Hi everyone,
I know the principles you can use to extract corroded bolts and nuts but by god it's a but different in practice for me anyway!
I need to replace the gasket on my thermostat housing. I'd originally gone to fit a new stat when i got the van, as you do, so began to loosen off the bolts. Got one, tried the others but stuck fast. Tightened it back up and forgot about it. Problem is now got slow leak of expensive G12 presumably because the gask was perished and would have been fine if only i'd left it alone. Bolt heads are rusty- space is tight. Continued attempts are just making things worse and i doubt my tools are up to snap-on standard.
I feel pissed off that i'll have to take it to the pros just 'cos of acouple of lousy bolts. Any ideas? Likely just have to bite the bullet....
Corroded bolts in awkward places-not just my nightmare? 88DG
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What size are they?
Try a flank-drive or single hex socket, or the equivalent slightly smaller imperial one. Always wire-brush off the end of the thread if its a nut on a stud or bolt and soak with Plus-Gas 24 hours and immediately before trying.
Always a chance you'll break the stud, bolt though... but if you have to you have to! Then you can start to get at the problem area!
If it turns even a wee bit spay Plus-Gas into gap and leave a while, do back up slightly, start winding off again. You can't wire-brush and plus-gas enough.
A 1/4" socket set is sometimes better on 13mm and smaller nuts, esp. if the sockets are hex and not bi-hex.
Try a flank-drive or single hex socket, or the equivalent slightly smaller imperial one. Always wire-brush off the end of the thread if its a nut on a stud or bolt and soak with Plus-Gas 24 hours and immediately before trying.
Always a chance you'll break the stud, bolt though... but if you have to you have to! Then you can start to get at the problem area!
If it turns even a wee bit spay Plus-Gas into gap and leave a while, do back up slightly, start winding off again. You can't wire-brush and plus-gas enough.
A 1/4" socket set is sometimes better on 13mm and smaller nuts, esp. if the sockets are hex and not bi-hex.
The 80-90 Tech Wikipedia Your 1st port of call 
1.9TD Syncro Doka / Syncro Kastenwagen / 16" Kombi Camper
Syncronaut No. 1
1.9TD Syncro Doka / Syncro Kastenwagen / 16" Kombi Camper
Syncronaut No. 1
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Diamond Hell
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God Bless Scottish corrosion, it seems to be so much more destructive than the English variety.
LOTS of Plusgas over several days may well be the answer you're looking for here and a slightly smaller socket. if it's 13mm then try 1/2", or if you've had a real dose of Scotland on the bolts maybe even 12mm and a copper mallet!
LOTS of Plusgas over several days may well be the answer you're looking for here and a slightly smaller socket. if it's 13mm then try 1/2", or if you've had a real dose of Scotland on the bolts maybe even 12mm and a copper mallet!
Diamond Hell
Still Syncro, just much fasterer
Still Syncro, just much fasterer
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NOT ANOTHER LEAK
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you could give this a try
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=9195
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=9195
richard member no 2278
sorry son no screwballs left
sorry son no screwballs left
Sounds like a miracle cure... no acid, no alkali, squirt it straight in your eye and it's perfectly safe, no irritation, no harm to animal, vegetable or mineral.. must get some, just gotta wait till I've got £48 worth of other stuff to get free postage!
Seriously, I buy a lot of stuff from Frosts, some you just can't get from anywhere else...
Seriously, I buy a lot of stuff from Frosts, some you just can't get from anywhere else...
The 80-90 Tech Wikipedia Your 1st port of call
1.9TD Syncro Doka / Syncro Kastenwagen / 16" Kombi Camper
Syncronaut No. 1
1.9TD Syncro Doka / Syncro Kastenwagen / 16" Kombi Camper
Syncronaut No. 1
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trundletruc
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- 80-90 Mem No: 1225
- Location: Gnosall Stafford
Thermostat bolts
The DG engines has two types of thermostat - one down by the water pump and later, one which is plastic I believe, that is seperate on top of the engine.
I assume that yours is the one made from aluminium down by the water pump and the exhaust! The bolts are long but thin and easily break off as water gets into the gap between the housing and the cap. One of mine broke off and then it was a matter of taking the whole housing off, which is probably the best way to do it anyway as you can replace the silly little rubber hose between the housing and the cylinderhead. If this goes when you are on the road you would have real fun!!
You will need a number of gaskets and the rubber ring that fits on the pipe that goes across the back of the engine.
Have fun
I assume that yours is the one made from aluminium down by the water pump and the exhaust! The bolts are long but thin and easily break off as water gets into the gap between the housing and the cap. One of mine broke off and then it was a matter of taking the whole housing off, which is probably the best way to do it anyway as you can replace the silly little rubber hose between the housing and the cylinderhead. If this goes when you are on the road you would have real fun!!
You will need a number of gaskets and the rubber ring that fits on the pipe that goes across the back of the engine.
Have fun
Trundletruc 1984 DG-DJ Devon Moonraker
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futurecut
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trundletruc
The housing in question is the one ontop (or rather to the LHS ) of the engine over by the engine bay relay box. It's the one with the cooling system bleed screw in it and send-return to radiator.
What i did see today was that it only really leaks when heating up or cooling down at the start and end of a journey and it is only a few drips at a time seeping out and collecting around the joining sections. I think i'm just going to leave it alone until the next time i take it in for some work. I probably wouldn't have noticed except that it drips onto my exhaust and makes nice sweet steam occasionally!
Thanks people.
What i did see today was that it only really leaks when heating up or cooling down at the start and end of a journey and it is only a few drips at a time seeping out and collecting around the joining sections. I think i'm just going to leave it alone until the next time i take it in for some work. I probably wouldn't have noticed except that it drips onto my exhaust and makes nice sweet steam occasionally!
Thanks people.