Has anyone ever tried to replace a thermostat on a 2000 4.6 Mercury Grand Marquis or Crown Victoria? I managed to get one long bolt out but the other one is really stuck hard and I am afraid it will snap before it breaks loose.
It seems that the housing sits on top of a 3" plastic piece and shares the lower gasket with the intake manifold. If it breaks, the whole intake manifold has to be removed and a new manifold gasket has to be installed costing upward of $200 to $400.
Previously I had a 4.6 engine in a 92 Merc Grand Marquis and it was designed like every other engine using two short bolts holding the goose neck to the engine.
I get so damned sick of these design changes that make things so much more difficult and expensive to repair. If these damned engineers would adhere to the adage "If it ain't broke don't fix it" life would be a hell of a lot easier. Sorry for the venting
Wayne