getting thermostat out

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Sussmad

Sussmad

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I went to change the thermostat and couldn't budge the bolts. I don't have great tools or even a garage so I took the car up to a friend who has a shop. He can't get them to budge either. He says that if he breaks the bolt he can't get his drill near enough to drill out without removing the heads. This can't be so complicated. Any advise. Thanks
63 Valiant /170
 
What size motor are we talking about.... slant six?

The thermostat housing bolts (if broke off)on a small mopar wouldn't require removing the heads.
 
yes it is a slant 6: he says the housing for the water pump which is connected to the block makes it impossible to get the drill on the lower thermostat bolt. I am thinking of getting an aftermarket electrical gage to hook up so I have a more accurate reading than the stock to keep an eye on the temp. I run a bit hot according to the gage now, so I was flushing the system and changing the thermostat as a preventive measure but don't want to get into puling the head.
 
PB blaster, and heat. Or get a dremel and cut the bolt heads off. Never heard of this.
 
I replaced the thermostat and housing on my slant while I had the water pump off for replacement. I don't remember it being hard to get to. But I don't remember a lot of things.
 
think I will try the PB Blaster and then the Peanut Butter!
 
Use a good penetrating oil, like PB Blaster (I like Kroil), ten take an impact gun, set the pressure down, and go forward and reverse. The shock of the impacts will help work the penetrant into the threads. Might take awhile, don't rush it.
 
then replace the bolts with SS bolts, and a a bit of antiseize, if not a concorse restoration.
 
A little heat, a six-sided socket, breaker bar and a hammer to tap the bar with will normally do wonders on a sticky bolt too.



You said you don't have the greatest tools.....A propane or mapp gas torch are cheap, and a set of stanley tools aren't terrible, but inexpensive.
 
Sacrifice the thermostat housing. Cut it out from under the bolt heads and screw the bolts forward/deeper and put penetrant on the inside ends of them. Where there's a will , there's a way. Good luck
 
Proceed with extreme CAUTION!!! Since the bolts are frozen into the head, they WILL TWIST OFF FLUSH, and you may have to pull the head to remove them.

Because the bolts clamp on a fairly thick casting, penetrating oil will not make it down to the threads. I would try playing a torch on the bolt heads and heating them up good a few times. The thermal expansion cycles may free them. If this doesn't work, I'd cut the heads off so you can get penetrating oil to the threads and use vise-grips to turn them out. Then heat, oil, repeat until they come free. It may take a while.
 
Finally got it! heat, tapping, PB lube and much patience. Thanks for the advise and encouragement. I put a super stant 180 in and gauge is back in the normal zone, I did notice a small hole and tiny leak in the top tank of rad. Put some Barz coolant whatever in until I can get it to a shop. later
 
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