ok my thermostat became stuck open... so I removed it thinking it would be the normal routine with changing a thermostat, come to find out I cant find it anywhere, because it is the entire setup t-stat, water outlet, and temp sensor, the dealer has it for $170 anyone have any ideas on what to do that is cheaper?

 

Shop around because prices often vary greatly from dealer to dealer. Dealer list is $134. On a big ticket item like that, you can easily justify the shipping cost from an online discount Ford parts outlet. This site has one for 01~03 2.3L for $81 plus shipping:

https://www.1stfordparts.com/oe_parts_catalog.html