My brother has an 89 F150 with the 302, 4x4, and automatic. Were pretty sure it needs a thermostat because it's been taking longer for it to heat up in the morning and gas mileage has gone down. So we went down to Autozone got ourselves an O.E thermostat. They said they were out out of the gasket that seals it. So they gave us some RTV sealant instead. Using the RTV alone w/o the gasket will it seal it anyway or just wait to get a gasket from Autozone??? Tks guys

91

 

id just try to find the gasket, because if you just use RVT and it starts to leak you're gonna have to go back in and do it all again. might as well do it right the first time, good luck!

 

Tks Donate

nice truck and nice gallery too!!! gotta question speaking of thermostats. I have heard removing the thermostat makes it run better, but how does it make it run better??? performance and all, tks again dude

91

 

your stat might be fine. but your fan clutch could be sticking hence the lower mpg. you also might have a bad coolant temp sensor.

sart the truck cold and let it idle the upper rad hose should be cold watch the gauge once it gets close to normal temp keep your hand on the upper hose if it all of a sudden gets hot your stat is fine.

do not remove the stat it is there for a reason.

good luck-

 

well gee ****in wiz, I just got done replacing the thermostat whatya think about that dip****!!!!!!!!! Runs awful, leaks everywhere, and I just fried his alternator too oh yea forgot to mention, I ain't got no ****in ranger, all have is my F150 that is for sale BTW my brother hell he don't have an 89 F150, I"m a ****in liar not to mention I'm a ****in **** star and I'm gay. So **** off and have a nice day I"M AM THE BIGGEST MOTHER****ING IDIOT ON THIS PLANET, oh yea did I mention to have a nice ****in day.

 

ok, i must have missed something here

 

blue00,

you didn't miss a ****in thing, just me ****in up my truck as usual. I don't fix em up, I **** em up just the way you like it!!!! so it runs like total dog **** and leaks **** all over your garage floor. No worries dude, everything is nice and ****ed up just the way I like it

 

i'm missing something too.Whats that all about?

 

???? Who is posting under his ID?

 

I read this over 3 time's and still don't see why you flipped out....as suggested above you should wait for a gasket and also use a thin layer of RVT along with it.

 

since you live on ohio, id suggest you keep your thermostat in. i took mine out because a lot of my performance-oriented buddies suggested i try it and i did and i loved the way it runs without one. the only downside to running no t-stat is that it takes longer to warm up the truck (here in FL that is no trouble with our climate, but in ohio its gonna take too long to warm up the engine). as far as performance i didint really gain much (at least nothing noticeable), but the truck's temperature runs a lot better and stays a lot cooler while towing.

 

I had the same question.

Over in another post on Prowax he explains that he had a small miss hap with his bros truck, and I think he is quite p.o.'d with himself right now. I think he used the RTV gasket sealer alone, rather then the combo of the 2 together.

I think he is just a little mad at himself, and not in the right frame of mind to be replying to posts.

 

On the topic of gaskets, the last time I got one it was adhesive on one side so you can put the thermostat in the water neck and stick the gasket over it. It holds the thermostat in the neck so you dont have to fight it in place. No more thermostat slipping betweent the gasket surfaces. Perhaps I am just slow and put 10 thermostats in before I found these, but it makes it real handy.

 

PMS

 

Pi$$ed off
Mechanic
Syndrome.

All of us have had some mechanical jobs not turn out as planned (especially with mods!) at one time or another. When his temper cools he'll do it over and hopefully get it the way he wants it to be.

Hang tough f-150_91, dont let the nuts & bolts get the best of you!

Good luck.