Thermostats
Question:
I just replaced mine at the dealer for $91.00. Now it works great and you can see the temp guage mving happily all over the range. My ‘94 Limited has 42,000 miles. (I also replaced my ‘90 Ranger thermostate at aboput 40,000 miles too)
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>How long do the thermostats in Explorers typically last? I got a 94 >XLT last week, and the engine temp gauge hardly moves. Around town >it barely gets above the "C" line, and on the freeway (65+mph) it >barely makes it into the "normal" range. It only has 25,000 miles on >it, and the above symptoms (and low gas mileage) leads me to believe >that the thermostat is stuck open.
I took it into the local Ford dealer yesterday. They didn’t finish working on it until today. They replaced the temp gauge sender first (which they had to order so the repair took longer), and when than didn’t fix it they replaced the thermostat. Luckily it was a warranty repair ($103) so I didn’t have to pay. — University of California, Irvine phone: (714) 824-6926 Office of Academic Computing FAX: (714) 824-2069
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>How long do the thermostats in Explorers typically last? I got a 94 >XLT last week, and the engine temp gauge hardly moves. Around town >it barely gets above the "C" line, and on the freeway (65+mph) it >barely makes it into the "normal" range. It only has 25,000 miles on >it, and the above symptoms (and low gas mileage) leads me to believe >that the thermostat is stuck open. >– >Mike Iglesias Internet:
>University of California, Irvine phone: (714) 824-6926 >Office of Academic Computing FAX: (714) 824-2069
I replaced the thermostat on my 92 XLT at about 60,000 mi. From the group, this appears to be a fairly common occurence. You can replace it yourself in about 1 hr. or less. There is one of the 3 bolts that is a bear to get to; I used an extension with a spring-type base to get to it. Otherwise pretty simple. Mine was stuck open for a month or so (during the coldest winter in 100 years – in Washington DC) with no apparent damage or noticable improvement in performance after replacement. It’s got 86,000 miles now without any other mechanical failures. Bud Blum
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> Mike, > I know it seems too soon to fail but apparently the thermostat Ford uses in > the Explorers is not a very good one. I’ve seen more than a few reports of > failed thermostats in fairly new explorers on this group. Mine failed at > about 50k, stuck open. I still haven’t replaced it at 56k since it doesn’t > seem to be causing any harm, given the relatively mild weather we have in > Southern California.
WoW, Those may become famous last words. Because it does seem to be causing harm does mean harm isn’t being done. You’r engine is running cooler than it is designed to, so you aren’t getting the power it puts out, even if you can’t feel the difference. Damage is being done (long term effects). Don’t be lazy or cheap and replace it. Hey it’s your car so do as you please but if you sell it don’t be a snake and be sure to disclose this info.
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Jerry, Low engine temperatures accelerate engine wear and decrease gas mileage. The wear increases because the oil does not get hot enough to evaporate condensed water in the oil. The gas mileage drops because the engine is cooler and does not vaporize the gas as well. Also, lower temperatures cause the oil to be thicker (higher viscosity), which requires more power to move the lubricated engine parts. this reduces gas mileage. Jay – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Mike, >I know it seems too soon to fail but apparently the thermostat Ford uses in >the Explorers is not a very good one. I’ve seen more than a few reports of >failed thermostats in fairly new explorers on this group. Mine failed at >about 50k, stuck open. I still haven’t replaced it at 56k since it doesn’t >seem to be causing any harm, given the relatively mild weather we have in >Southern California. >How long do the thermostats in Explorers typically last? I got a 94 >XLT last week, and the engine temp gauge hardly moves. Around town >it barely gets above the "C" line, and on the freeway (65+mph) it >barely makes it into the "normal" range. It only has 25,000 miles on >it, and the above symptoms (and low gas mileage) leads me to believe >that the thermostat is stuck open. >-Jerry Macala >(Immediate Past) President- Maltose Falcons Home Brewing Society >1994 Anchor Home Brew Club of the Year!
Response:
>How long do the thermostats in Explorers typically last? I got a 94 >XLT last week, and the engine temp gauge hardly moves. Around town >it barely gets above the "C" line, and on the freeway (65+mph) it >barely makes it into the "normal" range. It only has 25,000 miles on >it, and the above symptoms (and low gas mileage) leads me to believe >that the thermostat is stuck open. >– >University of California, Irvine phone: (714) 824-6926 >Office of Academic Computing FAX: (714) 824-2069
Mike I don’t know what the average life expectancy of the Explorer’s thermostat is. The one in my ‘91 Explorer lasted about 4 years (50,000 miles). It displayed the symptoms that you describe; cold operating temperature. Upon removal, I found the thermostat to be stuck in the full open position. If you plan on replacing the thermostat yourself, it is a bit of a chore. E-mail me if you want more details. It’s been a year since I replaced it but I think I can hit on the main obstacles and pit-falls. Dave the full open position
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Mike, I know it seems too soon to fail but apparently the thermostat Ford uses in the Explorers is not a very good one. I’ve seen more than a few reports of failed thermostats in fairly new explorers on this group. Mine failed at about 50k, stuck open. I still haven’t replaced it at 56k since it doesn’t seem to be causing any harm, given the relatively mild weather we have in Southern California. >How long do the thermostats in Explorers typically last? I got a 94 >XLT last week, and the engine temp gauge hardly moves. Around town >it barely gets above the "C" line, and on the freeway (65+mph) it >barely makes it into the "normal" range. It only has 25,000 miles on >it, and the above symptoms (and low gas mileage) leads me to believe >that the thermostat is stuck open.
-Jerry Macala (Immediate Past) President- Maltose Falcons Home Brewing Society 1994 Anchor Home Brew Club of the Year!
Response:
How long do the thermostats in Explorers typically last? I got a 94 XLT last week, and the engine temp gauge hardly moves. Around town it barely gets above the "C" line, and on the freeway (65+mph) it barely makes it into the "normal" range. It only has 25,000 miles on it, and the above symptoms (and low gas mileage) leads me to believe that the thermostat is stuck open. — University of California, Irvine phone: (714) 824-6926 Office of Academic Computing FAX: (714) 824-2069
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Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and a 93 Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the 93 is on it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps out… anyone else or is it just me?
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I just replaced mine in a ‘94 and let me tell you it was a pain in the ass! Make sure you get the special fan clutch tools and take off the fan shroud and fan so you can get in their more easily. I did it without taking the fan off and it took me about 2 hours. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and a 93 > Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the 93 is on > it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps out… > anyone else or is it just me?
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>Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and a 93 >Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the 93 is on >it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps out… >anyone else or is it just me?
Well the experience I’ve had was that I just had to replace the one in my ‘94, and boy was it a pain in the ass. Advice to those of you considering undertaking this task: get the fan clutch removal tools and take the fan and shroud off so you can get to the thermostat a lot easier. I did it without removing the fan and it took me over an hour.
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>Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and a 93 >Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the 93 is on >it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps out… >anyone else or is it just me?
The FORD brand thermostat has a bad design that causes the unit to either lock partially open or completely closed. It can work forever but most of them "die" out at about 45K miles. Always replace with the same temperature unit as recommended by FORD but use a better aftermarket brand (STAT). Charles J. Weber, III Rock Island Consulting, Inc. 1.619.573.0273 [fax]
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I have a 91 Explorer and a 93 Ranger with the 4.0L engine. Had to replace the thermostat in both of them after about two years. The engine was not getting warm enough and the temperature was very eratic (too cold) in cold weather. I don’t understand why some people think they are hard to replace. Took me less than an hour on both vehicles. Need to take off the fan belt, move a wiring harness back, and have the right small socket to get to bolts.
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> Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and a 93 > Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the 93 is on > it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps out… > anyone else or is it just me?
I’ve had two replacement thermostats in my ‘93 Bob
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>I have a 91 Explorer and a 93 Ranger with the 4.0L engine. Had to replace >the thermostat in both of them after about two years. The engine was not >getting warm enough and the temperature was very eratic (too cold) in cold >weather. >I don’t understand why some people think they are hard to replace. Took me >less than an hour on both vehicles. Need to take off the fan belt, move a >wiring harness back, and have the right small socket to get to bolts.
Oh yeah. Try doing it by only taking of the conduit from the airbox to the intake manifold and you’ll see why I thought it was hard. RTFM or learn the hard way.
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>> Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and a 93 > Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the 93 is on > it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps out… > anyone else or is it just me? >I’ve had two replacement thermostats in my ‘93 >Bob
We had to replace the thermostat on our 94. When we bought the truck it had about 52,000 miles on it, and the thermostat did not register the temperature at all.
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> > Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and a 93 > Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the 93 is on > it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps out… > anyone else or is it just me? > I’ve had two replacement thermostats in my ‘93 > Bob
I also have had problems with 93 Explorer thermostats. I’ve had two already and now I have to go for a third one. The gauge usually works OK in the warm weather but as its winter now I am getting very little heat and the gauge needle barely moves. Does Ford know about the chronic problem? Rick
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>> > Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and a 93 > > Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the 93 is on > > it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps out… > > anyone else or is it just me?
I have a 93 with 62000 miles on it, bought 2 years ago with 48000, and I don’t know its history. I’ve noticed for two winters now that the gauge seems to read lower…this year, a warm winter here in MN, it barely touches the edge of the "normal" section, then drops off when I kick on the heat. But heat seems to be pretty good. My mileage has been down lately, from 15 or so in town to about 12, and the 60k service and tune-up didn’t help. I had the cooling system serviced at the 60k but didn’t want to spend $100 on a thermostat, much less use the ford part. Finally, last week I bit the bullet and, after shopping around, had a STANT (pretty much the only aftermarket ’stat most mechanics use) put in at a Goodyear store for $80.19 (no one else would give me a firm quote, all said about $100). Now the gauge gets up about 1/4 of the way into the normal zone, dropping just a bit when the heat is blasting, but not below normal. The heat seems to be hotter too. Too early to tell on mileage.
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> > Has anyone had experience with bad thermostats? I own a 95 and > a 93 >> > Explorer. Both vehicles have had replacement thermostats ( the > 93 is on >> > it’s second). I have heard whatever brand Ford is using craps > out… >> > anyone else or is it just me? > I have a 93 with 62000 miles on it, bought 2 years ago with 48000, > and I don’t > know its history. I’ve noticed for two winters now that the gauge > seems to > read lower…this year, a warm winter here in MN, it barely touches > the edge of > the "normal" section, then drops off when I kick on the heat. But > heat seems > to be pretty good. My mileage has been down lately, from 15 or so > in town to > about 12, and the 60k service and tune-up didn’t help. I had the > cooling > system serviced at the 60k but didn’t want to spend $100 on a > thermostat, much > less use the ford part. > Finally, last week I bit the bullet and, after shopping around, had > a STANT > (pretty much the only aftermarket ’stat most mechanics use) put in > at a > Goodyear store for $80.19 (no one else would give me a firm quote, > all said > about $100). > Now the gauge gets up about 1/4 of the way into the normal zone, > dropping just > a bit when the heat is blasting, but not below normal. The heat > seems to be > hotter too. Too early to tell on mileage.
I have a ‘96 XLT with 35.5K. For the last month I have been reading low on the temp gauge, and gas consumption is up. I took it in today to the dealer for the last few fixes under warranty before it expires. Sure enough, they found a sticky thermostat! I’m writing it down as one more regular (2-year) service item : – (
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What temperature range is best for a 95 XLT engine? I purchased it in California and now live in Michigan. It’s not hot enough for this weather, but another might be too hot for the summers.
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195 will work the best and you can keep it all year long. Purchase a good one and not the cheep $2.87 at Auto Zone. You will also need the rubber O-ring type of gasket and be sure to grease the gasket before you install it. Good luck. > What temperature range is best for a 95 XLT engine? I purchased it in > California and now live in Michigan. It’s not hot enough for this weather, > but another might be too hot for the summers.
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I might add that I picked one up at the local "high quality" parts store where I have a charge acct & it ended being one of the cheap ones that "Ron & Maggie" referred to. I ended up buying a "Stat" with the rubber "O" ring at Kragen Auto (imagine that) — O|||||||O O|||||||O 1998 Sahara TJ – 1965 Mustang – 1979 IH Scout 1989 Jeep YJ 1992 Explorer . – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> 195 will work the best and you can keep it all year long. Purchase a good one > and not the cheep $2.87 at Auto Zone. You will also need the rubber O-ring type > of gasket and be sure to grease the gasket before you install it. Good luck. > What temperature range is best for a 95 XLT engine? I purchased it in > California and now live in Michigan. It’s not hot enough for this weather, > but another might be too hot for the summers. > http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! > —–= Over 100,000 Newsgroups – Unlimited Fast Downloads – 19 Servers
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Anyone know a good place on the net where I could order home furnace thermostats? Thanks
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> Anyone know a good place on the net where I could order home furnace > thermostats?
If you’re looking for electronic programmable stats, try eBay. There’s a dealer there who deals in refurbed Honeywell stats. I bought one and it appeared to be brand new (not saying it was, but it sure seemed like it). I paid about $38 shipped, for the same model HD sells for $100. -Tim
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Anyone know a good place on the net where I could order home furnace thermostats? Thanks
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> Anyone know a good place on the net where I could order home furnace > thermostats?
If you’re looking for electronic programmable stats, try eBay. There’s a dealer there who deals in refurbed Honeywell stats. I bought one and it appeared to be brand new (not saying it was, but it sure seemed like it). I paid about $38 shipped, for the same model HD sells for $100. -Tim
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Anyone know a good place on the net where I could order home furnace thermostats? Thanks
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> Anyone know a good place on the net where I could order home furnace > thermostats?
If you’re looking for electronic programmable stats, try eBay. There’s a dealer there who deals in refurbed Honeywell stats. I bought one and it appeared to be brand new (not saying it was, but it sure seemed like it). I paid about $38 shipped, for the same model HD sells for $100. -Tim
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