I’m planning on doing a full coolant swap on my 14 GT500. I’ve been reading until my eyes are about to pop.

What is the consensus on the Motorad 354-180? Will it work on our GT500 correctly?

Reische claims on the website that the 354-180 has the correct bypass function. But on older posts I found, they claimed that it didn’t function properly. Based on pictures, the Reische G5 and Motorad thermostat look the same.

Anyone have real experience with the 354-180?

You mention a "coolant swap," but I'm guessing this is a thermostat...? 🤷‍♂️

 

I plan to do a full coolant flush. Since i normally take the thermostat out to help with flushing, I was researching about a cooler temp thermostat.
Seems no one has the Reische thermostat in stock.

 

worked for me, nothing else out there is available as you stated

 

Here is a Reische 170 degree for comparison, I do not see any hole in the t-stat (frame or plate) to allow coolant to bypass the closed thermostat?.......





R

 

Here is a Reische 170 degree for comparison, I do not see any hole in the t-stat (frame or plate) to allow coolant to bypass the closed thermostat?.......





R

I Just saw the photos of the Motorad. Seems like it has the same hole as the Reische.

 

The difference between the two have more to do with the by-pass. The by-pass should be open before the thermostat opens so it can circulate coolant through the by-pass hose, in effect circulating coolant through the engine. When it gets warm enough to open the thermostat, the stem should extend to block or restrict the by-pass port.

 

The difference between the two have more to do with the by-pass. The by-pass should be open before the thermostat opens so it can circulate coolant through the by-pass hose, in effect circulating coolant through the engine. When it gets warm enough to open the thermostat, the by-pass should block or restrict the by-pass port.

Thank you.
I shall have to do some testing to see what it does.
I know Reische recommends the Motorad as the thermostat that operates properly, but in older posts on this very forum they claimed it did not work properly.

 

Have you looked into the R.A.T. stat? It seems to be GT500 specific.

07-14 Shelby GT500 V8 5-Star RAT 170 Thermostat

www.stage3motorsports.com

I don't know anything about it, other than it's been mentioned in a few places.

 

I have not. Seems like some folks on this forum have used it. I’m just worried the bypass isn’t correct.

 

If it's specific to the GT500, I'm thinking the by-pass works as intended. Only one way to find out.

 

I’ll start with the Motorad.
Any idea if the plate is supposed to move out as the thermostat opens?

 

Maybe the hose diagram from the Ford Shop manual will help?................It appears that the engine side hoses 6, 7, 8, 9 would flow (bypass) the thermostat when it is closed and once the coolant temp. is satisfied to open the thermostat, then hose 10 toward the radiator comes into the flow circulation? All bypass function is done through the engine side hoses at the thermostat housing when the thermostat is closed?



R

 

Pretty sure the plate is retracted, so the by-pass port can flow coolant freely. When it warms up, the stem should extend and block off the by-pass hole in the bottom of the housing.

 

I was not fully up to speed on the bypass function..........So it is not a bypass through the thermostat like a hole or passage allowing coolant to pass when the engine is cold, but it is that plate on the end that blocks off the bypass passage inside the thermostat housing when the thermostat has extended fully open?

R

 

Here is a Reische next to a OEM thermostat.
Seems the stem/plate is already extended on the Reische cold.

 

I don’t think it is.

 

I dug out my Super Snake take-off parts, I remembered there was a t-stat box with a t-stat in it. This is what Shelby installed in my 2008 during the Super Snake upgrade Jan. 2009 and the ultra low mile oem t-stat is in the box. It's been in my car since that time with no issues that I know of.......



R

 

I dug out my Super Snake take-off parts, I remembered there was a t-stat box with a t-stat in it. This is what Shelby installed in my 2008 during the Super Snake upgrade Jan. 2009 and the ultra low mile oem t-stat is in the box. It's been in my car since that time with no issues that I know of.......



R

Robert, I seem to recall Reische coming out with their unit about the time I got my Shelby in 2011. It may have been the only game in town when your car was converted.

 

It's just going to by-pass all the time. It's not optimal from a cooling standpoint as all hot coolant isn't being divered to the radiator. However, I'm going on what Reische discribed the moto-rad working. I have not dumped all three units in a pot of hot water. But here is the Reische next to OEM. The OEM by-pass is obviously NOT fully extended.

 

That’s my concern. If the OEM isn’t fully extended that means the bypass is open. Once it extends it closes the bypass. The Reische and Motorad seem to be extended when cold.
I shall see what my Motorad does today. It’s in transit so I should have it later today for testing.

 

here are the "rat stat" pics, hope this helps...

 

Pic's don't really help unless someone can heat them up and deomonstate what they do. @palacios289, how do you know the Reische doesn't extend outward further when it's heated, or that the motorad doesn't retract when it it's heated?

 

I don’t. I will at least find out on the Motorad today.
I just don’t think there would be enough room in the thermostat housing for the plate to extend more.
We shall see.

 

Just had a text conversation with Reische. What a standup company.
So the Motorad and Reische thermostats have a longer bypass stem than OEM. According to Reische, this would mean the bypass would close sooner than OEM due to extended length.

 

Do did they say whether the Motorad extends enough to close off the by-pass?

 

According to Reische, yes the Motorad would extend enough to close the bypass.
It seems by looking at a OEM thermostat, the OEM plate would have to extend the furthest to close off the bypass.
Both the Reische and Motorad seem to have the plate at roughly the same height.

 

If a t-stat seal is stuck and the t-stat is hard to remove, what is the best way to remove the t-stat without damaging it? Even the Reische info. mentions the seal/t-stat may be stuck.........

R

 

I'd try a little WD-40. The seal isn't anything special if you tear it. If it's hard, you may want to replace it anyway.

You can use a screwdriver to pry on the exposed part of the housing, but try not to damage it in doing so. If it's stubborn, try from a few different angles until it starts to loosen.

 

Here we go. Motorad 354-180 This is some kitchen stove top testing. Ha
First is closed. 1.501 inches.
Second is with thermostat open. 1.925

i measured as best as I could from bottom thermostat plate to top of the bypass plate. Is this enough to close the bypass port? I guess I need to know test a OEM and take the same measurements.

 

Here we go. Motorad 354-180 This is some kitchen stove top testing. Ha
First is closed. 1.501 inches.
Second is with thermostat open. 1.925

i measured as best as I could from bottom thermostat plate to top of the bypass plate. Is this enough to close the bypass port? I guess I need to know test a OEM and take the same measurements.

View attachment 281292
View attachment 281293

Yes, how did this compare to the Ford engineered oem thermostat?

R

 

Well, we know it's expanding in the right direction. If not blocking the passage, it will be restricting the flow of coolant going to the bypass.

 

Another interesting thought. It seems the Motorad, Reische and RAT thermostats are of similar cold heights. The OEM cold is shorter than these 3.

my thought is that this is by design since it opens at a higher temp than the 3 aftermarket thermostats.
Just my thoughts. Until they are tested we won’t know with certainty.

 

Finally got around to swapping coolant and thermostats. I measured the thermostat housing from the lip the thermostat sits on to the lip where the bypass plate should sit on to close the bypass.

1.848 inches was the measurement.
Based on what I measured on the Motorad bypass plate once hot, the bypass plate should fully close the bypass plate.

 

Road testing results.
It’s been hot in central Florida this last week. Average temp around 95. Yesterday I drove on a local highway. My cruise temp varied between 198-201 per my nguage.

Today at the same outside temperature on same highway temp varies from 185-189.

these were both steady cruise in 4th gear.

EDIT. This is prior to adjusting fan temps. I am on stock fan settings.

 

Bit of an old post, apologies.

Checking in to see if the Motorad is working well as the replacement to the discontinued Reische.

Thanks,
J.

 

Bit of an old post, apologies.

Checking in to see if the Motorad is working well as the replacement to the discontinued Reische.

Thanks,
J.

my "RAT stat" has been working great and for about a year now and in South Florida's heat and humidity