How do you change the thermostat on a 2002 freelander?

Answer 1

Changing the thermostat on a 2002 V6 US Spec Freelander is not a simple job. You first need to disconnect the negative battery cable (safety). Then you need to remove the engine cover by loosening the air intake and outlet hoses. Next you will need to remove the intake manifold (this is the solid large plastic cover that covers the top of the engine when you remove the engine cover.) This is not trivial. There are many wires and small vacuum hoses to disconnect. Plus.. when re-installing, it is a common problem to crack the manifold if excessive torque is applied to the fastening bolts. And you probably should relpace the intake manifold gasket. You can then remove the thermostat assembly by disconnecting the hoses and loosening the mounting screw. Install a new thermostat module and re-asemble in the breverse order of the above. I would best leave this to a mechanic who is familiar with the Freelander. This car has many quirks that first time experienced mechanics may not understand. Lastly when adding nex Dexcool, the system needs to be bled of any air so as to not overheat the engine. There is a bleed hose on the rear of the engine with a small push valve. Good luck. Richard