Thermostat Housing gasket?

cmay · January 18th, 2012, 10:31 PM

So, my Mustang overheated yesterday(05' V6). I smelled burning coolant but didn't notice an obvious leak. Today I searched again while she ran and again couldn't find a leak.. until.. I turned the engine off and noticed a hissing coming from (what I think is) the thermostat housing. I noticed coolant bubbling out of the crack that separates the top and bottom housing pieces. My question is A) Is this in fact the thermostat housing (black, plastic, top and bottom piece joined by a few bolts and what appears to have been a gasket or rubber seal. Has a hose going to the top of it). And B) To fix this apparent leak, do I just swap out the gasket or do I need to replace the whole unit? Thanks for the help. I don't know jack sh*t about cars but I figure this is a good way to learn.

xtreme 2 · January 19th, 2012, 11:31 AM

Better steal some intellectual property while I still can.

All the thermostat housing is is the connector where the top radiator hose connects to. Just a metal connector with 2 bolts.

Can you get a picture (or mark this image) to show where your leak it coming from? It almost seems like the leak you are talking about is where the lower manifold meets the block.

cmay · January 19th, 2012, 02:26 PM

Here's a few pictures with some arrows pointing to the part in question/ where the coolant is coming out of.

cmay · January 19th, 2012, 02:36 PM

Best picture of part in question...

Top view of engine for reference..

xtreme 2 · January 19th, 2012, 02:56 PM

can't view those, I'm at work :*(

cmay · January 19th, 2012, 09:08 PM

So I checked again today to see if the coolant was bubbling out of the same spot..and it wasn't... so I'm either out of coolant or it doesn't do it all the time.

xtreme 2 · January 19th, 2012, 10:49 PM

have you checked your coolant levels?

BTW, just realized you have a 2005. there is a specific section for that, this is the 99-04 section. just saying so you may be able to get the proper knowledge from the people that know your engine. ;-)

cmay · January 20th, 2012, 06:43 AM

Oh, damn sorry about that haha

stephen · January 20th, 2012, 08:45 AM

You should fill up the coolant and bleed the cooling system then put a pressure tester on it. If it's an external leak that will show it.

xtreme 2 · January 20th, 2012, 08:47 AM

no issues. Check your coolant level and report back.

Wherever it's bubbling, I would assume the gasket is bad and needs to be replaced. Change the gasket before refilling the coolant so you don't have to do it twice

stephen · January 20th, 2012, 08:47 AM

BTW, Your car is a 2005 which looks quite different form the earlier 3.8 L V6.

Puffy93 · January 20th, 2012, 08:03 PM

either your gasket or housing is bad, unfortunately the ford 4.0 is notorious for cracking that lower housing so that may be your problem.

January 18th, 2012, 10:31 PM	#1
cmay Newbie 2005 Mustang V6 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 17 iTrader: 0 reviews	Thermostat Housing gasket? So, my Mustang overheated yesterday(05' V6). I smelled burning coolant but didn't notice an obvious leak. Today I searched again while she ran and again couldn't find a leak.. until.. I turned the engine off and noticed a hissing coming from (what I think is) the thermostat housing. I noticed coolant bubbling out of the crack that separates the top and bottom housing pieces. My question is A) Is this in fact the thermostat housing (black, plastic, top and bottom piece joined by a few bolts and what appears to have been a gasket or rubber seal. Has a hose going to the top of it). And B) To fix this apparent leak, do I just swap out the gasket or do I need to replace the whole unit? Thanks for the help. I don't know jack sh*t about cars but I figure this is a good way to learn.

January 19th, 2012, 11:31 AM	#2
xtreme 2 Hardcore Enthusiast 2001 v6 premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,340 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	Better steal some intellectual property while I still can. All the thermostat housing is is the connector where the top radiator hose connects to. Just a metal connector with 2 bolts. Can you get a picture (or mark this image) to show where your leak it coming from? It almost seems like the leak you are talking about is where the lower manifold meets the block. __________________ Screw it, coming to play with the big boys... 5.4L Vortech COMING SOON!

January 19th, 2012, 02:56 PM	#5
xtreme 2 Hardcore Enthusiast 2001 v6 premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,340 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	can't view those, I'm at work :( __________________ Screw it, coming to play with the big boys... 5.4L Vortech COMING SOON!*

January 19th, 2012, 10:49 PM	#7
xtreme 2 Hardcore Enthusiast 2001 v6 premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,340 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	have you checked your coolant levels? BTW, just realized you have a 2005. there is a specific section for that, this is the 99-04 section. just saying so you may be able to get the proper knowledge from the people that know your engine. ;-) __________________ Screw it, coming to play with the big boys... 5.4L Vortech COMING SOON!

January 20th, 2012, 08:47 AM	#10
xtreme 2 Hardcore Enthusiast 2001 v6 premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,340 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	no issues. Check your coolant level and report back. Wherever it's bubbling, I would assume the gasket is bad and needs to be replaced. Change the gasket before refilling the coolant so you don't have to do it twice __________________ Screw it, coming to play with the big boys... 5.4L Vortech COMING SOON!

January 19th, 2012, 02:26 PM	#3
cmay Newbie 2005 Mustang V6 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 17 iTrader: 0 reviews	Here's a few pictures with some arrows pointing to the part in question/ where the coolant is coming out of.

January 19th, 2012, 02:36 PM	#4
cmay Newbie 2005 Mustang V6 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 17 iTrader: 0 reviews	Best picture of part in question... Top view of engine for reference..

January 19th, 2012, 09:08 PM	#6
cmay Newbie 2005 Mustang V6 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 17 iTrader: 0 reviews	So I checked again today to see if the coolant was bubbling out of the same spot..and it wasn't... so I'm either out of coolant or it doesn't do it all the time.

January 20th, 2012, 06:43 AM	#8
cmay Newbie 2005 Mustang V6 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 17 iTrader: 0 reviews	Oh, damn sorry about that haha

January 20th, 2012, 08:45 AM	#9
stephen Hardcore Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,262 iTrader: 0 reviews	You should fill up the coolant and bleed the cooling system then put a pressure tester on it. If it's an external leak that will show it.

January 20th, 2012, 08:03 PM	#12
Puffy93 Regular 94 v6 mustang Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 58 iTrader: 0 reviews	either your gasket or housing is bad, unfortunately the ford 4.0 is notorious for cracking that lower housing so that may be your problem. __________________ 94 mustang 3.8 Steeda Tri-ax, FRPP aluminum driveshaft. Soon to get built 351W

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