Once of the least expensive yet most important parts of your engine's cooling system is the thermostat. While you can purchase a new one from under $20, a bad one can turn your engine into a $4,000 paperweight in a matter of minutes. If you are doing any repair work to your Ford Taurus's cooling system, you should take the extra few minutes to replace the thermostat, too. Follow the upper radiator hose to the top of the engine and where it connects to the thermostat housing to find your thermostat.
Place the drain pan underneath the engine, below where the upper radiator hose connects to the engine.
Use the socket set to loosen the hose clamp on the upper radiator hose at the engine and pull the hose off. Immediately aim the hose downward so any coolant in the hose can pour into the drain pan.
Use the socket set to remove the two bolts that hold the thermostat housing to the engine. Once the bolts are out, lift the housing off the engine and set it to the side.
Grab the top of the thermostat and lift it out of the well. Make note of the thermostat's position and orientation before removing it. Clean any residue away with rags.
Place the new thermostat into the well in the same position and orientation as noted with the old one. Make sure the O-ring gasket is securely in place on the thermostat's flange before installing it. Do not reuse the old O-ring gasket if your new one did not come with one.
Inspect the thermostat housing for any signs of corrosion and replace it if you note any. Put the thermostat housing back in place and thread the bolts back in by hand far enough to ensure you do not cross thread them. Tighten the bolts down with the socket set.
Slide the upper radiator hose back over the thermostat housing inlet and tighten the hose clamp back down. If you lost any coolant when the hose was removed, pour a 50/50 mixture of coolant and distilled water into the coolant overflow tank to top it off.
