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2 Thermostat housings later...I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
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FrustratedinNH
New User
Sep 25, 2010, 8:17 AM
Post #1 of 4
(1854 views)
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2 Thermostat housings later...I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
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1997
Ford
Taurus
3.0/Single OHC
135,XXX Miles
Hindsight is 20/20...
We bought this car about 2 weeks ago, runs great, no problems. Changed the oil (mud), added Lucas, got new RainX wipers...I was only going through the car to check for any possible leaks or other maintenance issues I over looked in the buying process.
I found a very small leak coming from the thermostat housing. Looked like the gasket was failing. The car sat for a little while and only had been driven minimumily(?).
So I figured no problem, I'd replace the thermostat while I had it open and could cross that off the list in the process.
I went to take the bolts out and it was rough going. I backed them back down a ways and used some WD-40...waited and tried again...still nothing. I used some more...gave them a couple taps...One came out no problem...the other two, gave great resistence. I tried the WD-40 again and managed to get them both out a little further but eventrually snapped both of the heads off the process.
I went to the store, picked up some PB Blast, came back sprayed and waited a bit, sprayed again and used a pair of vice grips to get one of the bolts out without damanging the threads in the hole.
The second one snapped off flush.
I called my buddies for back up. We started to drill, we got off centered and the top half of the bolt remained almosted welded in the hole...
At this point I had a hole going all the way through, so I decided to try and get bolt long enough for a nut to sit at the back in there...I got it through, tightened it down...thought I had it, hooked everything back up...started the car and it instantly started pouring out of the housing from around that bottom ear...as it was running, I started tightening the bolt down...got it to an almost drip...then turned it slightly more and the leak stopped...I thought if I turned it just a bit more, I'd give it the right amount...one small turn too much...I broke the bottom of the housing thats attatched to the goose neck.
I back everything out, check it out. The bolt is bent in the middle. Drill wasn't straight...gives a pitch to the bolt as I'm tightening...
I bought a new housing, new gasket, more sealer...new bolts....and did some research on JB Weld and Quick Steel. I re-filled the hole, let it sit from yesterday morning (Sept 24th at 9:30am till 9am this morning Sept 25th). the packaged says 12 hours, I figured 24 hours, I'd be good. I started to drill the hole again, starting small and working up to a size slightly less than the width of my new bolt. I got a tap kit and slowly made threads inside the hole....backing out every couple of turns like they say to do. I tried my bolt about half way and it seemed to be threading. I finished tapping...and just stared at it for a little while.
I put the housing back on, went to bolt it down...top bolts are snug and I start to tighten down the third...it catches the threads...but then I felt it...the bolt just started spinning...no bite what so ever...
I backed all the bolts out and grabed a doubled threaded stud...I nut the back...put a washer and nut on the front and tighened it down....thats pulling it together...I give it another 1/4 turn and I hear a pop...I thought I snapped another bolt...but it feels tight still...I grabbed my mirror to inspect and I broke the new thermostat housing!!!
I've been going at this since Tuesday.
A friend thinks I might need to replace the entire lower intake to fix this problem correctly and I know that's probably the right way to go here.
But I also think that if I am going to need to replace the entire housing anyways...I wanted to see what you guys thought about getting a new thermostat housing, bolting it down...way less than before...tight but not super tight and using the JB Weld to go all around the housing of the thermostat. The manifold is only $50 at the junk yard...but I'm strapped for time...I borrowed a friend's car and we need to be back on the road this week.
Both parts are alluminum.
I figured If I did it this way, by the time the thermostat fails again, I could put cash aside to have a shop do it correctly.
Any ideas and comments are welcomed.
Thanks,
-Frustrated in New Hampshire.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 25, 2010, 9:19 AM
Post #2 of 4
(1847 views)
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Re: 2 Thermostat housings later...I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
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You have already wasted way too much time and effort trying to do a Mickey Mouse repair that never should have even been attempted. You may have been able to save the housing with a heli-coil had you drilled it correctly at that time but now, there are no options left. Replace the manifold.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 25, 2010, 10:17 AM
Post #3 of 4
(1843 views)
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Re: 2 Thermostat housings later...I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
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You know I think you're___________ <---(insert colorful metaphor) on this one but I'm having a hard time picturing this just to due to what you posted it sound like it might of had a small chance...
This is a common problem and if you would've posted here 1st there is/was a couple of tricks that work pretty good on getting those broken bolts out but we are way past that now.....
I think you're probably gonna have to replace the lower intake but if you can post some pics of the manifold & broken housing (I need to see where it broke) would be helpful. Let me ponder this a bit maybe something will come to me.....Over my 30 year career I've broken & messed up pretty much everything so I have a few tricks up my sleeve for getting out of a lot of stuff........Sometimes it's not pretty but I don't think thats a huge concern at this point.......
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 25, 2010, 10:53 AM
Post #4 of 4
(1839 views)
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Re: 2 Thermostat housings later...I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
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Just a thought........
Before changing the intake I would see if there was enough room to go up one size on the bolt. Drill the hole out straight all the way thru where this is nothing but clean metal. Tap that hole and get a bolt to match. Put the t stat housing on and compare the hole, notch the housing to line up with the new hole. Retap the old holes to clean them up and replace the old bolts with high grade new bolts..............
(This post was edited by Sidom on Sep 25, 2010, 10:55 AM)
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