I have a 2.9 4x4 with a 4" lift. Wanna swap a 4.0 in but that's out of budget at the moment (it's the electronics part that kills it).

It has 2 new heads, a new rad 4.0 explorer HD piece, new water pump, rebuilt the fuel system, checked all my sensors, timings ok (just smogged it and timed it so either of us should have caught it), etc.

Anyways, the thing hates hills and gets up to the rm- maybe a-ish side of the "normal" on the gauge going up a 12 mile 6% or so grade (stuck at 50 MPH cause I need to re-gear for the 33's).

Flat landing it chills at no with a 180 thermostat (gonna chuck it today though because it eats MPGs).

It just has me paranoid that it's still got something jacked up; I've nothing left to replace! I've gone over all the routing, etc. and I'm sure I'm water tight.

are 2.9's just this crappy when they have a load (the 4" lift, 4x4, and tires does some).?

Th PO made it the WTAV by the way.

I think I fixed the overheat... one of the thermostat bolts had sheared off!

Anyways, no it seems to hang out in the "NOR" neighborhood with a 192 thermostat. Still curious.