On the 2.4L z24 I think you are talking about the one on top on the driver sid. That is the OUTLET GASKET and it is a rubber O RING.The temp. sensor is screwed into that to detect cooling temp. as it leaves the engine. Coolant leaves the engine to head to the radiator to be cooled.
The therm is in the housing that connects to the lower radiator hose. It is right below the upper hose where it connects to the engine. You may have to remove the battery. There are 3 bolts connecting the L shaped gasket from the lower hose to the engine that need to be removed. Pull that gasket off and the therm is right there.
Look where the upper radiator hose connects to the engine and you should find the thermostat housing.Look where the upper radiator hose connects to the engine and you should find the thermostat housing.
It is where the lower radiator hose (driver side) connects to the engine. Remove the housing (3 bolts) and the t-stat sits inside with its gasket. I believe on some models it is on the upper radiator hose.
That connects the engine to the radiator is simply referred to as a hose. The radiator is connected to the engine by two hoses.
On my 1995 Ford Explorer , 4.0L V6 , the lower rad hose goes from the radiator and connects to the water pump
One of the hoses that connects the engine block to the radiator.
On the 4.0 liter OHV - V6 engine : The top radiator hose connects to the metal pipe which is part of the engine thermostat housing and the bottom radiator hose connects to the water pump
Follow the lower radiator hose from the radiator to the engine. Where it connects to the engine is the thermostat housing.
Follow the upper radiator hose to the engine. The housing that it connects to on the engine houses the thermostat. Remove the hose and the housing and it's a piece of cake from there. Don't forget to replace the gasket!
Follow the upper radiator hose from the radiator to the engine block. The point where the hose connects to the engine is where the thermostat is typically located.
The thermostat is at the top radiator hose. It is in the inlet where the top hose connects to the engine.
follow the top radiator hose to where it connects to the engine the top radiator hose connects to the thermostat housing , the thermostat is inside the thermostat housing