Maestro A-Series Thermostat

[Stu_CDX]

Right... Here's my day so far regarding the thermostat...

I followed EVERYONEs varying advice regarding the Thermostat...

I covered it in lubricant, hit it the bolts with a hammer and wiggled them around. The end result is... They came out perfectly. Now... I've taken off a massive amount of pipes, backwards flushed the radiator until water ran clear, took the expansion tank off and ran the hose through every orifice on it and that was nice and clean...

Now, I was refitting the thermostat through the rather dogdy fitting on the Maestro and can't get all of the bolts to line up.

The gasket isn't the best fitting one in the world, although, it goes around the hole where the thermostat sits and so on.

Also, how many gaskets do I use? There's about 10 in the pack so I used one that looked right, and then thought, hang on, surely I need two gaskets cos' there are two pieces! So, I fitted another gasket between the top bit and the bottom bit (The housing is in two halves).

Now, the bolts wont go in properly and darkness halted play this evening. I'm gonna go back tomorrow, flush through the heater matrix and generally clean everything else up. Alot of the pipes feel like theres crusty stuff in them... Don't know whether I should break it up from the outside or just leave it.

This is my first bit of proper DIY'ing so, I'm being thorough with the cleaning...

Also, draining the radiator, I ended up with 10 pints of warm rusty water going down my arm... Not pleasant... It smells like excrement :laugh:

Any further advice gratefully recieved.

Stu.

[E_T_V]

The housing can go on 3 different ways, it isn't symmetrical, so if you get it wrong the bolts don't fit.

[Stu_CDX]

The housing can go on 3 different ways, it isn't symmetrical, so if you get it wrong the bolts don't fit.

No, but judging from where the pipes go, I'd say I've got it right.

[E_T_V]

Most likely got the middle bit upside down then.

[Stu_CDX]

Most likely got the middle bit upside down then.

Which way up should the thermostat go?

Stu.

[E_T_V]

Sorry it has been that long since I did one I can't really remember.

[Stu_CDX]

Sorry it has been that long since I did one I can't really remember.

No worries :)

[Ricky]

You just need the one gasket in there as well - if you fit two it'll probably leak between them!

HTH

[Stu_CDX]

You just need the one gasket in there as well - if you fit two it'll probably leak between them!

HTH

There's two pieces to the housing though. The engine, then there's a part of the housing, then there is the bit you bolt on top of the housing, like a hat. So I'm guessing you do need two.

[Ricky]

Oh I get you - I was thinking you were putting two in between the two halves of the housing, which wouldn't be good, I didn't think you needed to remove the lower section to get at the thermostat? It's been a fair while since I touched an A series cooling system though..

[Stu_CDX]

Oh I get you - I was thinking you were putting two in between the two halves of the housing, which wouldn't be good, I didn't think you needed to remove the lower section to get at the thermostat? It's been a fair while since I touched an A series cooling system though..

So...

You don't take the bottom bit off?

Should I go get some sticky gasket and stick it back on then?

Stu.

EDIT

No, you don't need to take the bottom bit off... Bit I did cos' I've never done it before and there aren't really any clear instructions on it

Stu.

[Stu_CDX]

I'm so cross...

I filled the system with water, gave all the pipes a squeeze to help pull it all through... And there was water pouring from the thermostat housing between the block and the bottom of the housing.

Can anyone please advise me what to do? I'm so upset as I've spent two days cleaning everything out and making sure everything is perfect!

Do I use gasket in a tube?

I don't want to, but it looks like the only option at the moment.

Stu.

[steve smith]

when i last did an a series i used a gasket between the head and the housing it didnt leak either so try taking it all aprt putting a gasket at the bottom and in the middle to that shoudl stop the leaks ....

[Stu_CDX]

when i last did an a series i used a gasket between the head and the housing it didnt leak either so try taking it all aprt putting a gasket at the bottom and in the middle to that shoudl stop the leaks ....Done that. Didn't work.

Stu.

[D87 SMW]

Yes, I used a gasket between the two halves of the housing, then another between the housing and the cylinder head, using sealant on both gaskets...

[Stu_CDX]

Yes, I used a gasket between the two halves of the housing, then another between the housing and the cylinder head, using sealant on both gaskets...

The gasket didn't even fit properly. I had to force the bolts through the gasket. All in all, I'm not pleased with it all.

I'm gonna get a mechanic to look at it. I really am pissed off.

[D87 SMW]

The gasket didn't even fit properly. I had to force the bolts through the gasket. All in all, I'm not pleased with it all.

I'm gonna get a mechanic to look at it. I really am pissed off.

The bolts are supposed to go through the gaskets, in order to get into the cylinder head... :worried:

My gaskets even had perferated holes so you could just pop out the waste material for the bolts to go through.

[Austin-Rover]

This is really easy stuff. You shouldn't have to force anything if you have it all together right. Take it off and start again. Line up all the parts and gaskets with the bolts and then offer it to the cylinder head in one go, tightening all the bolts a little at a time.

I've not heard the Haynes manual spoken about yet, dust it off and have a look in it.

[Stu_CDX]

This is really easy stuff. You shouldn't have to force anything if you have it all together right. Take it off and start again. Line up all the parts and gaskets with the bolts and then offer it to the cylinder head in one go, tightening all the bolts a little at a time.

I've not heard the Haynes manual spoken about yet, dust it off and have a look in it.

I'm not stupid.

I read all 5 sentances in the Haynes manual...

There's an engine mount support on top of the housing an all that jazz..

My mechanic said none of the gaskets are suitable for the car.

So, I'm off to get some sort of DIY gasket and some sticky stuff to make a nice thermostat sandwich, and ultimately, have a nice warm heater!

[Chris Y]

How about some pictures, Stu? We might be able to pick up on something...

[Stu_CDX]

How about some pictures, Stu? We might be able to pick up on something...

Chris, I spoke to Motor Parts Direct.

They said the best thing is going to be making a new gasket. I got all the bolts in and so on, but the gaskets in the packet are ill fitting and to be honest, crap. This results in massive amounts of water pouring all over the Alternator and I can't imagine that's good for it.

They've told me how much the DIY Gasket is and according to my mechanic, I need a bottle of something Blue Gasket.

From Halfords.

So... Road trip around Essex and then under the bonnet by 1pm hopefully.

Car should be going by about 3pm then off to book it's MOT.

Asked the MOT tester if he'd do a Cat test and he said no. So that's a bonus.

[Stu_CDX]

Right, I'm well chuffed!

Most of the time my car is now bang on half way up the gauge and is soooooooooo warm!

Made my own gasket (Just cut bolt holes and middle hole out of a square bit of gasket paper and trimmed when fitted. Car runs a whole lot better now too.

No signs of overcooling, or overheating so all seems well.

My first MM DIY job and it went pretty smoothly...

Apart from the face full of orange water resulting in me looking like David Dickinson, the craft knife going through the end of my finger and the massive bruise in the palm of my hand for some unknown reason!

Oh, and the fact it took me four days to do.

I'm happy :)

[BikerGran]

Well done. It's always very satisfying when you finally get a job done right. Never mind it went wrong in the first place, if you have no experience with spannering and no-one to help it's easy to get things wrong that seem like child's play to people with any experience.

I used to maintain my own motorcycles before the arthritis made it almost impossible, and did most of my learning working on a bike that wasn't my daily ride so there was no urgency. I planned to do each job slowly, first read the Haynes, then discussed anything I wasn't sure of with people I knew who had done it, then read the Haynes again, then started to do the job. But if anything didn't seem right or I wasn't sure, I'd ask someone again.

I learnt to always ask several different people cos it's amazing how many peoiple who really don't have a clue are willing to tell you exactly how to do it!!!

[Stu_CDX]

Well done. It's always very satisfying when you finally get a job done right. Never mind it went wrong in the first place, if you have no experience with spannering and no-one to help it's easy to get things wrong that seem like child's play to people with any experience.

I used to maintain my own motorcycles before the arthritis made it almost impossible, and did most of my learning working on a bike that wasn't my daily ride so there was no urgency. I planned to do each job slowly, first read the Haynes, then discussed anything I wasn't sure of with people I knew who had done it, then read the Haynes again, then started to do the job. But if anything didn't seem right or I wasn't sure, I'd ask someone again.

I learnt to always ask several different people cos it's amazing how many peoiple who really don't have a clue are willing to tell you exactly how to do it!!!

Well, Bobbi, the only thing that went really wrong was the MotorFactors giving me the wrong parts!

Everything else wasn't too hard!

I am chuffed with it, I really am.

I had the Haynes manual at hand all the time and it served it's purpose.

Now, I've got to change my bottom pipe on the radiator...

RE: the Arthiritus Bobbi...

All this manipulation of my hand resulted in a ripped muscle and a great bruise across my palm... It takes its toll when working in the freezing cold... Would much rather use a ratchet next time as opposed to a spanner.

[tezza SG1]

well done stu

[mgdavid]

........ the only thing that went really wrong was the MotorFactors giving me the wrong parts!

A lesson well learnt; they will do that again and again, if you let them. If you can, ALWAYS take the worn out / old / broken bit with you, or the next bit that the bit you need fits to, if you see what I mean.

PS, well done for the first job....

[Oli]

A lesson well learnt; they will do that again and again, if you let them. If you can, ALWAYS take the worn out / old / broken bit with you, or the next bit that the bit you need fits to, if you see what I mean.

Sound advice.