Club 80-90 Forums

I have been attempting to replace the thermostat on my 1.9DG van, but have hit a brick wall. Three of the bolts holding the upper part of the thermostat housing come off easily, whilst the fourth merely spins and will not loosen.

Looking at it from underneath it would appear to be slightly longer than the other 3 and connected to a nut. The nut spins with the bolt and is entirely recessed within the lower part of the housing, I assume that this is in fact an integral part of the lower housing section, which, perhaps due to excessive force when last it was connected, has worked loose from the grip of the housing body. Unfortunately none of the nut protrudes beyond the housing body, making it impossible to grip, whilst turning the bolt.

How can I detach bolt from nut in these circumstances?

I had considered gluing or glue-welding (JB Weld?) something on to the nut (in situ) to allow me to hold it steady while removing the bolt. Do you think this could be feasible, or perhaps you might have some alternative suggestions? How difficult is it to remove the entire housing, therefore giving easier access to its bottom? (oooo errrr!!!)

Is it possible to drill the head off the bolt, then remove the thermostat housing and knock through the remaining stud/nut ?

Westy.Club.Joker wrote:Is it possible to drill the head off the bolt, then remove the thermostat housing and knock through the remaining stud/nut ?

I'm reluctant to try that due to the housing not being particularly secure (I think the force needed may well break something). Plus I'm not sure that knocking the bolt through wouldn't permanently knacker it.

Can you jam the nut with a flat blade screwdriver or something similar to stop it from spinning ?

I have no mechanical skills whatsoever, sounds like it needs a bit of butchery, hit it then hit it harder, if that don't work get a bigger hammer, it won't work but it will make you feel better, at least until (if You have my luck) you have to pay someone to sort the original problem plus extra for the other bits you've messed up

myloser69 wrote:Can you jam the nut with a flat blade screwdriver or something similar to stop it from spinning ?

Tried that already. Me underneath with a variety of implements, trying to hold it steady, whilst the wife was on top yanking it for all she was worth (phanarrrrr!!!).

Ivor Brownun wrote:I have no mechanical skills whatsoever, sounds like it needs a bit of butchery, hit it then hit it harder, if that don't work get a bigger hammer, it won't work but it will make you feel better, at least until (if You have my luck) you have to pay someone to sort the original problem plus extra for the other bits you've messed up

Hitting things tends to get me in trouble.

Go and buy an angle grinder and cut the head off the bolt. You can pick up a grinder for next to nothing and it will be the best tool you then own.

Check if said grinder comes with discs mind.

SplendiferousII wrote:Go and buy an angle grinder and cut the head off the bolt. You can pick up a grinder for next to nothing and it will be the best tool you then own.

Check if said grinder comes with discs mind.

Hmmmm, as I mentioned earlier, I think that cutting or drilling the bolt might have a negative impact on the housing. It would require that I knock through what was left of the bolt and remove the nut from the housing. What I think may be the best solution would be to attach something to the nut and remove the bolt the old fashioned, tried and tested way (i.e. undoing it).

Has anyone ever used JB Weld (I think its called) or a similar product and, if so, do you think it might help in this case?

You lot do like to hit/drill/grind things don't you?

Can you see it to either jamb it as said or put a tack weld on it?

Whats JB weld ... epoxy glue?