Hey guys. I've got a question as to the thermostat on my 1994 ford ranger 2.3l. Winter time is comming up, and it's time i start driving her again. I don't get HARDLY any heat, but the blower motor is working fine. So, I went to the local auto-zone, picked up some 50/50 anti-freeze, and a new 180degree thermo. (Truck doesn't show it's heating up much either) Most thermostats i've changed have been MORE than easy. I was looking on this one and i was wondering if i have to take off the timing belt cover to access this? It looks like it might be a pain in the *** to get it off. I'm hoping not.

Also, if you can answer that. What is the easiest way to access the Return Line for the power steering? I've already replaced the pressure line, but the return line looks like it's going to be a *****. Thanks a lot guys/girls.
Thanks for helping a newbie out. Much appreciated.


MODS- Please move to the correct section, I just noticed where i placed this thread. Sorry!

 

To the Top Guys, any help please?
Only reason i'm so concerned is my daughter will be in the truck with me, Don't want her to freeze!

 

follow your top radiator hose and where it goes into your engine is where the thrmostat is i don't think you have to take off the timing chain cover you should just be able to take the hose off and there it is

 

Thanks for the reply, I know where the thermostat is, But it looks like half of it may be underneath the timingbelt cover. I'm just looking for somebody that has maybe replaced one on a truck like mine

 

Is 180* the stock thermostat temperature?

 

I'd believe so, Most vehicles i have worked on the stock thermo was 180 or pretty close. It's oem replacement. They had the 160, 165 170 etc available as well

 

You can do it with the timing cover still on. I did on the 90 I used to have. You It might make it easier if you take off the cover but you don't have to.

 

I broke mine trying to get it off

 

yes.. you can do it with the cover still on.
be sure your ratchet has at least a 4 inch extension though
and if i remember right, one of the bolts you have to put the socket on first,
its at a weird angle and you cant get to it with the socket attached to the ratchet

 

Thanks Guys, I'll be tackling it this week. It's gotta have heat in the winter. I'm hoping it's not a heatercore

 

The factory t-stat is a 192 degree and you can just slip past the cover to get the bolts out. there one on each side of the housing. looking at it from the front one bolt is left and up a little and the other is right and down a little. I use a 1/4 inch ratchet with a small extension and shallow socket to slip in there and get at them, the hardest part is lining up and starting the 2 bolts when reinstalling it all with the new gasket and everything.

also make sure your fan clutch is not locked up causing the fan to spin more than it should when still cold. And be sure to bleed all the air out of the lines up at the heater core, I had that issue with a bubble trapped at the top of the core. With the engine running I eased the hose off of each side of the heater core a little to let any trapped air out of the line and then slid back on and clamped it down. I could tell I had a bubble because the feed line to the core would be hot and pressurized but the return line was cool and soft, once it was bled the were both burning hot like they should be.

oh and if it does turn out to be a heater core plugged up they're VERY easy to replace on the 94 and older trucks. You undo the hoses in the engine bay and then remove 4 small bolts in the passengerfootwell and the cover comes off and the core pulls out and down. It's the 95+ trucks that you have to remove the entire dash.