I got on motorcraft.com and looked at the picture for the thermostat on a 2001 Ford
Ranger 2.3 L - DOHC . It looks like the thermostat is electrically operated and it's
shown mounted in a housing ( Motorcraft part number RT 1157 )
locate the top radiator hose and follow it to the motor, unbolt the housing it is connected to and remove the old thermostat replace it and put it back together
follow the top radiator hose to the engine, remove it then remove the thermostat housing, remove the thermostat and replace it
follow the top radiator hose to locate the thermostat housing, remove the hose from the housing then unbolt the housing. remove and replace the thermostat and rebolt the housing to the motor, replace the hose The housing is made of cheap metal and should be replaced. It is important to "seat" the thermostat properly. Also, it is much easier to replace and remove the thermostat housing if you first remove the timing belt housing.
Just the thermostat and the gasket.
Remove the 2 bolts at the thermostat housing. The upper hose goes to the thermostat housing.
do you have to remove fan shroud to access thermostat housing on a 1997 2.3L ford ranger
follow the top radiator hose to the motor the hose is clamped to the thermostat housing remove the housing and you will find your thermostat
follow the upper radiator hose back to the engine, and you will find the thermostat housing which is held onto the cylinder head by 2 bolts. The T-stat is located uder the t-stat housing.
To change that thermostat you need to follow the top radiator hose to the motor from the radiator. It will lead to the thermostat housing on the block. The housing will be anchored with (2) bolts to the block (I think). Take the housing off and the thermostat is housed inside.you will have to replace it with a manufactured suggested thermo(probably 180* or 200 degree thermo).
you follow the bottom radiator hose to the thermostat housing and disconnect the electrical connector ( the housing is located at the front of the intake manifold) you loosen the hose clamp and remove the hose then take out the housing bolts and remove the housing and the thermostat is right there make sure you put the new one in the same way the old one came out
find the top radiator hose, follow it to the motor take the housing off that the hose is connected too and the thermostat will be there remove the old one and replace with the new and replace the housing and hose
The thermostat on a 1984 ranger is located in the lower radiator hose housing connected to the engine, not the top like most vehicles..Fairly easy to replace. Just remove the bolts.. then the housing and the thermostat.