Ford quietly redesigned the thermostat in 2022...replace it

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LokiWolf

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Let me put this in a different light, at least Ford redesigns this stuff and fixes it. In 2018 they introduced the 3rd generation of the 5.0L V8. They added dual injection, high compression pistons, plasma arc cylinder liners. Job 1 trucks quickly started consuming insane levels of oil. 1 year before this Ford released the 2nd generation of the 3.5 EcoBoost. Job 1 trucks quickly started rattling and many still believe the oil galleys casted into the block were not large enough resulting in excessive top end wear. Many shops find excessive wear in the cam caps on these era engine. Admittedly 17-20 F-150 engines were a hot mess. Disaster. So much so I refused to buy a used truck when researching. But in 2021 Ford gave the 5.0L all new pistons with new oil control rings, new intake manifold and throttle body, VCT’s. They added power, brought the torque curve lower into the revs, and made it more reliable. They gave the 3.5L an all new generation of camphasers and changed the pistons and some things in the block. Again adding power. They fixed the motors!!

Contrast: GM has had lifter failures on the LS and LT since 2007. What have they done? Nothing. Same sh*t different day. I’d rather see a manufacturer improve on issues they find than deny it and never fix it.
@JExpedition07 Glad you are still around, because this is an excellent perspective! Thanks!
 
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NavigatorPro

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There were camphaser issues on the 2018, 2019 and 2020 as well as 10R80 issues and a severe overheating problem. I felt like I was a beta tester for the 2018 Navigator. My 2018 Navigator spent 6 months total in the dealership and I think the engine was opened up 3 times. In early 2020 before COVID I rented a 2020 Expedition and it had the cold start rattle. All these issues have been fixed. In the 2021 or 2023 Navigator no issues were noticed.

On the 2021 I was still seeing 10R80 adaptive memory issues, but those were resolved with a reset. Not noticing adaptive memory issues on the 2023.

As for spark plugs Im not taking anyones word for it but Ford and NGK. If its not listed on their website saying it can go in there Im not putting it in there. End of discussion.
 
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sixsix

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My 2019 Max Platinum just started running hot but so far it’s only on interstate when going up any kind of grade, doesn’t even have to be all that much. Usually when it gets to the peak it’ll show 235 degrees. I recently had 2 heater hoses replaced that were leaking and it didn’t start doing it till after that. I need to call the dealer back and see what they say. I may have to replace it myself tho, I can’t afford those high dealer prices…. They charged me $600 in labor to change the two hoses, and they were quick connects.

Any write ups out there on changing out the thermostat? It doesn’t look too terribly complicated.
IMG_2998.jpeg
 

rd618

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My 2019 Max Platinum just started running hot but so far it’s only on interstate when going up any kind of grade, doesn’t even have to be all that much. Usually when it gets to the peak it’ll show 235 degrees. I recently had 2 heater hoses replaced that were leaking and it didn’t start doing it till after that. I need to call the dealer back and see what they say. I may have to replace it myself tho, I can’t afford those high dealer prices…. They charged me $600 in labor to change the two hoses, and they were quick connects.

Any write ups out there on changing out the thermostat? It doesn’t look too terribly complicated.
I wish I could get 425 miles to empty with 2/3rds tank.
 

3rd Expyowner123

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My 2018 Expedition started showing 234 degrees when driving up a long grade at 80mph or when driving 75mph pulling my boat. Took a picture of the dash temp gauge showing 234.
My local Ford dealer could not duplicate high temperature as they were not going to drive over the speed limit etc.
I also noticed my cooling fans running hard while driving in stop and go traffic when the outdoor air temperatures were in the 90’s.
I paid my Ford dealer to replace the thermostat. That solved the problem.
If anyone is have Cam Phasers replaced, make sure to ask to replace thermostat while the engine is apart.
Yes, the thermostat was redesigned. My original had a metal end which now is plastic on the updated design.
 

sixsix

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My 2018 Expedition started showing 234 degrees when driving up a long grade at 80mph or when driving 75mph pulling my boat. Took a picture of the dash temp gauge showing 234.
My local Ford dealer could not duplicate high temperature as they were not going to drive over the speed limit etc.
I also noticed my cooling fans running hard while driving in stop and go traffic when the outdoor air temperatures were in the 90’s.
I paid my Ford dealer to replace the thermostat. That solved the problem.
If anyone is have Cam Phasers replaced, make sure to ask to replace thermostat while the engine is apart.
Yes, the thermostat was redesigned. My original had a metal end which now is plastic on the updated design.
Oh yeah that's the other thing I forgot to mention, the cooling fans seem to never shut off.
 

chaffdb

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That was into a 9 hr drive from New Orleans to Gatlinburg, TN. It does really well on long open road drives.
Sorry for the thread drift, but that is pretty impressive. I'm just up the road from you in Hattiesburg, MS, and we made the trip to Nashville and back recently on some of the same roads as your trip, and our '22 Limited Max (4x2, 302A, HD Trailer Tow) did 19.5 on the trip, right at 3 mpg less than you averaged on yours. That did include a little driving around Nashville, but we never saw above 20 mpg. I'd guess the HD Trailer Tow and 3.73's is the reason for the difference.

Also, for comparison sake, during the time between ordering our Expedition in February '22 and its arrival in September, we rented a '21 Suburban for a family trip to Gatlinburg. We were loaded with 4 adults, 2 kids, and all the typical luggage and gear needed for such a crew, and it averaged just under 20 mpg for the round trip.
 

Wangle

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Back to the thermostat discussion… LOL. I have not seen this issue, but after research I decided to put in the new style thermostat. Mostly because I do tow and I don’t want my temperature to get to 240+ degrees. I ordered the RT-1252 thermostat and went to install it today. I noticed there was no Fahrenheit temperature stamped on the thermostat, just 90.6 C. I did the conversion, and that is 195°, not 190°. It should be 88° C. I search the Internet for half an hour for every picture I could find of this thermostat, and every one I found says 90.6° C. I didn’t only want the new design, I wanted the slight temperature drop as well. Thoughts?
Also, I am wondering if the group that designed the shocks also designed the sticky stat. (Let’s take something that is routine/trouble free and *#&$ it up)
 

bshowalter

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Looks like you ordered the old part number, earlier in the thread it notes that RT-1250 is the new part number for the 190* thermostat. I haven't done this but am following as my 2019 seems to be running a few degrees warmer than it used to.
 

GixxerJasen

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You shouldn't end up with a lower temperature, it'll just open later. Once it's open it should function just like one that opens earlier, right?
 

Wangle

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Looks like you ordered the old part number, earlier in the thread it notes that RT-1250 is the new part number for the 190* thermostat. I haven't done this but am following as my 2019 seems to be running a few degrees warmer than it used to.
Uh… Nope. Not seeing that. I did see this.
2018-2021..RT1252
2022-2023..RT 1250
I have a 2018, so I ordered the RT1252. I verified this on several web sites. Every single one that listed a temperature said RT1252 was 190°. Hence my confusion at the 90.6 C designation. Actual thermostats in the first picture. Note the extra spring coils in the new design, and also note that it does not come with the gasket. Test drive went well, but I do not have a display turned on for temperature (And hope I never see it, unless I turn it on someday). The gauge has always run in the middle and it may have been slightly lower, but hard to tell. Transmission temp may have been 2 to 4° lower, but time will tell
 

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Wangle

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You shouldn't end up with a lower temperature, it'll just open later. Once it's open it should function just like one that opens earlier, right?
If the new thermostat was 190° the engine should run 5° cooler until maximum capacity on the cooling system was reached. This is what I was hoping for.
 

bshowalter

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Uh… Nope. Not seeing that. I did see this.
2018-2021..RT1252
2022-2023..RT 1250
I have a 2018, so I ordered the RT1252. I verified this on several web sites. Every single one that listed a temperature said RT1252 was 190°. Hence my confusion at the 90.6 C designation. Actual thermostats in the first picture. Note the extra spring coils in the new design, and also note that it does not come with the gasket. Test drive went well, but I do not have a display turned on for temperature (And hope I never see it, unless I turn it on someday). The gauge has always run in the middle and it may have been slightly lower, but hard to tell. Transmission temp may have been 2 to 4° lower, but time will tell
Interesting. It would be good to get some clarification. The way I read the post was that the '22+ had a redesigned thermostat and that was the better version to run for all models.
 

bobward757

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New T-Stat dropped my temps at least 10 degrees. New specialty tunes plugs raised mpg 1.8 mpg on average.

Lots of threads here in 4th gen forum on spark plugs.

How long are the coil packs lasting?
 

Wangle

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I did a little research this morning on the thermostat listed for the 2022+ models, the RT-1250. Consistent with the RT-1252, descriptions show a rating of 190°F, but the markings on the thermostat show 90.6°C, which is 195°F.
 
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