4.0 leak in thermostat housing again! smh...

[MidnightRider]

This aftermarket OEM spec thermostat housing part ( Motorad TA2061SFS) is very attractive. It comes as a complete unit with: upper / lower housing, fail safe thermostat, sensor, and seals all for about $38.
Question: has anybody used this MotoRad after market part?

For a repair like this, because it's a PITA, I usually would stick with Motocraft only, but this looks pretty darn good.

Has anybody out there used this part? How was the fit? Did it leak?

Thanks!

 

[ekrampitzjr]

The problem with plastic thermostat housings is they will last for a while, but the heat cycling gets to them and the lower housing cracks. Then you have a sudden catastrophic loss of coolant with little warning. It's not just Ford Rangers, but certain Chrysler products and other Fords as well.

Get the aluminum Simmons Auto Sportz housing so you can sleep better at night. I used a new Motorcraft thermostat and temperature sensor with it.

My opinion is that I would not trust this Motorad unit, and on other forums others have complained about Motorad parts.

 

[MidnightRider]

The problem with plastic thermostat housings is they will last for a while, but the heat cycling gets to them and the lower housing cracks. Then you have a sudden catastrophic loss of coolant with little warning. It's not just Ford Rangers, but certain Chrysler products and other Fords as well.

Get the aluminum Simmons Auto Sportz housing so you can sleep better at night. I used a new Motorcraft thermostat and temperature sensor with it.

My opinion is that I would not trust this Motorad unit, and on other forums others have complained about Motorad parts.

Thank You! I didn't know Simmons had an aluminum option and will certainly look into that.

Yeah..I hate plastic!

 

[MidnightRider]

The problem with plastic thermostat housings is they will last for a while, but the heat cycling gets to them and the lower housing cracks. Then you have a sudden catastrophic loss of coolant with little warning. It's not just Ford Rangers, but certain Chrysler products and other Fords as well.

Get the aluminum Simmons Auto Sportz housing so you can sleep better at night. I used a new Motorcraft thermostat and temperature sensor with it.

My opinion is that I would not trust this Motorad unit, and on other forums others have complained about Motorad parts.

Yes please!

 

[Roert42]

Even if you buy a new plastic housing, I wouldn't use whatever cheap thermostat comes with it. I've had about 6 aftermarket thermostats not work right out of the box. I would rather keep a 20 year old OEM then a non oem thermostat.

 

[MidnightRider]

Agreed, especially on something like this. Gone are the days when a thermostat change out was a two bolt 1 beer job. smh...

 

[MidnightRider]

The official tech procedure on this job is to remove the intake manifold! What?! smh...

It's a pain, but fortunately one can struggle through without having to remove it.

 

[sgtsandman]

The official tech procedure on this job is to remove the intake manifold! What?! smh...

It's a pain, but fortunately one can struggle through without having to remove it.

It can be done without removing the intake. You will need to take the throttle body off. It's a tight squeeze but it can be done. While you have it out, you might as well change the timing chain tensioner. Yet another thing that is "fun" to work on. Having the thermostat housing and the throttle body out, it's a bit more pleasant of a process. Those tensioners should be changed out every 70,000 - 100,000 miles to prevent damage to the timing chain and it's plastic guides. If you are curious as to why we recommend doing this, check out FordTekMakeULoco on Youtube. He has video(s) on the whole process of doing a timing chain and guides change on the 4.0 SOHC. Something you want to avoid doing if you can. Changing the tensioners every so often is a piece of cake in comparison.

 

[MidnightRider]

It can be done without removing the intake. You will need to take the throttle body off. It's a tight squeeze but it can be done. While you have it out, you might as well change the timing chain tensioner. Yet another thing that is "fun" to work on. Having the thermostat housing and the throttle body out, it's a bit more pleasant of a process. Those tensioners should be changed out every 70,000 - 100,000 miles to prevent damage to the timing chain and it's plastic guides. If you are curious as to why we recommend doing this, check out FordTekMakeULoco on Youtube. He has video(s) on the whole process of doing a timing chain and guides change on the 4.0 SOHC. Something you want to avoid doing if you can. Changing the tensioners every so often is a piece of cake in comparison.

Oh wow, I didn't know about the timing chain tensioners and I'm at 136k. I will certainly look into this. Thank you so much for posting...

 

[sgtsandman]

Oh wow, I didn't know about the timing chain tensioners and I'm at 136k. I will certainly look into this. Thank you so much for posting...

Other than forums, I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere. We try to spread the message and save people grief if we can.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Oh wow, I didn't know about the timing chain tensioners and I'm at 136k. I will certainly look into this. Thank you so much for posting...

Stick with Motorcraft for the chain tensioners. Don't use aftermarket. When you order the tensioners, be sure to get the gaskets (washers), which are separate part numbers. Left and right tensioners are different, but take the same gasket. Check other threads here for the part numbers and tips for installation.

Glad you found the Simmons housing. They ain't cheap, but they're good.

 

[DILLARD000]

Yep,
Defintely recommend swapping the JunkPlastic TStatHousing to an Aluminum Housing.
Basicly 2 versions of Aluminum Housing available: one from SimmonsAutoSportz & all the others.
Either Aluminum version has slight advantage\disadvantage to the other;
either Aluminum version is much better than the JunkPlastic FactoryOE\AfterMarket versions sold at your local parts store.
Click here for more on Aluminum TStatHousings for the V6~4.0L~SOHC.
Click here for more on OilPressurized TimingTensioners for the V6~4.0L~SOHC.

 

[bobbywalter]

The problem with plastic thermostat housings is they will last for a while, but the heat cycling gets to them and the lower housing cracks. Then you have a sudden catastrophic loss of coolant with little warning. It's not just Ford Rangers, but certain Chrysler products and other Fords as well.

Get the aluminum Simmons Auto Sportz housing so you can sleep better at night. I used a new Motorcraft thermostat and temperature sensor with it.

My opinion is that I would not trust this Motorad unit, and on other forums others have complained about Motorad parts.

definitely a jeep thing.

 

[bobbywalter]

Agreed, especially on something like this. Gone are the days when a thermostat change out was a two bolt 1 beer job. smh...

it is on my ranger.....hell you can swap out all 8 injectors and glowplugs in 40 minutes too....

 

[MidnightRider]

Stick with Motorcraft for the chain tensioners. Don't use aftermarket. When you order the tensioners, be sure to get the gaskets (washers), which are separate part numbers. Left and right tensioners are different, but take the same gasket. Check other threads here for the part numbers and tips for installation.

Glad you found the Simmons housing. They ain't cheap, but they're good.

Thanks for the tips...ordered the Simmons Aluminum last night! This is the 3rd time and hopefully the last time I have done the housing. smh...