding Member
Apr 27, 2002
4,548
41
98
MAINE
Apr 5, 2004
#13
  • Apr 5, 2004
  • #13
180 T Stat stock Rad. I dont have any cooling problems and thats using Underdrive pullies. And yes is does get hot here in the summers but my temp still stays fairly cool.

The reason they say not to go below a 180 is b/c our cars are ment to operate at a certin temp the cars " perfered operating temp" that temp is right around 200*. If you use at 160 T Stat then it will be in a contineous loop always trying to cool down the motor. Heat is not always bad, our cars do have to reach a certin temp to preform at there best and w/ a 160 T Stat you cant acheive that as well.
 

blksn955.o

Founding Member
Mar 15, 2002
3,263
0
66
st.louis mo 314
Apr 5, 2004
#14
  • Apr 5, 2004
  • #14
5.0 from 95 said:
You can also run a fan on a switch so you can control the air flow. I thought more people on here did that. I do have a wiring diagram of it if you need one. I will be running a 180* when I get my car finished up. Should be in about 2 weeks.


Paul
Click to expand...

I have one of those switches, always thought of it more as a band aid fix though. I have not used it in 3 months were I was using it everyday before I fixed the ground.

TrueBlue : it was on the driver side (I think) I jacked up the car and saw a wire going from the side of the block (by were the oil sender is as well as ground bolt for the batt.) 2 bolts and some 8-10guage wire and two hoops= fixed. I quickly tested this by using a piece of ground wire, first from bat to rad. support= nothing, then checked all batt. conn.= nothing, finaly hooked the wire to my headers and to the strut tower brace bolt= started up and worked great. -- note my conn. got so bad that the car would not start anymore I think the ground got worse and worse untill it just quit altogether--
 

viperos

New Member
May 19, 2003
2,943
0
0
Bellevue, WA (yes, the land where every 16 year o
Apr 5, 2004
#15
  • Apr 5, 2004
  • #15
does anyone else change out your thermo twice a year like me?? it's really the best thing to do I tried the whole 180 thing, but my car took a while to give me heat, but the 195 (stock) didn't give me cold air much at all, let alone kept it cool enough to run 9s at the track (had to throw in a reference to F&F some time today )
 

ProKiller

Founding Member
Apr 26, 2002
3,064
15
78
PA
Apr 5, 2004
#16
  • Apr 5, 2004
  • #16
160* t-stat
stock rad.
manual fan switch

runs a bit under 180* normal driving. when i hit traffic, i turn the fan on and stays at a bit over 180. i just don't like it getting any hotter with the supercharger(got this thing in my head about detonation).
 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"
Founding Member
Sep 24, 2002
3,464
1
69
Syracuse, NY
Apr 5, 2004
#17
  • Apr 5, 2004
  • #17
180
 

Katmandu

Founding Member
Apr 7, 2002
302
0
17
Troy, Ohio
Apr 16, 2004
#18
  • Apr 16, 2004
  • #18
I just installed a 192 and my engine is STILL running COLD and RICH !!

WTF ??
 

viperos

New Member
May 19, 2003
2,943
0
0
Bellevue, WA (yes, the land where every 16 year o
Apr 17, 2004
#19
  • Apr 17, 2004
  • #19
man, that sucks is it really cold there in Troy, Ohio?
 

GTPhreak

Founding Member
Mar 16, 2000
5,505
0
77
Rowlett, TEXAS
Apr 17, 2004
#20
  • Apr 17, 2004
  • #20
180* MrGasket balanced high flow
 
  • 1
  • 2
Next
1 of 2 Next Last
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Engine Themostat
  • Mindseye007
  • Jan 30, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
21
Views
704
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Feb 1, 2026
86HO5.0
8
M
Engine 1988 Foxbody - Overheating Summer
  • MDrisc
  • Oct 26, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
10
Views
530
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Nov 28, 2025
Mustang5L5
S
Fuel ‘88 GT Runs Rich Cold — Fixes Itself When I Unplug Sensors (ECT, MAF, O2, etc.)
  • Sufarry
  • Nov 6, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
12
Views
809
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Nov 9, 2025
Mustang5L5
E
2007 GT Stalls when lights or a/c turned on
  • ejscarfo
  • Jun 22, 2026
  • 2005 - 2009 Specific Tech
Replies
2
Views
119
2005 - 2009 Specific Tech Jun 29, 2026
ejscarfo
E
What's your tow rig?
  • LILCBRA
  • May 31, 2026
  • Other Auto Tech
Replies
3
Views
120
Other Auto Tech May 31, 2026
LILCBRA
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 1994 - 1995 Specific Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?