How to Replace a Thermostat on a 2001 Ford Ranger

The 2001 Ford Ranger is a great mid-sized truck, capable of hauling decent payloads. Due to this, the Ranger is quite commonly used as a working truck, and it usually experiences a lot of wear and tear. Now that your Ranger has a few years on it, you may want to inspect and replace the aging thermostat to avoid serious and costly damage to the engine. Replacing the thermostat in a Ranger is not an overly difficult procedure, and it can be done by the average DIY mechanic.

Instructions

1

Remove the top radiator hose by loosening the band clamp with a flat-head screwdriver or nut driver. Push the band clamp onto the hose to prevent losing it, and then pull the hose off of the thermostat housing. Drain the contents of the radiator hose into a clean bucket.

2

Remove the two bolts that secure the thermostat housing to the intake manifold. Pull the thermostat housing off the intake manifold and inspect the housing for any small cracks. If you see any cracks, the housing should be replaced. Otherwise, the old housing can be reused.

3

Pull the old thermostat out of the intake manifold and then remove the old gasket from the surface of the intake manifold. Place the new thermostat into the intake manifold with the end marked "top" sticking above the radiator fluid level. Place the new thermostat gasket on top of the intake manifold.

4

Bolt the thermostat housing into place. Be cautious not to over-tighten the bolts. The housing is made of a soft metal that can easily crack. If this happens, replace the housing with a new one.

5

Reattach the radiator hose by securing the band clamp that holds it into place. The clamp should be very tight, and the hose should be inspected for leaks after the engine has been started. If the hose leaks, tighten the clamp a bit more.

6

Dump the radiator fluid from the bucket into the overflow tank for the radiator. The liquid can also be placed directly into the radiator via the filler cap.