The back side of thermostat housing is cracked.

Hi Gwen, Going to send you some pics of 2.4L, 2.7L, and 3.5L engine thermostat locations. The 2.7 and 3.5 are similar. Good Luck Hope this Helps, Randy






I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/randall_d932ef6e01588b0f

drain the coolant from radiator remove upper hose from thermostat housing clean housing and block install new thermostat with the spring end toward the block pointed to radiator use a new gasket and a small amount of gasket sealer when tightning the bolts back on the thermostat housing be sur to run them down evenly or you will crack the housing reinstall hose add coolant start and check for leaks

replace the thermostat housing and use hi temp gasket silicone.

Follow the upper rad hose to the thermostat housing. Drain the rad into a pan low enough as to not lose any antifreeze. Remove the housing bolts & gently tap the housing to release the thermostat. Make sure you notice the direction of the thermostat & install it the same way. Clean both surfaces & use some gasket sealer on the housing side only. Make sure your thermostat is in the grove when you tighten the housing otherwise you might crack the housing. Hold tight & fasten bolts. Refill rad, put heat on high & start the car. Check fluid level again & refill. Good luck!

This is called the thermostat houseing and once the bolts are out of it and the rad hose is off then simply put the new one on.

The water pump should be on the passenger side with all accessory belt and all the pulleys. There's actually a thermostat housing on the driver's side of the engine. It's most likely that the housing has cracked at the seal. The seal sits in in a groove in the housing. The plastic housing is about 1mm thick at the seal and is known to break

check the oil stick if their is a milky like substance on it if so the the block could be cracked. i hope not. The mechanic should've notice this if thats the problem. do check plug also. H.I.W.H

This is one of the easiest things you will ever fix on your own car. Buy the new thermostat, and make sure you find out if ou need a O ring or a gasket. If it has a gasket you need to buy some blue sylicone also. Once you have all the parts then locate the termostat, special note make sure you notice how it went in. Remove it, after removeing the housing unit that its held inl. Sometimes they have to be screwed out of its housing. Once out and remembering how it looked inside the housing unit then put the new one back the same way. Now if its a O ring then put the new O ring in place of the old one. If its a gasket CLEAN the old one completely off then put your blue sylicone on both sides of the gasket, one side at a time not at the same time. then put the housing unit back together and tighten it back up.

You have just successfully changed your thermostat.

tepfy

its hardly one of the frost plugs leaking at the back of the engine is it...due to the pressure when the thermostat stoped working,,,probably a long shot though,,,,

I just had the same problem. Ford design the intake manifold with plastic water crossover which cracks. The coolant will leak onto the top of the block and and then down the back of the engine. This intake design is a known defect and was ocvered under by Ford for 7 years past the date of mfg. The crack either is in the crossover or the thermostat housing. I happed on this when I found the same leak and traced it back to the thermostat housing. I changed the thermostat, but it leaked worse. You can pickup a aftermarket for $200 and it's about 4-6 hr job to replace.