I don't have a picture of the engine cooling thermostat but on a 1995 Ford Explorer :
If you follow the top radiator hose from the radiator it connects to a metal
pipe ( which is part of the thermostat housing ) that is bolted to the front of the
engine
The engine cooling thermostat is inside the housing
* the spring side of the thermostat faces towards the engine , the vent hole goes to the top
ford
No
A 2002 Ford Explorer would have come from the factory with approximately a ( 192 * Fahrenheit engine cooling thermostat )
The 97 Ford Explorer thermostat is located inside of the engine inlet. The inlet is where the top radiator hose connects to the engine.
192 degrees
Yes
Thermostat malfunction.
great write up with pictures here: http://www.ford-forums.com/ford-explorer/10937-how-replace-thermostat-4-0l-ohv-v6.html
Motorcraft . com lists ( Motorcraft RT1161 ) a 190 degree Fahrenheit thermostat for the 1995 Ford Explorer to be used year round
My 1995 Ford Explorer was running cooler on the temperature gauge and it turned out to be my thermostat
I'm not a mechanic / technician but I was looking at one of the Ford websites and it shows ( for the 4.0 liter SOHC , V6 engine ) the engine cooling thermostat has DIFFERENT part numbers ( so , I would say the answer is NO ) * for the 2000 Explorer , Ford lists one part number for the 4.0 liter SOHC , V6engine cooling thermostat and for the 2002 , Ford lists two part numbers depending on the build date
Follow the top radiator hose from the radiator to the thermostat housing at the front of the engine