Thermostat replacement

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:55 pm

The later ones are a lot less bother - there's nothing actually holding the 'stat in place apart from the hose stub housing, and those bolts seem a lot less prone to seizing.

Thanks for that info Mat, i just assumed they were all similar. I have learned something should i ever get an earlier model.

Dad had an 86 diesel Estate, i assume that was a series 1. He loved it and thats what got me hooked on the BX. Gone to that great scrapyard in the sky though.

Andy

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:46 pm

Dollywobbler wrote:So, what is the thing linked to the throttle that goes to the 'stat that I've lost then?

That'll be your cold start 'raise the revs a bit' cable.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:54 pm

All sorted. Hmmmmmm, toasty.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:24 pm

I obviously haven't quite got the cold start throttle thing in the right place as the tickover seems a bit low on a chilly start (just below 1000rpm when it's usually just above). Is there a knack to adjusting it correctly?

smiffy1071 · Post by **smiffy1071** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:08 am

It is a bit of an effort to replace the thermostat. I did mine just as the really cold weather started before christmas. I had to replace the stat housing too, because the circlip had corroded into the housing.
Some clown had put a small stat in it, which was free to float about....it might aswell not have been there.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:30 pm

Gah! BX has been leaking coolant since the 'stat change, so I pulled the housing off, destroying the new gasket in the process. Balls. Tried bodging it up, but no joy. Naturally, I need the car tomorrow - will have to use the 2CV instead. Again. Has not been a good winter for the BX!

smiffy1071 · Post by **smiffy1071** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 3:25 am

I didn't have a new gasket when I did mine, so I took the housing off VERY carefully, with the aid od a stanley knife blade.
for re-fitting, I coated each side of the gasket with a smear of blue Hylomar, to help it seal.

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:19 am

smiffy1071 wrote:I didn't have a new gasket when I did mine, so I took the housing off VERY carefully, with the aid od a stanley knife blade.
for re-fitting, I coated each side of the gasket with a smear of blue Hylomar, to help it seal.

This is what i did with mine. There were a few drips of moisture on the underside of the housing for a few days, thought i would have to do it again but somehow it stopped leaking on its own and been ok for the past 2 years.

Andy

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 3:49 pm

It's peeing out, so I think this gasket is a gonner. Anyone had any joy making their own? Cereal packets don't seem thick enough...

Or is it possible to get new gaskets somewhere?

I didn't use blue Hylomar first time around - which I'm now regretting.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 4:38 pm

Hylomar lets you get away with engineering murder!

FWIW, a cornflake packet gasket's holding just fine on my stat housing - after a year of hard use. All the gasket needs to do is take up any minor machining imperfections in the two faces of the block and the housing. In emergencies, I've done away with the gasket and used silicone sealant until I could do the job properly.

Provided the mating faces are clean, you'll be just fine with cornflake packet for your stat gasket. However, be careful with All Bran packets - as you can easily wind up in the du-du!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 4:39 pm

Thanks. I'll give that a go then. Shame the recycling's just gone...