Engine 1974 Mustang 2.8 Water Leak Nightmare

[Joecaddy1963@]

Wanted to change thermostat what a mistake. Bolts for housing frozen got them
out. Now had to use 5/16 thread bolts. Put back together new gaskets still leaking from back housing. Here is my question. Looks like the place where this all mounts to is bolted on the engine I am talking about the water jacket behind the pump its self. If it is where the can I find a used one lol. Also what is entailed in changing it. If it can't be what if any year and engine will bolt in to this little nightmare or a ford. I do not want to do an 8 conversion. I am just sick something that should have taken 20 minutes is now a major engine issue do to some butch who had no business work on a tricycle never mind a car? Thank you

 

[LILCBRA]

The 2.8/2.9 are all the same to the best of my knowledge. They are common with the 4.0 as well I believe. So you might be able to find what you're looking for from an old Ranger/Bronco II? I don't know off the top of my head what other car may be common enough to look for. As for an easy swap, any of the above should swap pretty easily. I think there were some slight variations in production years between the engines, so you'll want to do a little research before just grabbing any old 4.0 for example.....

 

[LILCBRA]

A Wikipedia link for the Cologne engine series:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Cologne_V6_engine

 

[jozsefsz]

You shoulda asked, replacing the thermostat is a mine-field. The studs will always strip out of the housing, guaranteed, and usually will snap in half too. But seriously, talking engine replacement over thermostat problems? WTH.

This is how it goes - several pieces all sandwiched together with those 3 long, skinny bolts. The front cover, gasket, water pump, gasket, timing cover, gasket, rear cover. All held together by some long M6 (x75, x90 iirc) bolts. You've got to make sure you can tighten them good & tight, or you'll leak. So if your rear cover stripped, you'll want a new one. That's Dorman part 902-1064. I don't know what you're threading 5/16 bolts into, but it's not that tiny rear cover (that's what the screws need to thread into to sandwich it all together). There are no threads in the timing cover.

To replace all the pieces, and gaskets, the water pump has to come off. Chances are the inner gasket (between water pump & timing cover) wasn't damaged. That's the only one that would require that level of disassembly. The other two (front cover to water pump, timing cover to rear cover) should be replaced when the thermostat is changed. Felpro 35092, 35093. Also you need a thermostat seal Felpro 35094.