Changing Thermostat
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 0
From: Conyers
Changing Thermostat
Now hoe the heck do you get to the thermostat on these things?...92 4.0L Aerostar...I need to replace the one on my Mom's van 'cause it is stuck open, but I don't have the slightest clue how to get in there without dissasembling everything.
Stupid Vans!
Stupid Vans!
FTE Community Team
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 248
From: Oak Harbor, Washington
Changing Thermostat
>Now hoe the heck do you get to the thermostat on these
>things?...92 4.0L Aerostar
I just replaced the thermostat, rad hoses, heater hoses, and radiator fan (plastic was cracking around the hub) today, on a '92 Explorer w/4.0l . The engine is the same as the Aerostar's, but access is better.
On the explorer, the thermostat housing is also a stamped sheet metal pipe that goes 90 degress up, then curves to the passenger side, where the upper rad hose connects, routes behind the alternator, then forward to the radiator. I do not know if this is the same routing as in the Aerostar.
I used a 1/4" drive ratchet, 3" extension, and 10mm deep socket to remove the three bolts retaining the thermostat housing to the front of the intake manifold. The upper passenger side bolt was a PITA! The crank position sensor wire harness is routed directly in the way, and there's very little room to shove it to one side, but I managed.
When putting the housing back on, hang that bolt loose in the housing before putting the housing in position, it's the only way (that I could see) to get it started. The job went OK.
This rig took forever to warm up, and the temp gauge liked to hover near the "N" of the "Normal" range; now it heats up much faster, and runs mid-range of the scale like it should.
The sealing fat o-ring goes on the housing side of the thermostat. My thermostat housing was a bit corroded, so I cleaned it up then put a very light coat orange RTV on it, just to fill in the corrosion pits. Doesn't seem to leak.
BTW, Aerocolorado, on the subject of fan clutches: the early Aeros with two belts drive the water pump via the grooved side of the belt, and use left-hand-threaded fan clutch mountings; the later 4.0l use the single belt accessory drive, drive the water pump from the back side of the belt (and, therefore, in the opposite direction) and use the right-hand-threaded fan clutch mounting. I had a couple side-by-side in the driveway today, and it's obvious, once you think about the way the two different drive systems drive the water pump in opposite directions.
I wonder what the later 3.0l pumps look like, and if they drive the water pump from the grooved side or the back side of the belt?
Regards,
Al S.
>things?...92 4.0L Aerostar
I just replaced the thermostat, rad hoses, heater hoses, and radiator fan (plastic was cracking around the hub) today, on a '92 Explorer w/4.0l . The engine is the same as the Aerostar's, but access is better.
On the explorer, the thermostat housing is also a stamped sheet metal pipe that goes 90 degress up, then curves to the passenger side, where the upper rad hose connects, routes behind the alternator, then forward to the radiator. I do not know if this is the same routing as in the Aerostar.
I used a 1/4" drive ratchet, 3" extension, and 10mm deep socket to remove the three bolts retaining the thermostat housing to the front of the intake manifold. The upper passenger side bolt was a PITA! The crank position sensor wire harness is routed directly in the way, and there's very little room to shove it to one side, but I managed.
When putting the housing back on, hang that bolt loose in the housing before putting the housing in position, it's the only way (that I could see) to get it started. The job went OK.
This rig took forever to warm up, and the temp gauge liked to hover near the "N" of the "Normal" range; now it heats up much faster, and runs mid-range of the scale like it should.
The sealing fat o-ring goes on the housing side of the thermostat. My thermostat housing was a bit corroded, so I cleaned it up then put a very light coat orange RTV on it, just to fill in the corrosion pits. Doesn't seem to leak.
BTW, Aerocolorado, on the subject of fan clutches: the early Aeros with two belts drive the water pump via the grooved side of the belt, and use left-hand-threaded fan clutch mountings; the later 4.0l use the single belt accessory drive, drive the water pump from the back side of the belt (and, therefore, in the opposite direction) and use the right-hand-threaded fan clutch mounting. I had a couple side-by-side in the driveway today, and it's obvious, once you think about the way the two different drive systems drive the water pump in opposite directions.
I wonder what the later 3.0l pumps look like, and if they drive the water pump from the grooved side or the back side of the belt?
Regards,
Al S.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: home
Changing Thermostat
When I changed mine out on a 94 4.0 with rear heat I also had to disconnect the metal heater hose lines top bracket from the block. Just push it a little out of the way. The rest is like the guy before said. Also the 4.0 Aerostars tend to trap air in the system so it needs to be bleed after you do this.
