How do you replace the engine thermostat in a 92 Mercury Cougar?

Answer 1

Assuming you have the 3.8L V6, replacing the thermostat is actually an easy task. First you should drain some coolant, since you'll have to pull hoses anyways. No sense in making a mess. Once you get some of the coolant drained out, remove the hose that goes from the top passenger side of the radiator to the engine. At the endinge end, there is a bolt on fitting that this hose connects to (it looks kind of like an upside down J). Remove this fitting to expose the Thermostat. When you change the thermostat, there is a gasket that you should also change. This is essential, as failure to do this could cause you to leak coolant. Make sure the surfaces are clean when you install the new thermostat and gasket. Once you have the new gasket in place, it's fairly easy to put everything back together. Seal it up, and add coolant to the proper level. There is a vent on top of the engine that should be open when you add coolant, so that you don't create an air bubble in the system. WARNING: if you are doing this due to engine overheat, be sure you don't have a much more serious problem. The Ford 3.8L V6 has a major design flaw that makes it prone to head gasket failure! I speak from personal experience on this one, and it's totally not fun. If you're losing coolant, or have "milky" oil, get this checked at once!