!!!?! Thermostat replacement? New owner, please help!

kjw86ca · Aug 16, 2009

Hello,

Let me introduce myself, I am a new Ranger owner w/ a 98 2.5L 5/speed. it has about 140k miles - located in Southern California.

While I wouldn't say that I am mechanically challanged, (I have done spark plugs on a 5.4L Expedition, do that and tell me it's an easy job!! WOW!) I am really having a hard time with this one.

I have never had to replace a thermostat on any vehicle that I have owned but I am having some temp gauge issues on this new Ranger and thought it would be good to give it a try.

All of the directions I can find online for the 2.5L say to remove the upper radiator hose and viola! There are two mystery bolts that you undo that hold the thermostat housing on and you are done.

Well I have searched HI and LOW for these bolts and I cannot find them; where the heck are they? I have attached a picture of what I see when I take off the upper radiator hose and I am starting to get super annoyed because they are no where to be found. The online directions make it seem easy as 1-2-3 and the Haynes manual is NO HELP.

Can anyone please help me!?

Thank you,

Kyle

locovaca · Aug 16, 2009

The bolts should go through the housing into the block. One will be almost covered by the timing cover (based on your angle), but you can get it. You're going to want to take off the hose to the heater and probably should think about draining that puppy unless you like spilling coolant everywhere. And based on the rusty color of that coolant, I'd flush the entire system too.

kjw86ca · Aug 16, 2009

Thanks for the reply, I actually did a flush today while I had it all apart (AFTER taking the picture) and wow, was that coolant NASTY. Chunks coming out and all. When you say to remove the heater hose, are you talking about the one that is connected with the clamp in the lower left hand green circle that I made?

I'm not trying to sound like an idiot I'm just really stumped. :dunno:

kjw86ca · Aug 16, 2009

Also, if you look at my picture with the question mark, it shows the timing cover and there is NO BOLT. But now that I am examining it again it appears that there is a small hole, I'm wondering if the bolt is just missing... :dunno:

The_Ghost · Aug 16, 2009

My coolant's ORANGE with rust and I just figured out there was hardly anything but sludge in the radiator.

Inexplicably, the ranger runs smooth and cool.

Where's the coolant temp sensor, cos I don't get any readings on it and my heater will not blow hot even though there's coolant in the system.

I wonder if it needs a powered flush...?

locovaca · Aug 16, 2009

kjw86ca said:
Also, if you look at my picture with the question mark, it shows the timing cover and there is NO BOLT. But now that I am examining it again it appears that there is a small hole, I'm wondering if the bolt is just missing...

That's not the area I'm talking about. It's the other side of the housing, where it goes into the engine. It's not holding on the engine by magic

Essentially, run your hand along the housing to where it bumps into the engine, right by the timing belt cover (the big black plastic thing on the engine). There should be one bolt there and one on the opposite side of the housing at 9 o'clock.

kjw86ca · Aug 16, 2009

I know not by magic but I'm loosing my mind lol.

Alright I will check it out...any tips on removing the timing belt cover? I was trying to get that out today also but was having issues.

scotts90ranger · Aug 16, 2009

go HERE and look at the picture shown there, that's the front of the engine. notice the big hole just above and to the right of the X in the middle of the picture, that is where the thermostat goes, the two bolt holes closest to the big hole are what everyone is talking about. you don't have to take the timing belt cover off to do this, it is literally the two bolts holding the housing on, scrape off the old gasket (be sure you have all of it off, it will bite you if you don't), put the new gasket on, new thermostat in the housing and put it back together.

kjw86ca · Aug 17, 2009

Thank you all for the help.

I will try to tackle this on Thursday probably and will let you know the results.l..I hope it goes good. :icon_confused:

I would like to do it sooner but I have to work now the next few days. :annoyed:

Thanks again!

!!!?! Thermostat replacement? New owner, please help!

kjw86ca

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locovaca

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kjw86ca

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kjw86ca

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The_Ghost

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locovaca

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scotts90ranger

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kjw86ca

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