snookered
New Member
- Joined
- December 17, 2008
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 2
- City, State
- Louisiana
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1998 Explorer XLT (FREE!)
JOEZ33-
"Work in progress update: I received the RH144 lower housing. It should work fine, and uses TWO sensors just like the original- however they are a "push in" style sensor instead of the original "screw in" sensors. This means I gotta buy two new sensors.
Here's a breakdown of the parts needed to make this all work. RH144 (lower housing) $37, RG-614 (lower seal) $5, SW6146 (temp switch) $19, DY1004 (temp sensor) $22, sensor locking clips $7 each, and your old thermostat will drop right into the new housing.
By doing this it will be upgraded to a 2002 Sport trac version of the coolant housing. My old one is starting to leak around the metal sleeve that holds the threads which the threaded sensors screw into. The upgraded one no longer uses threads, and eliminates that possibility of leaks.
Again remember- I have NOT completed this modification yet, but am committed to following through. I'll keep posted on any new information."
"ALL FINISHED
It worked out perfectly. Cost me about $100 instead of 300. Now I'm also upgraded to the new style design which should last even longer than the original.
Just so everyone knows, DO NOT use the RH165 outlet/upper half it will NOT fit. It has the wrong angle and the hose will not line up. What you have to do is pop the brass bushings out of the old upper outlet so that it will fit on the new lower housing. The new lower housing has the alignment bushings protruding upward and into the upper half. It fits perfectly, if you want a new top half then buy one for the old style 1998 and then pop the bushings out.
Basically to recap, the stock lower housing was cracked and FORD only sells it as a huge Friking assembly with all kinds of unneeded parts like the sensors, upper half, thermostat and charges over $300 for it, AFTER they order it and mark it up 100% like all stealerships. They really need to sell the 1998 lower half by itself just like the one I bought.
My answer to ford was to buy just the new style lower half for $37, ONLINE and not at a stealership. Then I transferred the existing thermostat, upper half and upper seal from the old to the new housing. The new RH144 lower housing uses o-ring style push in temp sensors. This forced me to buy two new sensors. The new sensors don't screw in, they push in and use a metal spring clip to hold them in.
Those metal clips are only sold at the dealer, which is why they cost $7.00 each! They are basically about 1/4 the size of a paper clip and made of spring steel. All they do is slide into a slot that holds the temp sensors from popping out. They look like something you'd find in the "Help" section of the parts store for 50 cents."
**********************************************************
I think this fix is worthy of being a sticky. Moderators?
Part from dealership- $300+
JOEZ33 repair- $100
Quotes taken from http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174531&page=2
"Work in progress update: I received the RH144 lower housing. It should work fine, and uses TWO sensors just like the original- however they are a "push in" style sensor instead of the original "screw in" sensors. This means I gotta buy two new sensors.
Here's a breakdown of the parts needed to make this all work. RH144 (lower housing) $37, RG-614 (lower seal) $5, SW6146 (temp switch) $19, DY1004 (temp sensor) $22, sensor locking clips $7 each, and your old thermostat will drop right into the new housing.
By doing this it will be upgraded to a 2002 Sport trac version of the coolant housing. My old one is starting to leak around the metal sleeve that holds the threads which the threaded sensors screw into. The upgraded one no longer uses threads, and eliminates that possibility of leaks.
Again remember- I have NOT completed this modification yet, but am committed to following through. I'll keep posted on any new information."
"ALL FINISHED
It worked out perfectly. Cost me about $100 instead of 300. Now I'm also upgraded to the new style design which should last even longer than the original.
Just so everyone knows, DO NOT use the RH165 outlet/upper half it will NOT fit. It has the wrong angle and the hose will not line up. What you have to do is pop the brass bushings out of the old upper outlet so that it will fit on the new lower housing. The new lower housing has the alignment bushings protruding upward and into the upper half. It fits perfectly, if you want a new top half then buy one for the old style 1998 and then pop the bushings out.
Basically to recap, the stock lower housing was cracked and FORD only sells it as a huge Friking assembly with all kinds of unneeded parts like the sensors, upper half, thermostat and charges over $300 for it, AFTER they order it and mark it up 100% like all stealerships. They really need to sell the 1998 lower half by itself just like the one I bought.
My answer to ford was to buy just the new style lower half for $37, ONLINE and not at a stealership. Then I transferred the existing thermostat, upper half and upper seal from the old to the new housing. The new RH144 lower housing uses o-ring style push in temp sensors. This forced me to buy two new sensors. The new sensors don't screw in, they push in and use a metal spring clip to hold them in.
Those metal clips are only sold at the dealer, which is why they cost $7.00 each! They are basically about 1/4 the size of a paper clip and made of spring steel. All they do is slide into a slot that holds the temp sensors from popping out. They look like something you'd find in the "Help" section of the parts store for 50 cents."
**********************************************************
I think this fix is worthy of being a sticky. Moderators?
Part from dealership- $300+
JOEZ33 repair- $100
Quotes taken from http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174531&page=2