OK replace yout thermostat housing..... 102

daspazzZX3 · May 6, 2014

Update reqesting more info - OK replace your thermostat housing..... 102

See my newest "last" post! page 2

I am in on the group buy for billet aluminum thermostat housings for our beloved Zetec.

Im not a full blown mechanic, but I aint afraid to turn a wrench to save some cash and learn a thing or two.

Well I asked in the billet GB thread "Where is the thermostat housing and how hard is it replace?" I got ribbed for not knowing. No biggy, I'm determined to learn. So I went on a quest to find out. I started with this google search, location of thermostat housing on 2l zetec. And I found out its actual location, it is here;

Here is an interesting article on "Over cooling a Zetec", for all us ZetecTards it should be a good read!

And here is a tutorial on replacing the Thermostat and/or housing in as little at 45 minutes for the quick wrenched!

I take no credit for this info, only the finding of said same! [ffrocks] [loveff]

qweesy · May 6, 2014

let me know if you need any help you still have to buy 2 other parts to make this a plug and play install, ive already done the install.

daspazzZX3 · May 6, 2014

qweesy said:
let me know if you need any help you still have to buy 2 other parts to make this a plug and play install, ive already done the install.

Thanks man! Much appreciated! [ffrocks] and so does qweesy! [cheers]

MineTwine45 · May 7, 2014

How can you tell if the housing goes bad in the first place? I know they are an issue on this engine, and why they made them plastic when they sit next to a hot engine block I'm not sure.

ferret15 · May 7, 2014

they're made with a kind of plastic. they fail when your valve cover seeps oil and it runs straight onto the t-housing. the oil swells the oring and the plastic that keeps the oring is thin and breaks. it was more of a problem for the svt. how do you know if its bad? it sprays coolant.

there is also a contour housing you can get from the junk yard that is aluminum for way less than that group buy.

MineTwine45 · May 7, 2014

ferret15 said:
they made with a kind of plastic. they fail when your valve cover seeps oil and it runs straight onto the t-housing. the oil swells the oring and the plastic that keeps the oring is thin and breaks. it was more of a problem for the svt.

there is also a contour housing you can get from the junk yard that is aluminum for way less than that group buy.

Luckily my valve cover isn't leaking (knock on wood) so hopefully it shouldn't be an issue. The only thing I got is a squeaky belt that annoys me lol

daspazzZX3 · May 7, 2014

Well this aluminium billet should work sooo much better~!

150mphzetec · May 7, 2014

the contour version is plastic as well, just made of a better plastic and better quality

amc49 · May 7, 2014

Yes, bakelite which will last far longer than the later ABS plastic one, the Contour part has mods to improve it in several ways as well. Sheer stupidity that Ford went with the later crap housing, some leak as soon as you bolt them up.

Blue5ive · May 7, 2014

Qweesy, what are the other 2 items needed as I'm in the group buy as well. I'm guessing one is the thermostat itself.

daspazzZX3 · May 7, 2014

Im guessing here, thermostat ans the thermostat gasket?

qweesy · May 8, 2014

Blue5ive said:
Qweesy, what are the other 2 items needed as I'm in the group buy as well. I'm guessing one is the thermostat itself.

actually 4 parts

1 Thermostat 180 degree if you can tune it or Stock 190 degree, stock part# RT-1150 aka F8RZ-8575-CA

2.) you will also need the thermostat seal Fel-Pro part # 35284

3.) Standard Zetec Housing gasket.... SVT housing gasket is too thin Ford part# W701379-S300

4.) A older model Contour coolant temp sensor 3/8 NPT, Ford Part# DY-1144 aka 3F1Z-12A648-A (this sensor is in the correct Ohm range of the Stock focus sensor)

Thats it and all will be plug and play[woot]

daspazzZX3 · May 8, 2014

I bought these so far;

Themostat

Thermostat Gasket

I will be adding Oil pressure gauge to my ride. Do the items you point to above make this possible?

I also ordered this pressure gauge

And I'm planning to add the fuel to air mixture gauge

So I will be able to monitor oil pressure and fuel to air ratio, hope these benefit me

qweesy · May 8, 2014

daspazzZX3 said:
I bought these so far;

Themostat

Thermostat Gasket

I will be adding Oil pressure gauge to my ride. Do the items you point to above make this possible?

I also ordered this pressure gauge

And I'm planning to add the fuel to air mixture gauge

So I will be able to monitor oil pressure and fuel to air ratio, hope these benefit me

dont bother with those crappy gauges get a good set Like VDO or Stewart Warner

for A/F only wideband like a AEM UEGO

Narrowband A/F gauges are nothing more than a fancy light show .....worthless save your money

daspazzZX3 · May 8, 2014

The low end gauge are just temporary. I wanted a few feel goods until I can afford better. Im on a very limited budget due to still being on SSDI and not yet having a real job. I want the PLX stuff when I can afford it, iminhell turned me on to them! The are awesome pieces of kit!

But thanks for the feedback!

1turbofocus · May 8, 2014

The AEM HUGO wide band is the only gauge you need

Look in the bottom of the thermostat and make sure it sais 180 in it

The stock Zetec thermostat is a 192 or 196 I have seen both

Tom

daspazzZX3 · May 9, 2014

1turbofocus said:
The AEM HUGO wide band is the only gauge you need

Look in the bottom of the thermostat and make sure it says 180 in it

The stock Zetec thermostat is a 192 or 196 I have seen both

Tom

Is [that] it Tom I Opted out of the AEM Hugo

I did get this Gen 3 Wideband AFR Gauge & Sensor Combo from PLX Devices be a better choice. I deferred to iminhell to see what this new tech multi gauge can do. I kind of like the nice gauges, and the way they work and It wasn't much more than the AEM HUGO unit. I can add other modules and run them in series with the PLX gauge and rotate through readings. Can also use the controllers for data logging purposes. Should be interesting once I get it dialed in!

I am using the oil pressure gauge I bought, I can add a temperature module to my setup in a bit and get reading from oil and water temp on the same gauge I will be using for A/F ratio and logging. I can have it scroll through all my PLX control modules and display them as needed. With alarms and error condition setting I can have it flag me if something is off or out of balance/tolerance. I'll be a test case for iminhell! [deviltail]

[like]

[twothumbs]

[wrenchin]

Some very sweet kit, in deed!

Fierceintent · May 10, 2014

1turbofocus said:
The AEM HUGO wide band is the only gauge you need

Look in the bottom of the thermostat and make sure it says 180 in it

The stock Zetec thermostat is a 192 or 196 I have seen both

Tom

Curious as to what are the benefits of running at 180 thermostat?

daspazzZX3 · May 10, 2014

1turbofocus said:
The AEM HUGO wide band is the only gauge you need

Look in the bottom of the thermostat and make sure it says 180 in it

The stock Zetec thermostat is a 192 or 196 I have seen both

Tom

@Tom = 1turbofocus

When you say look at the bottom you mean "inside" to see the bottom? I can see a stamping in there and it looks to read 195F. So I must have gotten the wrong one. I will see about getting one locally for 180F.

And what is the benifit of the lower Tstat rating?

qweesy · May 12, 2014

cooler temps but you have to tune the car for the fans to come on earlier otherwise it aint going to make a difference.

OK replace yout thermostat housing..... 102

daspazzZX3

qweesy

daspazzZX3

MineTwine45

ferret15

MineTwine45

daspazzZX3

150mphzetec

amc49

Blue5ive

daspazzZX3

qweesy

daspazzZX3

qweesy

daspazzZX3

1turbofocus

daspazzZX3

Fierceintent

daspazzZX3

qweesy

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