Thermostat

[efnfast]

So I picked up a thermostat from Mark H. It doesn't stay put in the housing like it should. Is this normal? It's marked as 44MM.

[secondchance]

Originally Posted by efnfast

So I picked up a thermostat from Mark H. It doesn't stay put in the housing like it should. Is this normal? It's marked as 44MM.

How do you mean? Rubber gasket should fit into recess machined on lover side of the housing. I make small adjustments with a small flat head screw driver as I close up the housing halves to keep the gasket from being pinched.

[efnfast]

My mechanic says when he installs it that it falls out. He says it should stay put until he can install the housing over it. I didn't see it in action, so can't comment a lot.

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by efnfast

My mechanic says when he installs it that it falls out. He says it should stay put until he can install the housing over it. I didn't see it in action, so can't comment a lot.

.........well....well.....your mechanic is correct regarding the thermostat popping out but not correct on "it should stay put".....unless you kind of glue it in with permatex it will pop out about 1/8 inch as it is preloaded a bit in the housing.

secondchance has about as good advice as any I have seen

I use a putty knife also just to keep the thermostat gasket from being pinched. If the two halves of the housing mate up tight with just finger torque on the bolts you know you have not pinched the gasket.

Originally Posted by secondchance

How do you mean? Rubber gasket should fit into recess machined on lover side of the housing. I make small adjustments with a small flat head screw driver as I close up the housing halves to keep the gasket from being pinched.

[efnfast]

Thanks Yun and Cliff, really appreciate the help. I'll pass this along. BTW, how bad is the lower rad hose to do, he struggled with it for quit a while. Puttin' on some stylish new red Jerry hoses.

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by efnfast

Thanks Yun and Cliff, really appreciate the help. I'll pass this along. BTW, how bad is the lower rad hose to do, he struggled with it for quit a while. Puttin' on some stylish new red Jerry hoses.

A. You really have to separate the thermostat housing and unbolt the bracket from the half that is bolted to the frame with two bolts pointing up. Two bolts that go into the thermostat housing also go through that bracket (one short bolt and one bolt that holds the thermostat halves together for which there are two of those longer bolts with one NOT going through the Thermostat Housing Bracket).

1. Separate the thermostat housing half that bolts to the frame and remove it (with bracket) with the old short hose (use razor blade on that hose lengthwise if you have to remove it from the radiator Connector).

2. If you are using Silicon Hose it will be hard to slip on the Thermostat Housing and Radiator Connectors but with a little permatex it can be done fairly easily.

3. Slip that hose onto the thermostat half first with the thermostat half in hand.

4. Then with a bit more permatex on the radiator Connector, push the hose (attached to the thermostat housing half you removed) on that connector to a depth such that the thermostat housing half lines up perfectly with the mating surface of the other housing half that you stick the thermostat into (the thermostat housing half you did not remove).

5. Tighten hose clamps AFTER (See B Below) you get the two thermostat housing half bolts installed and tightened (including the short bolt through the Bracket and including the Bracket bolts to the Frame.

6. Make sure you put the short bolt that just goes through the bracket in the correct place in the threaded hole on the thermostat housing half you removed.

7. install the two bolts vertically securing the thermostat housing bracket to the frame.

B. Lastly......tighten the hose clamps such that the clamp is just inside the raised ring on the connectors to make sure the Silicon Hose does not slip off (especially if you use Permatex) before the Permatex cures.

C. To put this in perspective all in one post
You install the Thermostat immediately after Step #4 above as follows

Originally Posted by efnfast

My mechanic says when he installs it that it falls out. He says it should stay put until he can install the housing over it. I didn't see it in action, so can't comment a lot.

.........well....well.....your mechanic is correct regarding the thermostat popping out but not correct on "it should stay put".....unless you kind of glue it in with permatex it will pop out about 1/8 inch as it is preloaded a bit in the housing.

secondchance has about as good advice as any I have seen

I use a putty knife also just to keep the thermostat gasket from being pinched. If the two halves of the housing mate up tight with just finger torque on the bolts you know you have not pinched the gasket.

Originally Posted by secondchance

How do you mean? Rubber gasket should fit into recess machined on lover side of the housing. I make small adjustments with a small flat head screw driver as I close up the housing halves to keep the gasket from being pinched.

[secondchance]

Originally Posted by efnfast

Thanks Yun and Cliff, really appreciate the help. I'll pass this along. BTW, how bad is the lower rad hose to do, he struggled with it for quit a while. Puttin' on some stylish new red Jerry hoses.

It wasn't too bad... Agree with Dynomite - have one half of the housing slipped on the hose first. That gives you something substantial to hold onto, twist and push trying to force silicone hose onto radiator. I lubricated the inside of hoses with WD 40.
Steve - will you be charging your mechanic for "how to tips"? He is suppose to know all this!

[efnfast]

All done. The new red hoses look great, and he put them on with black heat shrinks instead of clamps. I gotta buy a lift, I think I've paid for it with his labor.

[RussMcB]

Dynomite,

Thanks very much for posting the steps below. Very handy.

I'm convinced the hoses I took off tonight must be original. Big struggle to get them separated from the pipes. Afterwards I had to spend awhile with a wire brush (powered) to get all the old stuck rubber off.

The top pipe is painted (and drying), and when I put it back together I'm planning to use some water-soluble oil to help the hoses slip on. I noticed you mentioned Permatex. Is that as a sealant? I don't think I've heard of that before.

I also plan to ditch those terribly unfriendly stock hose clamps. I just don't understand them. They must be a cost saving thing.

Russ

Originally Posted by Dynomite

A. You really have to separate the thermostat housing and unbolt the bracket from the half that is bolted to the frame with two bolts pointing up. Two bolts that go into the thermostat housing also go through that bracket (one short bolt and one bolt that holds the thermostat halves together for which there are two of those longer bolts with one NOT going through the Thermostat Housing Bracket).

1. Separate the thermostat housing half that bolts to the frame and remove it (with bracket) with the old short hose (use razor blade on that hose lengthwise if you have to remove it from the radiator Connector).

2. If you are using Silicon Hose it will be hard to slip on the Thermostat Housing and Radiator Connectors but with a little permatex it can be done fairly easily.

3. Slip that hose onto the thermostat half first with the thermostat half in hand.

4. Then with a bit more permatex on the radiator Connector, push the hose (attached to the thermostat housing half you removed) on that connector to a depth such that the thermostat housing half lines up perfectly with the mating surface of the other housing half that you stick the thermostat into (the thermostat housing half you did not remove).

5. Tighten hose clamps AFTER (See B Below) you get the two thermostat housing half bolts installed and tightened (including the short bolt through the Bracket and including the Bracket bolts to the Frame.

6. Make sure you put the short bolt that just goes through the bracket in the correct place in the threaded hole on the thermostat housing half you removed.

7. install the two bolts vertically securing the thermostat housing bracket to the frame.

B. Lastly......tighten the hose clamps such that the clamp is just inside the raised ring on the connectors to make sure the Silicon Hose does not slip off (especially if you use Permatex) before the Permatex cures.

C. To put this in perspective all in one post
You install the Thermostat immediately after Step #4 above as follows

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by RussMcB

Dynomite,

Thanks very much for posting the steps below. Very handy.

I'm convinced the hoses I took off tonight must be original. Big struggle to get them separated from the pipes. Afterwards I had to spend awhile with a wire brush (powered) to get all the old stuck rubber off.

The top pipe is painted (and drying), and when I put it back together I'm planning to use some water-soluble oil to help the hoses slip on. I noticed you mentioned Permatex. Is that as a sealant? I don't think I've heard of that before.

I also plan to ditch those terribly unfriendly stock hose clamps. I just don't understand them. They must be a cost saving thing.

Russ

You are very welcome

Using Permatex and Headliner Glue

Some Related General Information LT5 Thermostats