Thermostat (or Lack Of One!)

[swanny1970]

Hi All

 

OK. Still having the issues with lack of power, juddering when driving and rough idle. The rough idle corrects itself at some point when I am sitting at lights with the engine shaking violently, the rev counter jumping a little and then the car drives semi-ok with a judder and hesitation here and there. Tried loads of different things. Checked all hoses, found some split or corroded and replaced them, no change. Changed MAF, coils, HT Leads, sparks etc, no change. Thought maybe the thermostat was sticking and the water wasn't circulating around as it should, so took off the thermostat housing....NOTHING THERE! Got out my trusty Haynes manual and read that Gals up to 98 have a thermostat in said housing, but, 2.3 Gals from 98 onwards, mine falling into this catagory as it is a late 98, have a thermostat in a housing acting as a "T-Piece" fitted into the radiator top hose. My question is this : Should there be a thermo in the housing as well as the one on the radiator top hose? I phone Fords and they didn't seem to have a clue! Hope someone can help with this as it has totally baffled me. If the thermo housing is there on the left side of the cylinder head, then I would assume that there should be a thermo within it ... but, what is this other thermo on the top hose? Can this top hose thermo be removed and tested to see if it is faulty? Haynes states that if faulty, the complete assembly should be renewed.

 

Thanks in advance for your replies

 

Kind regards

 

Peter

[insider]

There is only one thermostat. It is either in the housing (up to '98) or within the T-piece (from '98). The Haynes manual is correct that the T-piece type assembly must be renewed complete. However, I doubt that the thermostat is at fault if you are not experiencing abnormal variations in engine temperature, e.g. slow warm-up, overheating, etc.

Have you checked the idle speed control valve? It could also be the lambda sensor (in the exhaust) or faulty injectors. Perhaps you could invest in an engine fault code reader or have a diagnostic check done by a garage? (Note: VAG-COM won't work because you have a Ford engine)

[davespark]

I've found the same on my 1997 2.3; no thermostat in the housing but a T-Piece Thermostat in the pipework. I've just replaced the radiator and I am wondering whether or not to fit one in the housing; sounds like I shouldn't do so?

Doesn't line up with your post 98 assumption though.

[f0ster]

you should start with the basics, do a compression test, and go from there, if that checks out try to determine which cylinder is missfiring by pulling leads off

while it is running, or even the injector feeds one at a time, there are lots of causes, an inlet manifold gasket drawing air can cause it and it is a real bitch to diagnose,

[Miceage]

Hi ,

Sorry to tag on to this topic but i am a bit unsure as to how to ask a question on this forum..

I have a 95 2.8 v6 with a over heating problem - rad stays cold, when hot, coolant bubles out of over flow, i have had this car on me drive for 2 months while i fixed an oil link (oil pressure switch), so my first reaction was to try and locate the thermostat - maybe stuck, i cant seem to find a haynes for my model engine? so was hoping to find out here how to check/replace the thermostat.

I followed the top hose which goes into the housing with the 3 sensors but cannot see how to get any further?

I have found the archive about dismantling the housing but not removing or replacing the thermo in situ?

 

Can anyone help.

Thank you

[sepulchrave]

Miceage, the thermostat is in a separate thermoplastic housing which is attached to the assembly (below it) which has the three sensors in it.

 

There is a section in the FAQ relating to this I believe. It's easier to do than you'd think, but it worries me that it has taken you 2 months to fix a simple oil leak.

 

You may be better off getting this done professionally since it won't be that expensive.

Edited August 5, 2008 by sepulchrave

[Miceage]

Thanks Sepulchrave,

 

I only use it occasionally and took it off the road to save a bit of money,

The problem i am having is access to the the thermostat housing do i need to take the battery and tray out or can i get at it from underneath.

I have seen the article on dismantling the housing but this is once you have removed it. is there another i have missed?.

 

I will probably take your last bit of advice though, but wanted one last try.

 

Thanks again.

[f0ster]

Hi ,

Sorry to tag on to this topic but i am a bit unsure as to how to ask a question on this forum..

I have a 95 2.8 v6 with a over heating problem - rad stays cold, when hot, coolant bubles out of over flow, i have had this car on me drive for 2 months while i fixed an oil link (oil pressure switch), so my first reaction was to try and locate the thermostat - maybe stuck, i cant seem to find a haynes for my model engine? so was hoping to find out here how to check/replace the thermostat.

I followed the top hose which goes into the housing with the 3 sensors but cannot see how to get any further?

I have found the archive about dismantling the housing but not removing or replacing the thermo in situ?

 

Can anyone help.

Thank you

 

when you have a car overheating it requires carefull diagnosis, is the car overheating and then blowing out the water, or is it blowing out the water and then overheating, there is a suttle difference between the two, the first is usually blocked radiator, caused by hard water (limescale blocks up the thin tubes)

the second is a head gasket or a cracked head allowing pressure in to the cooling system, thermostats do not usually stick closed, most often they open sooner than they should making the car run cooler, it is east to test a thermostst in hot water, if the bottom of your rad is cold it might be the radiator, but as always start with the cheap stuff, test the stat in boiling water.

[sepulchrave]

Hi ,

Sorry to tag on to this topic but i am a bit unsure as to how to ask a question on this forum..

I have a 95 2.8 v6 with a over heating problem - rad stays cold, when hot, coolant bubles out of over flow, i have had this car on me drive for 2 months while i fixed an oil link (oil pressure switch), so my first reaction was to try and locate the thermostat - maybe stuck, i cant seem to find a haynes for my model engine? so was hoping to find out here how to check/replace the thermostat.

I followed the top hose which goes into the housing with the 3 sensors but cannot see how to get any further?

I have found the archive about dismantling the housing but not removing or replacing the thermo in situ?

 

Can anyone help.

Thank you

 

when you have a car overheating it requires carefull diagnosis, is the car overheating and then blowing out the water, or is it blowing out the water and then overheating, there is a suttle difference between the two, the first is usually blocked radiator, caused by hard water (limescale blocks up the thin tubes)

the second is a head gasket or a cracked head allowing pressure in to the cooling system, thermostats do not usually stick closed, most often they open sooner than they should making the car run cooler, it is east to test a thermostst in hot water, if the bottom of your rad is cold it might be the radiator, but as always start with the cheap stuff, test the stat in boiling water.

 

f0ster, if you had any idea what a b*****d of a job this is you'd just chuck the crappy

[Miceage]

Hello Again,

 

Just picked it ip from the garage - as suspected a ceased thermostat which according to the garage was a bit of a job, including removing the coil.

Glad i took it in now.

 

Cheers For The Suggestions etc..