How to Replace & Repair a Ford Crown Vic Engine Thermostat
by Russell Wood
The thermostat in a Ford Crown Victoria helps regulate the coolant running through the engine, keeping the coolant and therefore the engine running at the proper temperature. This is critical to the proper operation of the engine, because without it the engine can overheat and get damaged. When the thermostat breaks, it breaks for good and rarely can be fixed. Fortunately, replacement thermostats are inexpensive, and you can replace your thermostat in under 45 minutes.
Step 1
Allow the engine to cool before you work on the cooling system. Put the drain pan underneath the middle of the radiator. Open the petcock at the base of the radiator and drain approximately one gallon of coolant from the radiator; close the petcock. Lift off the engine cover at the top of the engine by hand.
Step 2
Locate the connection between the upper radiator hose and the engine. Remove the clamp on the hose at the engine using the pliers. Pull the hose off the thermostat housing. Unbolt the thermostat housing from the engine using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Lift it off and take out the thermostat and the O-ring.
Step 3
Set the replacement O-ring and thermostat into the engine. Bolt the thermostat housing to the engine using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Push the radiator hose onto the thermostat housing and reinstall the clamp using the pliers.
Step 4
Open the radiator cap and fill the radiator with 50-50 pre-diluted coolant.
Things You'll Need
- Drain pan
- Pliers
- 3/8-inch ratchet and socket set
- Replacement thermostat and O-ring
- 50-50 pre-diluted coolant
Warnings
- Don't work on the radiator of a hot engine, because you risk serious injury and burns.
Writer Bio
Russell Wood is a writer and photographer who attended Arizona State University. He has been building custom cars and trucks since 1994, including several cover vehicles. In 2000 Wood started a career as a writer, and since then he has dedicated his business to writing and photographing cars and trucks, as well as helping people learn more about how vehicles work.
