Today I went out and replaced the thermostat in my 91 F350 AKA White Rhino!
As per the many members of Oil Burners forum have discovered
FORD Motorcraft or actual International thermostats are what you should use. DO NOT USE AFTERMARKET thermostats. If you do, do so at your own risk. This install is showing Motorcraft parts and part #'s in Canada!
Here is the basic thermostat replacement method I used, feel free to use what you like.
DOING THE PROCEDURES HERE ARE DONE AT YOUR OWN RISK, I DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR CHOICE TO DO WHAT I HAVE DONE. THIS WORKS FOR ME, IT HOWEVER MAY NOT WORK FOR YOU.
AL
I don't provide a tool list because if you don't have the tools to do this job, you likely shouldn't be doing it.
MAKE SURE BOTH BATTERY GROUNDS ARE DISCONNECTED PRIOR TO ANY OF THIS, NOT DOING SO COULD BE CATASTROPHIC!!!
Also NEVER place tools, wrenches, extensions, ratchets etc on battery doing so could be explosive due to a direct short between posts!
Here we see the engine prior to me doing anything to remove the thermostat, notice the rag in the upper rad hose fitting to keep debris out!
Remove Alternator from it's location and set aside
Remove the Vacuum pump, and now is a great time to service it with fresh oil too BTW, set aside
Remove the 3 bolts holding the vacuum pump mounting boss in place, this also releases the fuel filter mount so be careful of it moving
LOOSEN/ no need to remove this bolt I am pointing at, I forgot to take this pic when doing tear down, hence the clean water neck
Carefully move the fuel filter mounting bracket back just enough to access the bolts in the thermostat housing
Undo the two thermostat bolts
Remove the thermostat housing, then you should see something like this here. Gasket looks ok except on lower LEFT corner by lower bolt
Back side of thermostat housing, check for the little ball...it's there...Good! surface again not too bad..just lil clean up needed
These next two shots show the cleaned up gasket surface on the block, I'm usually a stickler for super super clean...SURGICALLY clean actually, but today I was lax...it was raining and cold...still it's good enough for what we need to accomplish here today!
Ya, these need a thorough engagement with a wire brush...
These two pics are the NEW MOTORCRAFT thermostat box..thermostat was in the box...lol... THIS WAS SHOT FOR THE #'s
The NEW Thermostat, even has markings TOWARD RAD and arrow point up...SAWEET
That's it so far, MORE TO COME
Al
As per the many members of Oil Burners forum have discovered
FORD Motorcraft or actual International thermostats are what you should use. DO NOT USE AFTERMARKET thermostats. If you do, do so at your own risk. This install is showing Motorcraft parts and part #'s in Canada!
Here is the basic thermostat replacement method I used, feel free to use what you like.
DOING THE PROCEDURES HERE ARE DONE AT YOUR OWN RISK, I DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR CHOICE TO DO WHAT I HAVE DONE. THIS WORKS FOR ME, IT HOWEVER MAY NOT WORK FOR YOU.
AL
I don't provide a tool list because if you don't have the tools to do this job, you likely shouldn't be doing it.
MAKE SURE BOTH BATTERY GROUNDS ARE DISCONNECTED PRIOR TO ANY OF THIS, NOT DOING SO COULD BE CATASTROPHIC!!!
Also NEVER place tools, wrenches, extensions, ratchets etc on battery doing so could be explosive due to a direct short between posts!
.... a reason for removing the battery cables.... For those that don't know... That heavy line going to the alternator BLACK and YELLOW Stripe is always HOT. That's about 2000 amps ready to burn off the tiny wire if it accidentally touches a ground.
If you think you can keep it from grounding then give it a try... But experiences have taught many differantly.
The amps will smoke the wire faster than a prom dress comes off in the back seat of a 55 chevy...
Here we see the engine prior to me doing anything to remove the thermostat, notice the rag in the upper rad hose fitting to keep debris out!
You must be registered for see images attach
Remove Alternator from it's location and set aside
You must be registered for see images attach
Remove the Vacuum pump, and now is a great time to service it with fresh oil too BTW, set aside
You must be registered for see images attach
Remove the 3 bolts holding the vacuum pump mounting boss in place, this also releases the fuel filter mount so be careful of it moving
You must be registered for see images attach
LOOSEN/ no need to remove this bolt I am pointing at, I forgot to take this pic when doing tear down, hence the clean water neck
You must be registered for see images attach
Carefully move the fuel filter mounting bracket back just enough to access the bolts in the thermostat housing
You must be registered for see images attach
Undo the two thermostat bolts
You must be registered for see images attach
Remove the thermostat housing, then you should see something like this here. Gasket looks ok except on lower LEFT corner by lower bolt
You must be registered for see images attach
Back side of thermostat housing, check for the little ball...it's there...Good! surface again not too bad..just lil clean up needed
About the ball. The design is to allow trapped air to purge out of the cooling system back into the radiator. then when the coolant touches the ball it pushes the ball up to close off this pathway. Most times if you squeeze the top hose from the thermostat housing you can hear the ball clicking in the housing if its there and its not gumed up with corrosion....
You must be registered for see images attach
These next two shots show the cleaned up gasket surface on the block, I'm usually a stickler for super super clean...SURGICALLY clean actually, but today I was lax...it was raining and cold...still it's good enough for what we need to accomplish here today!
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
Ya, these need a thorough engagement with a wire brush...
You must be registered for see images attach
These two pics are the NEW MOTORCRAFT thermostat box..thermostat was in the box...lol... THIS WAS SHOT FOR THE #'s
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
The NEW Thermostat, even has markings TOWARD RAD and arrow point up...SAWEET
You must be registered for see images attach
That's it so far, MORE TO COME
Al
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