i have a quick question regarding a leak that originates around the thermostat housing. usually this is a quick fix but the leak appears to be coming from behind the housing. If I pull the water neck, there is an aluminum spacer looking piece behind it and where that meets the head is where the leak is coming from. How do I get that thing off so I can RTV the heck out of it? Again it isnt coming from the housing and I pulled the three nuts off the studs so I could remove the water neck. Anyone done this before?

 

Pictures?

 

boy you got your terms alllllllllll mixed up....

let see if i can sort this out.....

You talk about the thermostat houseing which is on the bottom. but then talk about a spacer behind it were it meats the head???

Im going to assume your talking about the same spot hear. That "spacer" thingie is the water pump and it bolts to the block not the head.

Sounds like your water pump is leaking.

Search timming belt replacement. Its basicly the same steps to get ot the water pump

 

I'm confused, the thermostat housing on a 3.0 isn't on the head, it's down on the water pump where the lower rad hose meets the engine. If the leak is there then you'll have to remove and probably replace the water pump.
If you're talking about the upper hose then that bolts onto the idler pulley, which has a water passage through the middle. To get that off you have to remove the timing belt.

So the bad news is either way you're looking at removing the timing belt.

 

Whoa, guess I was off a bit there. I looked it up in the shop manual and it looks like the water pump is the culprit. thanks for the input.