DieselSite DS203 Thermostat 203 Degree, Fits 1996-2003 Ford Powerstrok

THIS THERMOSTAT WILL FIT 1996-2003 Ford 7.3L trucks starting with Engine Serial #201681. Not for use with 1994-1995 trucks unless you have installed a 1996-2003 water pump.

Torque Specs for Thermostat Housings:  100-110 in-lbs

WHY DO YOU WANT YOUR TRUCK TO RUN WARMER?

CLICK HERE FOR FUEL MILEAGE INCREASE/SAVINGS CHARTS

Here's a little background on the Ford Powerstroke thermostat...

203° IS THE TEMPERATURE THAT NAVISTAR DESIGNED YOUR TRUCK TO RUN AT. THIS IS THE THERMOSTAT THAT WAS AND STILL SHOULD BE IN EVERY POWERSTROKE 7.3L.

Until 1996, all 7.3L Powerstrokes that were manufactured used an International water pump and an International short stem 203° thermostat .  In 1996, Ford changed to a lower degree 195° thermostat. They changed water pump designs at this time as well.  The new pumps required the new long stem 195° thermostat in place of the short stem to properly seat the bypass disk. All 1996-2003 Ford PSD's now come equipped with a long stem 195° thermostat. Recently the factory replacement thermostat available at the parts counter changed to 192°. Our Dieselsite 203° uses the correctly sized t-stat with the correct temperature spring so that we no longer have to give up the benefits of running our vehicles where they were meant to run.

This recent testimonial really made us feel fantastic.  It's what we hope for with every sale.  We love to make products that have multiple benefits and we love to hear about it when we can make even a small change to anyone's daily grind.  THANKS SO MUCH!

I just wanted to give you some feed back on the 203 degree thermostat. I ordered one from you after some advice on a popular Ford Diesel blog. I read the claims but was a bit hesitant to believe.  I ordered the part and began taking mine apart. To my amazement, not only was my factory thermostat stuck in the open position (the truck has 290,000 miles on it and it had never been replaced)but the gasket was stuck partially in the thermostat itself. I used both your thermostat and new housing and immediately saw a vast improvement in overall performance. For the first time since it was new, I actually have heat in the cold Wisconsin winters. If that were not enough, the general performance is significantly better all thanks to a little more heat in the motor. There is a noticeable reduction in exhaust smoke, less acrid smell to the exhaust and better fuel mileage (approx. 2.4 mpg). I am very happy with your product and was amazed that such a simple upgrade could supply so much. I look forward to purchasing other products from you in the future.  Jeff W., President - W. Construction

WHY IS 203° BETTER THAN 195°?

Diesels run most efficiently at approximately 200° or above.  A factory equipped 192°/195° thermostat will maintain an operating temperature at approximately 165°-170°. The Powerstroke has such an efficient cooling system, that this low flow when the thermostat is slightly open is normally enough to keep the engine cool. The downfall to this is that the engine -- when our trucks are not under load -- never begins to reach its optimal operating temperature. Our 203° thermostat maintains a minimum operating temperature of 190°. This brings the operating temps up from as low as 170° to as high as 203° depending on the operating conditions of the truck. This is closer to the operating temperature range that is preferable in our trucks for optimal efficiency.  

When our trucks are under load and are producing higher combustion temperatures the 203° will allow the engine to run even closer to its optimal operating temperature.  If the truck is under load and reaches the 203° setting, the thermostat is then fully open. This means you are at the maximum coolant temperature that the truck will reach.  Your maximum temperatures are only a few degrees higher than in stock configuration, but these are degrees that you want for better performance.  The best benefits come when the same truck is under a light load and would have a hard time reaching this optimal temperature. As stated above, you will never reach this optimum temperature with the stock 195° thermostat. The end result of installing the 203° thermostat should be slightly better fuel economy, less smoke, and maybe a few extra "ponies" to go along with it. 

WHY A LONG STEM AND NOT A SHORT STEM? 

Although International still uses a 203° thermostat in some applications and that thermostat is available at most auto parts stores, it is the wrong part for the 1996 - 2003 Powerstroke.  DO NOT USE THIS!  It has a shorter shaft and will not shut off the internal pump bypass. This will cause inaccurate coolant flow direction through the engine.  This IH version thermostat mentioned is available by calling us.

The thermostat in the Powerstroke not only controls operating temperatures, but properly directs the flow of coolant through the engine. As the thermostat opens, it proportionally closes the bypass.  With the thermostat fully open, the bypass is mostly closed, and vice versa.  With the International (Pre-96 Ford) thermostat, this cannot be controlled properly because of the shorter bypass stem.  The shorter stem of the IH(pre-96 Ford) thermostat allows the thermostat to be fully open while the bypass is fully open. This means the coolant can travel in any direction available -- whatever direction it chooses.  It can either travel through the radiator or simply make the shorter, less restrictive path back through the front of the engine. This will cause uncontrolled overheating in the back cylinders of the block, with absolutely no signs of danger showing on the water temperature gauge in the cab.  It is possible that the back of the engine can have no coolant flow at all yet the thermometer in the outlet of the water pump shows all to be normal. Multiple things can happen at this point.  Cylinders can seize, freeze plugs can fall out and other normal symptoms of an overheating engine may occur. Worst case is a blown motor and it won't be covered under warranty. 

We know the warranty departments and engineers at Ford have verified engine loss due to the short stem thermostats in previous cases where people were sticking into their trucks to increase their operating temperatures.  As soon as they see the short shaft thermostat -it's your problem.  Our 203° thermostat will not encounter these problems! It's designed to work as the OEM unit did WITH the long stem for bypass protection.

WHY USE THE DIESELSITE 203° THERMOSTAT?

Because you reach a higher optimum operating temperature - safely - by using our thermostat with the long stem for bypass protection.  It's that simple.  We've combined the two units to bring you a safe alternative.  Now you can have the optimal operating temperatures without risking the chance of uncontrolled overheating in the back cylinders of the block due to an uncontrolled bypass.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

90 days on manufacturing defects and workmanship only.

There are no other warranties, written or implied.

Improperly or poorly maintained systems can lead to failures in thermostats.

As with all cooling system modifications, a water temperature gauge is a highly important tool in monitoring the system. As with the OEM thermostat requirements, we recommend that you change your thermostat out once per year to insure proper functioning of the unit. 

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: Why do I want my truck to run warmer?

Answer: You want the engine oil/water temps to be warmer so you get a cleaner, more complete combustion. This can actually bring exhaust gas temperatures DOWN. Diesel ignites from heat of compression. The idea is to compress the air charge to build enough heat to light the fuel, but if it's fighting against a low engine heat, the fuel will ignite, but not as complete as if the cylinders were just a bit warmer. The more complete the combustion, the cooler the exhaust temperatures. Diesel fuel combustion tends to complete best at temps above 200°. An added benefit from using the 203° thermostat is better working cab heaters in the cold months. Another added benefit is better fuel economy. We have seen everywhere from 1-4mpg increases. This depends on climates, driving habits, etc. Even a modest .25 mpg increase will pay for the thermostat in a few miles.

For anyone who doesn't think 8 degrees can make a difference, consider that at 211 degrees water is hot, at 212 degrees, its converted to vapor. At the right critical point for every matter on earth, a degree or a few degrees can make a HUGE DIFFERENCE.

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For an unsolicited response from an engineer who wrote:

"You should want your engine's oil & water temperatures warmer to:

1) reduce piston/ring sliding friction,

2) to complete combustion before the crankshaft has rotated so many degrees which translates into more "area under the curve" of piston pressure pushing the connecting rod down to rotate the crankshaft, and

3) to better purge volatile oil-borne combustion byproducts from its oil supply.

Just as injector nozzle pressures over 30,000 psi have enabled diesel designers to generate higher torque from identical total fuel flows of better atomized fuel presenting more surface area to oxygen which induces earlier combustion completion, so too do higher combustion chamber temperatures also cause slightly earlier combustion completion during the power stroke. Earlier combustion completion results in higher gas pressures earlier in the power stroke which are converted into higher average crankshaft rotating pressure. Gas pressure converted earlier into crankshaft rotating work is not later available as waste heat at the bottom of the power stroke. That contrasts with later combustion completion which fails to convert as much gas pressure into crankshaft rotating energy so more gas energy is still available at the bottom of the stroke as waste heat. That complex relationship is why earlier combustion completion, whether caused by better fuel atomization or by higher combustion chamber temperatures, lowers exhaust gas temperatures while simultaneously increasing crankshaft power output. "

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Question: My thermostat has some sort of ball or "device" on it. What is that for and why doesn't yours?

Answer: That is an air bleed. All manufacturers accomplish this in different ways, but it is basically a calibrated "leak" to allow air to leak past the thermostat in the closed position. We have a notch cut into the disc itself that handles this function. Flip the thermostat over and look at the inner disc and you'll see a small cut in the side of the disk preventing a complete seal.

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Question: Does it matter which way the thermostat is installed? Many manuals state the air bleed must be at the 12:00 position.

Answer: That applies to thermostats mounted in the side of the engine. You want the air bleed to be at the highest position to work. In the Powerstroke, the thermostat disc is horizontal, so the position of the air bleed does not matter.

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Question: Does your thermostat have a way to bleed air from behind the valve?

Answer: Yes. There is a small calibrated "V" notch cut into the side of the disc for air bleeding. Do not drill a hole in the disc as this can change the opening temperature of the thermostat. Our thermostats went through extensive durability and flow testing to make sure they were perfect.

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Question: Will I need any other parts or o-rings to install the Dieselsite 203° thermostat?

Answer: Each DIESELSITE.COM 203° thermostat comes with a new o-ring. We recommend a new thermostat housing when installing a new thermostat if your vehicle is over a year old. Many are rusted too badly to properly seal. We sell the OEM housings for 1994-1997 as well as the 1999-2003. We also offer a billet aluminum thermostat housing in several colors.  You can purchase your OEM housing at your local dealer as well.

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Question: What can I do to insure no leaks during the installation?

Answer: Be sure to start with a clean, very dry surface.  Most installation errors are caused by those who did not wait for the surface to dry or they did not clean and dry it well before installing the thermostat.  Although it is not needed if you start with a clean, dry surface you can use regular RTV sealant during the install.

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Question: What temperature should I be seeing on the factory gauge in the cab after installation?

Answer: The factory temperature gauge is not a true temperature gauge in that it does not show actual temperature.  It has three settings:  cold, normal and overheating.  Cold is when you first start it up.  Normal is anything that the computer thinks is normal operating temperatures.  This can range from 90° to 220°.  Overheating is just that. The gauge is not designed for measuring your actual water temperature it is designed to tell you whether you are in the normal operating temperature or overheating.  There is no in-between. With that in mind, the gauge on your dash may stay the same, may go up or may go down slightly.  It is NOT an indication of what the thermostat is doing.  If you want to know your actual water temperature, you must put in an aftermarket water temperature gauge.

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Question: I have a 1995 Powerstroke and it looks like I have a long stem style thermostat in my waterpump. Is this possible?

Answer: Yes. If you've had your water pump replaced, chances are the installer replaced it with a newer style pump which uses the longer stem 195° thermostat. If that is the case, our 203° thermostat is the correct replacement for that style.  *If you have a pre-1996 vehicle this is not the thermostat for your truck unless you changed to a later year water pump.

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Question: Does the thermostat affect my engine oil temperatures as well as the coolant temperatures?

Answer: Yes it does.  In fact, that is the whole point.  It raises engine oil temperatures proportionate to the coolant temperatures.  The engine monitors oil temperatures and our thermostat does not raise the oil temperature out of the normal acceptable range.  It only raises it to a more desirable range for the diesel engine.

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Question: Can't I just block off part of my radiator to achieve higher coolant temperatures?

Answer: Yes, but this is an uncontrolled situation. You have effectively reduced the size of the radiator and if more cooling were needed for higher loads, the engine might overheat. A higher rated thermostat is the only safe way to raise operating temperatures.

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Question: Does my thermostat really need to be replaced every year?

Answer: This is like any thermostat. There is no magic. Its design is identical to any OEM thermostat with only the opening temperature rating as its difference. A thermostat is a heat reactive spring that changes shape every cycle. The more hot/cold cycles the thermostat sees, the faster is wears out.  So, depending on the driving conditions a truck is under, a truck may see years of dependable operation, or may see as little as a year. This is common. We decided to run a test and wait for it to fail to see how long we got out of our personal company truck. The thermostat has been in service for almost three years now. The thermostat finally reduced its max opening size not allowing as much coolant to pass, so temps ran a bit higher than normal. It didn't actually "fail", but merely failed to operate within design specs. We installed a new thermostat and all is fine again. So, in closing, follow your Ford recommendations to check and replace your thermostat when needed.