I just got my mototrad online tstat from amazon yesterday and im gonna install it today...maybe. I didn't do much research other than reading posts about how awesome they lowered your temps. Here is the problem, does ambient temp effect the performance of the tstat? Can it harm your engine if the temps are too low? And now that I have google reviews on it ( should've done before purchasing) I read that they fail within in year, how many have had this problem? If the 439-180 is not as good as its cracked up to be then what is the best?
Thanks all

 

We have not had a lot of posts on here about them failing unless just won't open at all when first done. You can put it a pot of water on the stove and test it before install. Ambient temp makes a little difference, but you would have to make careful measurements to see anything. If engine temp was really low, like below 160, there would be issues with oil viscosity and the ECU will be dumping in extra fuel, maybe staying in open loop fueling, mpg would stink. I have driven my D1 in summer with no stat (135- 145 degrees), a 160, a 195, and my current favorite, the 180. I run 180 - 187 on roads and freeway, and the other day when it was 28F here I was at 178 - 183 on 50 mph back roads. The D2 stat lets truck run a little warmer because it is mounted outside the block.

If you are also changing coolant or flushing, do that before you swap stats, trash gets in small holes on top leg.

 

I have a Motorad in my truck and it has been working well for the past 10,000 miles or so. Make sure the reviews you have read are for the same model number thermostat. They seemed to have some issues a while back with some of their standard thermostats but I haven't heard of any problems with the D2 thermostat. If you are concerned, you can always buy an OEM soft-spring thermostat from Lucky 8, BP Utah, Atlantic British, etc.

 

I've been running the Motorad t stat for about the same as duxlr and have had no issues at all. My temp never goes over 194.

 

Just test it in a pot of water before putting it on your truck. My first one wouldn't open and my second one doesn't fully open til 196. I'm gonna try the OEM soft spring after I get the engine swapped on my 04.

 

How do I test in a pot of water? Do I boil it in water?

 

Yup. Just boil it and make sure it fully opens.

 

Open and ready to go.
What kind of coolant should I put back in this thing. I was using prestone 50/50 dexcool but I here its bad I don't want to go green so should I go with the yellow or back to the orange?

 

Get approval from SWMBO for selection of pot.

 

The consensus seems to be go green, but then you will need to flush out the orange. That requires a bunch of distilled water and somewhere to get rid of it all when you are done. I couldn't get to the block drains on mine so I did the repeated flush thing. Also, now would be a great time to back-flush your heater core. Mine was mostly blocked by something that made the flush water in the bucket look like egg-drop soup. I used a garden hose for the backflush followed by blowing out the tap water with the discharge from a shop vac followed by a few distilled water flushes. The hose that tees into the line to the water pump is the outlet for the heater core.