How to: Step By Step Guide for Replacing Lower Thermostat Housing

mixwhit · August 3, 2009

I have written up a guide called How to Replace the Upper and Lower Thermostat Housing on a Ford 4.0L V6 SOHC Engine. It is a detailed step by step walk through, including lots of photos. Perhaps too detailed for some of you, but helpful for those who haven't done as much of their own wrenching. I did the work on my '03 Ranger, but it should be applicable to anyone with a Ford 4.0L V6 SOHC engine.

Comments or suggestions are always appreciated.

2000StreetRod · August 3, 2009

mixwhit said:
I have written up a guide called . It is a detailed step by step walk through, including lots of photos. Perhaps too detailed for some of you, but helpful for those who haven't done as much of their own wrenching. I did the work on my '03 Ranger, but it should be applicable to anyone with a Ford 4.0L V6 SOHC engine.
Comments or suggestions are always appreciated.

A very well written and informative writeup Ben!

I noticed from your photos that there are significant differences between your intake air plenum and the one on my 2000 SOHC V6. For one, my throttle cable pulls from the top like yours but on the opposite side. That means that the throttle bodies are not interchangeable.

However, my upper housing for the thermostat appears to be very similar and possibly the same as yours. The lower housing appears to be different and may not even be a separate replaceable piece. I hope that I never have to find out for certain!

mixwhit · August 3, 2009

2000StreetRod said:
However, my upper housing for the thermostat appears to be very similar and possibly the same as yours. The lower housing appears to be different and may not even be a separate replaceable piece. I hope that I never have to find out for certain!

Interesting. I expected they would be nearly if not completely identical since it's the same engine. Perhaps it's not as useful here then.

kevinspann · August 3, 2009

mixwhit said:
Interesting. I expected they would be nearly if not completely identical since it's the same engine. Perhaps it's not as useful here then.

Its quite useful actually. You gave a very good write up of how to do this. The engines are the same, but the intake manifolds on the older models are different.

What you replaced is considered an upgrade for the even more crackprone, older model, so anyone doing that upgrade can use your write up, especially with the part numbers you provided. The only difference might be, that the older models may need to have the upper intake removed to access the thermostat housing better.

rcturner29 · June 25, 2010

Great Ben, Now I have something to go by. Mine is exactly like yours. Very usefull and appreciated.

97xlt4.0 · January 2, 2011

Holy old thread!! Glad I found this....been fighting with the thermostat housing on my '97 SOHC today, and the upper intake manifold is definitely going to have to come off....

Mike39532 · March 22, 2012

ok your information found to be just what I needed,, I have been fighting this for 2 weeks,, change the water pump and then the heater control value. still had water leaking, look at the housing last night and notice how bad it was,, when it motors heats up to a hot temp the water leak stops, someone tell me please that I will not have to remove the intake LOLOL on a 1998 I dont think I can

Mark Freeman · November 6, 2016

mixwhit said:
I have written up a guide called ]. It is a detailed step by step walk through, including lots of photos. Perhaps too detailed for some of you, but helpful for those who haven't done as much of their own wrenching. I did the work on my '03 Ranger, but it should be applicable to anyone with a Ford 4.0L V6 SOHC engine.

Comments or suggestions are always appreciated.

Thank you for the info, very detailed explanation. I don't think that this will apply to my situation as my coolant leak is at the back of the engine. The front is completely dry.

How to: Step By Step Guide for Replacing Lower Thermostat Housing

mixwhit

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2000StreetRod

mixwhit

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kevinspann

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rcturner29

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97xlt4.0

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Mike39532

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Mark Freeman

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