Make sure you have a new gasket, your new thermostat, some silicone screwdriver, a pair of plyers, wrench or rachet and socket (probably 1/2%26quot; or 9/16%26quot;) no sure,a flat blade and a small bucket.
First, you'll probably have to drain some water from the pitcock on the bottom, inside of the radiator. Take off the radiator cap, use the plyers to loosen the pitcock, then slowly turn it with your fingers... drain maybe a gallon into a clean bucket, then tighten it back up.
Next, follow your coolant hose attached to the upper portion of your radiator to the intake manifold. That should be your thermostat housing. Loosen the hose from the housing, be prepared for a little coolant to run out.
Now, remove the thermostate housing bolts or nuts with a wrench or rachet and socket. You may have to pry the housing from the intake manifold with a screwdriver. Pull the housing off, clean both surfaces of the manifold and thermo housing of the old gasket with your flat blade. Replace to thermostat the same direction the current one is facing. Take a small dab of silicone and smear it on each of the surfaces you just cleaned with the blade. Put the gasket on the manifold surface and line up the bolt studs or hole. Thinly coat the gasket with silicone, and place the thermostat and housing back over the new gasket and tighten the bolts or nuts up.... they should be torqued on, but just tighten them up snug. Place the hose back on. Fill the water back into the radiator and your good to go. Start your car and let it run till it is warmed up. You should let your car warm and cool before you drive off with it to ensure the new thermostat is working properly. It may warm a little above normal, because new thermostats will stick a little before getting broke in.
If you don't think you can do it on your own, any mechanic out there shouldn't have a problem doing it.
Good Luck!How do you change a thermostat on a 1989 ford mustang with a v8?Here is advice for finding the thermostat:
* Follow the upper radiator hose from the radiator to the engine and there is a housing that houses the thermostat. Take it off and when you reinstall the thermostat, make sure the spring goes toward the engine.
* The thermostat is located on the motor block under the three bolt flang that the top rediator hose connects to. Remove the three 10MM bolts and the thermostat can be removed for replacement.How do you change a thermostat on a 1989 ford mustang with a v8?seth is partly right, except there is only two bolts, not three. it is a pretty simple job to do that should take you no longer than thirty minutes
