Car is a 2014 Vantage Roadster 4.7......has anyone come across/solved the following OEM equivalent thermostat problem?
Here is where I am at. Coolant drained with 3/8" interior diameter vinyl hose snugly fit over drain outlet, the handy kind discussed here ( https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...t-removal.html ). Tubing easily fit after removing lower radiator core support AG33-8052-AA, drained + filled and repeated each yielding about 5.5 liters. Original thermostat removed showing a decent size tear but no loss of material into cooling system. Yes that stud is a royal PITA but I was able to get the bracket off w/o grinding it down, just an hour's worth of maneuvering & cussing.

The OEM thermostat at the local dealer is in fact the same flawed gasket design, and of course a shade under $200. The Jaguar equivalent is basically identical to OEM and uses the same flawed gasket design based upon comments on this board. I have bought the Ford/Motorcraft equivalent mentioned by many on here (Ford 2W9Z-8575-AB, Motorcraft RT-1163- 1X), and it does have the more robust gasket construction. But it does not seat properly into the thermostat pipe/housing/receptacle of my car. The photos show the damaged OEM and the Ford equivalent and you can see the "stem and shoulder" difference between the two. The Ford thermostat stem is either too thick or too long, resulting in a gap with the housing. I went to a different Ford dealer and the same part (bag and everything!) looked different from the Ford part pictured that I had bought but it was also too long. I have seen people post their own photos of this Ford part (again, exact part numbers) and what they have successfully fitted looks different than what I have been able to find firsthand.

Two questions. Is the Jag part indeed the same gasket design as OEM? And has anyone done a recent swap using the Ford OEM equivalent (on a 4.7)? I really want to avoid using the OEM and risk a bad outcome with gasket failure.




Thanks

 

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I used oem Ford in Ford parts bag and it was a perfect fit. I have a second one bought at the same time. I will check for it and will gladly give it to you. If it fit mine it certainly should fit yours. PM me

 

PM sent

 

Here you go. I've replaced with ford part, no issue at all.

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...hermostat.html

 

Thanks JB, my issue is that the Ford part you have pictured (as within all the thermostat threads I have scrupulously reviewed) is different from what I have found at Ford today. The Ford parts counter guys don’t have any knowledge of a recent design change, and given the age of the cars these were built for, I can’t understand why the currently available thermostat would differ. And they are still made in the UK. If the Jag part AJ811788 is exactly the same as the flawed OEM gasket, well, I’d prefer not to go down that path.

 

i've got the 4.3 2007 vantage, so this post may not be applicable, but...

i replaced the failed thermostat in my car with a Ford one from NAPA a couple years ago and had a devil of a time getting it to compress enough for the "ears" to slide under the retention tabs. i had to remove the housing from the engine compartment and practically STAND on it to get those ears to slip under the tabs.

the good news is that it fixed the problem and have had 10,000 miles of trouble-free motoring since.

 

Yeah I had thought that the 1/8th” gap that I’m seeing with the new Ford part could go away with the Herculean tab compression. But the old unit easily fits back in snug w/o that next step of installation. More important, there is a definite metal on metal sound that accompanies any effort to close the gap on the Ford part, and I’m not prepared to screw up the interior fitting on the housing.

 

And all is good now?

 

I think my difficulty at this point is with the assembly of the thermostat itself. I have seen conflicting pictures from parts suppliers and owners as to orientation and spring positioning. A,B or C?

I have been doing C (from this board) but am unable to fit the Ford part into the housing.

 

Back again after rechecking RedPants and Scuderia parts illustrations; clearly C (plus the smaller spring) was/is the right way and I do indeed have an odd fitment problem with the Ford OEM equivalent. So I will be getting the Jag OEM equivalent with the same OEM gasket design, the gasket not being my fitment issue, and keep an eye on temperature gauge & again replace the thermostat along with coolant change down the road.

Still have to put everything back together once the Jag part arrives, but hopefully the end of this particular saga.