180 T-stat in 02GT?

[02GTRX]

My car starts getting really hot driving around town in this 104+ weather, Im wondering if I can just drop a 180 thermostat in there to fix this problem, will it affect anything in a bad way? My car is stock.

 

[stangman]

you'll need to have the fans programed to come on at a lower temp to make it effective

 

[CanadaStang]

you'll need to have the fans programed to come on at a lower temp to make it effective

What he said ^^

Although your gauge will read lower on the highway with the 180, around town the temp will go just as high as with the stock thermostat unless you program the EEC to turn the fan on sooner.

 

[02GTRX]

how do i do that?>

 

[CanadaStang]

how do i do that?>

You would need a chip or a programmer like SCT's Excalibrator.

 

[floridatgp]

not with AC on

If your in 100+ weather i bet the AC is on, which turns on fans, so reprograming doesn't seem important.

 

[LI98GTStang]

Athough I'm not in an extremely hot weather enviroment, the 180 degree t-stat helped lower the temp not only in the other seasons, but the summer as well. It does get decently hot at times here and my car now operates one letter lower in the temp gauge all year around. I don't have the fan mod or chip upgrade either, which I'm sure would help even more. So in my case the earlier opening of the t-stat helps keep the engine cooler. I also keep the antifreeze fresh by changing every 2 years. BTW, I used the Ford 180 t-stat from the lightning. Fit and operationally works great.

 

[bl0wn02gt]

when i did the procharger i dropped a 180 stat in my 02 and the car def runs cooler without reprogramming or anything..just my 2 cents

 

[stng]

Agree with blown02gt