My truckseems to be laboring lately when I accelerate and drive up hills. My temp. gauge needle is pointing at exactly the halfway point. Is that too high or is that ok? I am guessing the first thing I am going to do is flush the radiator. So my question is where is the drain plug, and do you have any alternative suggestions? The truck is an 04 4WD Lariat with 93k miles. Thanks in advance.

 

If your temp is midrange than your fine. If you haven't changed your coolant ever it wouldn't hurt though. The pet**** for the radiator is on the bottom tank passenger side. Be careful with it, it breaks off easy.

Your problem sounds like a plugged fuel filter. I'd check that first

 

93k is tuneup time anyway. Fuel and air filters, and spark plugs.

 

Thanks for the insight. I am going to take it in to get the plugs changed. Is there any way I can access the TSB on the plug issue so I can give it to my local garage?

 

Whenever I do a Radiator flush I change the thermostat as well.
It makes it alot easier to drain the system with the thermostat housing off anyways.
Make sure you burp the system really well after you refill the system. You do not want any trapped air in the system.
For $5.00-$10.00 for the thermostat, it's good prevent mait.

 

Yea, purchase the stock 192 or 194 thermostat. Not totally sure WHAT they are, but there's been a few problems/conflicts I guess with the 187's.

 

You may want to take it to the dealer for the plug change if your garage has never done a change on a Triton 3V.

 

There are also fail open thermostats that you may want to try. Son # 1 's 95 Mustang V6 and my 95 Mark VIII Lincoln both had thermostats fail closed at around 70k miles. The Mustang V6 engine of that vintage is notorious for blowing head gaskets when it overheats and that is what happened. About $1200 to repair. My Lincoln had an audible warning that allowed me to turn it off before it overheated too much.
The 2000 Mustang V6 that I recently bought for Son # 2 got a new fail safe thermostat immediately after purchase.