thermostat - if OK dont mess

[despot67]

Changed water pump all fine.

Decided to do another proper flush of coolant due to crud in the system because previous owner decided to use rad weld as they didnt know where leak was from.

Change thermostat whilst at it, old thermostat looked fine but hey ho spent my money so use new one. Old one had no gasket (mine is the stpupid plastic housing. So new one in minus paper gasket that come with it - filled up but leaks?

So fabricate gasket that casme with new one to fit and use gasket sealer.

STILL LEAKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the lesson is - don't mess for messing sake - Damn

 

[despot67]

I noticed that where the thermostat sits there is a thin rubber seal - am I being a numpty by having this seal under the thermostat? or does the stat sit in the recess and have this above???
Help!!!!!!!!:bow

 

[Banshee]

I noticed that where the thermostat sits there is a thin rubber seal - am I being a numpty by having this seal under the thermostat? or does the stat sit in the recess and have this above???
Help!!!!!!!!:bow

Oh dear, I feel I am partly to blame for this as I told you to do it :doh

I couldn't tell you mate with the plastic housing as I've only done the repair on a metal one

 

[jims-terrano]

Ive heard of the plastic housing cracking, may be tightening the bolts pulls the crack open.

 

[despot67]

given up put old stat back in and it doersn't leak, new one is same size but no lip on the underside like the old one so this must be the issue - weird as local motor factors assured me it was correct?

 

[despot67]

Oh dear, I feel I am partly to blame for this as I told you to do it :doh

I couldn't tell you mate with the plastic housing as I've only done the repair on a metal one

Banshee no worries lol, it is funny though.:doh

 

[Banshee]

given up put old stat back in and it doersn't leak, new one is same size but no lip on the underside like the old one so this must be the issue - weird as local motor factors assured me it was correct?

Sounds like a dodgy stat to me then!!!!

 

[despot67]

Sounds like a dodgy stat to me then!!!!

Nah I'd put my money on a dodgy owner lol:naughty

 

[despot67]

well got uip today and lost coolant again - seeping from stupid plastic thermostat cover.

Taken it off and cleaned up and put on gasket compound - this makes it leak more.

Taken off and cleaned gasket compount off got back to stock and put on and still leaks.

No splits in plastic everything stock and seaps.

Stuff it can't be arsed messing about with coolant and bloody gaskets anymore.

 

[despot67]

well after calming down and having another go (20 times and counting now) noticed there is a crack on the inside of the housing so Im stuffed.

Cant find them on ebay so its off the road all for a bloody thermostat - great promised the daughter we'd go out today and need the car for picking my disabled dad up - Im so happy its unreal.:surrender

 

[Banshee]

Can you take some pics of it in place and off?

We'll get this sussed mate even if I have to come to you with parts!!!!

 

[despot67]

Can you take some pics of it in place and off?

We'll get this sussed mate even if I have to come to you with parts!!!!

Banshee dont worry its just me having a childish moment lol, its my own fault for messing.
It wasn't seeping that bad this morning but a leak is a leak so I thought I'd re sit it again but since then its piddling out. I have been carefull as its plastic and maybe the crack was already there but I'll never know. I have tried my local auto place no joy and been the main stealers and their parts division is closed sundays.
Looking online I think the nissan almera shares the same part - it looks the same?
You can see the crack in the pic also to me the damn thing doesn't look flat - as if its warped in the past slightly?
Going to try the local breakers yards in the morning.

 

[Blocky10]

If it's plastic, can you not stich it together with a soldering iron just till you find a replacement.

 

[despot67]

I thought of melting it but the part thats cracked mates with the actual thermostat so I thought I might make it worse.

Weird thing though - when I first took the stat out the other day it was sitting on a rubber seal what fits exactly into the head if you can picture it?

So I have just tried something I have tried before - seated the thermostat into the recess, placed the rubber seal over the stat so it sits slightly proud then clamped the stat housing on - result no leaks?????????? So the question is - is this the right way and somebody before me had set it up wrong?

Also the new stat I brought is slightly diferent that the old one as all stats have a small hole to allow water to pass if the stat fails and this hole has a floast device in it.The new one has this in the outer rim and it is this I may have caught and damaged the stat housing when I tried it - seems possible?

 

[Blocky10]

If it's not now leaking I'd say it's doing it's job! I'd still get a replacement though and a metal one if you can. Well done. It could last indefinitely.

 

[Banshee]

Banshee dont worry its just me having a childish moment lol, its my own fault for messing.
It wasn't seeping that bad this morning but a leak is a leak so I thought I'd re sit it again but since then its piddling out. I have been carefull as its plastic and maybe the crack was already there but I'll never know. I have tried my local auto place no joy and been the main stealers and their parts division is closed sundays.
Looking online I think the nissan almera shares the same part - it looks the same?
You can see the crack in the pic also to me the damn thing doesn't look flat - as if its warped in the past slightly?
Going to try the local breakers yards in the morning.

Can see that crack for sure, looking at it's position on the housing it looks as if it's fatigue on the plastic when the bolts had been tightened. I might see how many metal ones I can scavenge for situations like this in future

 

[despot67]

you know looking on the net the ones for the original mini look the same and are metal?

http://www.retrominisltd.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=285

just a thought?

 

[despot67]

well we have been out for a meal and the car didn't miss a beat and more importantly the coolant level seems to have stayed constant - will have to check in the morning.

Still got a whistle under load at about 3000 revs - sounds like a belt? but I did slacken them off a bit but also everything in there has been wet lol.

 

[bud]

If it's not now leaking I'd say it's doing it's job! I'd still get a replacement though and a metal one if you can. Well done. It could last indefinitely.

IT will last indefinitely....that just means it could fail tomorrow morning in a frost or next summer dragging a trailer up a hill.

 

[Banshee]

IT will last indefinitely....that just means it could fail tomorrow morning in a frost or next summer dragging a trailer up a hill.

:lol