thermostat and sensor housing- do they crack? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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thermostat and sensor housing- do they crack?

robrike40

Member
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December 10, 2005
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City, State
Elizabethton, TN
Year, Model & Trim Level
98 XLT
Hi,

98 XLT SOHC V-6
Kind of an emergency, need to get this on the road ASAP. Car was leaking coolant in the thermostat vicinity so I pulled the upper intake, drained the coolant and pulled the thermostat to replace the O ring. I did this about 18 months ago also. With the stat out and top cover off I was looking at the two sensors that screw into the housing by the heater hose. One of the sensors on the left looking from the front will not turn like it is loose but will give a bit when pressed on, as in the plastic and washer flex. I am thinking this is not normal and is the source of my leak. The other sensor next to it is rock solid, no play. There is a wire that runs from the lower intake area down to the bottom that makes getting in there tough. Do those plastic housing that the sensors screw into crack or is some flex normal? Trying to decide whether to put it all back together and see what I get or avoid doing it twice and replace the upper housing. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Rob
 



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The plastic housings sure can crack. The sensors can also develop a leak as well due to bad manufacturing, cracking, age, heat, etc... around the "base", if you will. Sometimes it's not apparent until the cooling system builds up pressure.

You shouldn't have any movement in the sensors at all as far as I know, Could be where your problem lies. Since you have it all apart, I'd look it over and inspect everything thoroughly now anyways, and replace what you have to, if you have to. No sense in putting it back together, just to rip it apart again at a later date.
 






Hey,
I appreciate the reply. I think I will go ahead and pull the housing and check everything out. There are a couple of wires in the way that will probably prove to be the hardest part of removing it but it looks like 3 bolts after the 3 for the thermostat top are out.

I will check it over and let you know what I find. I definetly don't want to be going back in once it is back together.

Thanks,
Rob
 






Finally got around to pulling the lower thermostat housing off today. The bushing for the sensor on the left side of the housing is stripped/screwed/trashed/slightly dislodged. I suspect that is where the leak was and when I tried to unscrew it I may have stripped it more. The plastic under the bushing is broken. Just ordered a new one for$136 at the dealer along with the O ring that goes below it. Should be in Tuesday.
That thing can be a pain to get off. I took the upper and lower intake off but the wiring harness runs above it and makes things tricky.

Thanks again,
Rob
 






anyone know a part number or source online for this part? Just got my "part" in from the dealer and it is totally the wrong part and they gave me some line about Ford parts system numbers being cruddy. Mine is a 98 XLT with 4.0 SOHC and it is the plastic housing that the thermostat goes in and also has two sensors screwed into it and a connection to a heater hose. The thermostat rest in it and has a top cover and o ring that the upper hose connoects to.

Thanks,
Rob
 






Final answer is they do and it stinks!!! $206 part from the dealer and no aftermarket. Seems the leak develops when the brass bushing strips from the plastic housing as you try to remove the ECT sensor or coolant temp. sensor. There are two on the housing, one for the gauge and one for the computer. Sensor corrodes to the bushing and just breaks it lose in the plastic to leak from. I did the timing chain tensioner a half year ago and wonder if when removing the sensor I damaged it then? The leak only recently started that I can tell but there was some old looking crusty coolant around it.

Be careful in there!;)

Rob
 






Hi, i'm Johnny. I am from Houston,TX in need of thermostat housing for 1998 Ford Explorer V6 4.0 liter SOHC. Does anyone know where i can purchase one online? or any website that sales one for this vehicle?
 






Hi, i'm Johnny. I am from Houston,TX in need of thermostat housing for 1998 Ford Explorer V6 4.0 liter SOHC. Does anyone know where i can purchase one online? or any website that sales one for this vehicle?

You can do a replacement for less, but it requires some parts gathering. You'll need the lower housing from a later Sport Trac ('03 or so), the two sensors, and the clips that hold the sensors in. You can reuse the upper portion that you currently have, you just need to pop out the bushings in the three holes.
 






You can do a replacement for less, but it requires some parts gathering. You'll need the lower housing from a later Sport Trac ('03 or so), the two sensors, and the clips that hold the sensors in. You can reuse the upper portion that you currently have, you just need to pop out the bushings in the three holes.
 






Have you tried rockauto.com? I recall seeing them on there.
 






where do i get clips for sensors on thermostat housing for1998explorer v6 4.0liter sohc
 






Need thermostat housing for Ford Explorer 1997 6.0 cylinder SOHC

I live in the Phoenix Arizona area and my thermostat housing is cracked and I'm looking for a replacement. Dealer price is $240. My mechanic tells me I can get one from a junk yard for $30 or so. Does anyone have one or know where I can get this part today?
 






My answer to this is $5 Platic epoxy 3600 Psi goo and a $10 sensor.

The answer to Fords $310 replacement part.

I am going to pop that ring out and clean it up and glue it back in with the plastic epoxy.

You know Ford designed this to break exactly how it does. They want to make bank off the replacement part.

Funny I called my dealer today 6-28-2010 and asked about the part and they had everything for me ready to go with plenty in stock. I told him they were probably going to continue to have a great supply at that price! :p:

I'll post up pics of the fix. ;)
 






Dorman also makes a replacement housing for the 97-01 4.0 SOHC motors which is about half the price of the Ford one. Part #902-204. It also is possible to replace this housing without taking off the lower or upper intake manifolds. We see these all the time at the shop I work at and it happens on the 4.0 SOHC motor all the way up until at least '07-'08 model Explorers
 






Dorman also makes a replacement housing
Anything made by Dorman concerns me. I installed a dorman diff cover for someone and after a few rains(no salt) it looks like its 10 years old, lots of rust. We ended up putting grease on it.
 






To Follow up: Dorman really cares about their customers and gave me 100% satisfaction on the issues I had with their products. I wouldn't hesitate to buy this brand again. Seems they are trying to rectify any issues they had in the past.
 






having a hard time getting the clip back in place on the new 03 thermo housing..any ideas...stuck on the side of the road now ..
 






I'm having the very same problem with my '04.O'Reilly's has the bottom thermostat housing for about 65 bucks.
 






I have been told my 99 XLT has a leak at the ECT sensor, as well as the thermostat, and timing cover gasket.

Is the ECT sensor easy to replace? From this thread it appears it is an expensive part, and I do not want to take a chance in damaging it.

Thank you.
 



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I just replaced my '00 4.0 SOHC yesterday. It CAN be done without removing the upper intake, but you have to fight the vacuum lines and the crank sensor wire. I found that removing the crank sensor connector and bracket it made the job a bit easier, but it was still a PITA to do. I have one image of the engine with the housing removed. Mine was leaking from the bottom housing-to-engine seal and both sensors. I got a new housing, 2 sensors, throttle body to intake plate and plate to intake O ring all for $150 (bro-in-law works for Carmax and he has connections). The entire process took about 3.5 hours.
IMAG0099a.jpg
 






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