• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Fiesta ST Forum and Fiesta ST community dedicated to Fiesta ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Fiesta ST Forum today!


180F Ford Motorcraft Thermostat now available

OP
koozy

koozy

3000 Post Club
Messages
3,209
Likes
1,889
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Thread Starter #25
Finally got around to installing the 180 Motorcraft Thermostat. I ran out of time and will have to get back to it hopefully sometime during the weekend. I got through the hardest part, which was just removing the thermostat. Figuring out how to reach and get to things in the tight confines and what tools to use was the challenge. Now that i know how it comes out, going back together should be smooth. I took a bunch of photos as usual, because I like to document my process and procedures for future reference. Here are just a couple that briefly captured the moment.

Once access to the thermostat is available it's not too bad.







Room for activities.





Thermostat housing assembly removed.



Disassembled.



Some visible crud on the thermostat.



The old OE thermostat. I could not locate a stamping on it to indicate what temperature that thermostat was. I was surprised to see that much deposit build up on the thermostat. The ball bearing in the bleeder was no longer able to move as freely as the new thermostat.



Old next to new.



Chasing the gasket surface with fine wet sanding.



Housing ready for the new thermostat and gaskets.



New assembly with 180 thermostat ready to go back on.



I will be doing a chemical coolant flush to help remove any more deposits that may be in the system and especially the water pump.
 


Last edited:

alexrex20

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,472
Likes
611
Location
Spring
#26
Thanks for the pics! I want to install one also but have been hesitant because of lack of info. Those pica really help visualize what I'd be getting into. Doesn't look nearly as bad as some folks make it seem.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 


alexrex20

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,472
Likes
611
Location
Spring
#27
What all did you remove to get to that first pic, where you had access? Some people were removing the front bumper and radiator!!!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 


OP
koozy

koozy

3000 Post Club
Messages
3,209
Likes
1,889
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Thread Starter #28
What all did you remove to get to that first pic, where you had access? Some people were removing the front bumper and radiator!!!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Obviously the alternator, I also removed the passenger side headlight though it may be possible to do it with it on and would be a tight squeeze getting the alternator out, but I just prefer to have as much room as possible and taking the headlight is not too big of a deal. It also afforded me the ability to capture better photos. That's mainly it for parts removed to get to the thermostat.
 


alexrex20

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,472
Likes
611
Location
Spring
#29
Awesome. Removing the alternator and headlight isn't that big of a deal. I will order that new thermostat.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 


OP
koozy

koozy

3000 Post Club
Messages
3,209
Likes
1,889
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Thread Starter #34
yes, see first post and yes they can (at least one of them) can be ordered separately. New thermostats typically come with required gaskets.
 


OP
koozy

koozy

3000 Post Club
Messages
3,209
Likes
1,889
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Thread Starter #35
Finished up today. Verdict is that it's easy. Easier than installing a downpipe. Once the alternator comes out it's pretty straight forward. I spent more time wrestling with the OE spring action hose clamps in the tight space with limited area to move. Must have the right size vice grips and hose pliers to get them off and on the thermostat housing.

Tools used to R&R the thermostat.


 


OP
koozy

koozy

3000 Post Club
Messages
3,209
Likes
1,889
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Thread Starter #36
After spending considerable amount of time daily driving on the streets I'm can report that the coolant and oil temps have dropped big time. In 90 deg F ambient temp both oil and coolant hover around 188 deg F. Oil has not gone over 190 and coolant has not gone over 195 when pushed. I expect the numbers to be a little higher in the canyons/track and will update later.
 


TDavis

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,435
Likes
1,149
Location
Columbia
#37
After spending considerable amount of time daily driving on the streets I'm can report that the coolant and oil temps have dropped big time. In 90 deg F ambient temp both oil and coolant hover around 188 deg F. Oil has not gone over 190 and coolant has not gone over 195 when pushed. I expect the numbers to be a little higher in the canyons/track and will update later.
IIRC you have a Mishi rad as well correct?
 


redmoe

Active member
Messages
516
Likes
247
Location
Phoenix
#39
After spending considerable amount of time daily driving on the streets I'm can report that the coolant and oil temps have dropped big time. In 90 deg F ambient temp both oil and coolant hover around 188 deg F. Oil has not gone over 190 and coolant has not gone over 195 when pushed. I expect the numbers to be a little higher in the canyons/track and will update later.
That’s interesting, I am seeing similar temps with my mountune radiator and stock 2017 t stat. Do you remember what you were seeing before swapping to the new t stat? I seems that the newer models may have a lower opening temp on the stock part.
 


OP
koozy

koozy

3000 Post Club
Messages
3,209
Likes
1,889
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Thread Starter #40
That’s interesting, I am seeing similar temps with my mountune radiator and stock 2017 t stat. Do you remember what you were seeing before swapping to the new t stat? I seems that the newer models may have a lower opening temp on the stock part.
Only way to know for certain is someone pulling out a '17+ thermostat and looking at it, but then again my stock '14 didn't have any marks on it to indicate what temp it was. All references I could find don't indicate a change in thermostat for '17+ model years, but I'm not certain without more concrete evidence.

Here's my temps lifted from a post in my build thread. https://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/3074-koozy-s-ST?p=181754&viewfull=1#post181754

Stock


Temps during a spirited canyon run with the OE Radiator and Mishimoto Oil Cooler. DHM turbo on E30 tune.


Temps during a spirited canyon run on same road with the Mishimoto Radiator and factory OE oil cooler. Stock turbo self tune Stage 3 91oct.
 


Last edited:

Similar threads



Top