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As I was driving home this morning I noticed a little bit of white smoke behind me. I know that usually means coolant leaking somewhere. I pull in the drive and smoke starts coming up from under the hood. I pop the hood and I found coolant coming out the bottom of this thing the arrow is pointing to in the picture. I can't find it anywhere in the book as to what the thing is. It's attached to the hoses going to and from the heater core. Anybody know what this thing does?
That's a valve that uses vacuum to control coolant flow to the heater core. It's like a $25 part at the Ford dealer. They told me they are a common failure item. I have seen them at after market stores (websites) also, such as Advance Auto Parts.
Extremely easy part to replace. I replaced my heater hoses at the same time, the one going to the water pump was a pain because of a bracket that keeps it away from the belt.