Thermostat replacement

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:25 pm

Where's the best place to get a thermostat from for my BX? I thought Halfords were taking the proverbial at £16 but my dreams of getting one for less than a tenner seem somewhat distant at the moment. What are they made of?!

Also, any tricks to avoiding a seizing bolt disaster?

Must get around to fitting a temp gauge - I would probably have cottoned on to this 'stat failure a lot sooner if I had one!

Post by **docchevron** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:40 pm

£16?

I assume you have the old style BIG stat?
If so, they used to be £9 from the dealer! That said, I no longer have the old style stat housing, so it's been a while since I bought one.

the bottom left bolt as you look at the housing usually seizes, I used to find that removing all the pipes and heating the bolts till the glowed, then allow to cool did the trick, although I had a couple that required a couple of bursts of heat, and a couple that snapped off even after that.

You'll need some fairly large circlip pliers aswell to remove the stat from the housing.
Good luck!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:23 pm

I don't like to boast, but I assume it's a big one. Not seen many to compare with to be fair...

Going to try the local motor factors next. Not sure we've got a Citroen dealer in town.

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:23 pm

I am sure i had to fit a small thermostat to my L reg diesel last year. Normal sized bigun was far too big.

Andy

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:39 pm

Just been out to the garage to see if i could find the one i bought that was no good to me, if i find it you are more than welcome to it.
However, i did find the box of the one i fitted and the one i removed from the motor. It was made by 'Flusser' No N17610. The one i look out was working fine as i tested it in hot water, you are more than welcome to this if it helps, just changed cos i was replacing the rad.
The old thermostat measured 55mm by 55mm or thereabouts as ive only a cheap old ruler to measure it with. Hope this helps. Ile have a good look for the other one tomorrow for you.

If you want a piccy, pm me.

Andy

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:48 pm

Thanks Grenman. Local motor factor can get one in for £11 plus the dreaded, cheaper than Halfords and better still, not Halfords!

Must admit, I'm worried about snapping the bolts as I've spent the past two days slowly mullering my 2CVs engine. IR FAIL. Can't really afford to have two cars out of action - leaves me with a 15mpg Land Rover!

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 7:36 pm

Good luck with it.

Mine came out 'simples' and with no bother at all. I reccon i was lucky. It had been done before as there was some sort of liquid gasket on it which i had to carefully scrape off.

Andy

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:02 pm

Housing's off without any bother. Getting the stat out is a little tricky as I don't have big circlip pliers. Going to see if I can get a local garage to carry out that bit otherwise it's another trip into town (in something fuel guzzling as everything else is broken) to buy a pair of pliers I'll probably never use again.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:12 pm

Have you got a set of needle nosed pliers? At a pinch you can grind the ends to a small enough point to fit into the circlips - I've done this in the early hours of the morning, when I needed the car the next day and didn't have any circlip pliers. A new set of pliers at a later date would probably be cheaper than a trip out in the Landy, if you have no luck with the local garage.

Post by **Defender110** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:38 pm

a seal pick and small flat blade srewdriver will prise it out.

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:41 pm

Never realised it was supposed to be difficult to get the thermostat out. Just pulled the fekker out with my fingers, job done.

Andy

Wooscary · Post by **Wooscary** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:47 pm

This worries me too, only time I've ever changed a thermostat was in a Golf and it was just two bolts and slip it out. Damn you Citroen!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:07 pm

Went to a local garage who fitted it to the housing for "a contribution to the drink fund." I like that sort of currency. Did try needle-nosed pliers, but that clip was bloomin' well stuck on one side. Even created sparks...

Housing now back in place but I've been forced to stop after knocking the bit off the throttle thing that attaches via cable to the thermostat (I'd removed it so I could take the entire housing to the garage). Um, what does that do?! It's pitch black here now, so no hope of finding it. Got delayed by the pain in the ar5e that was removing the old gasket. Well stuck!

Really narked with how much faff this is. Did a thermostat change on the Landy on Tuesday and it took about five minutes! Even an Alfa Romeo 164 V6 is easier than this (albeit you have to replace the entire housing which costs £40...)

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:26 pm

Grenman wrote:Never realised it was supposed to be difficult to get the thermostat out. Just pulled the fekker out with my fingers, job done.

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.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:04 pm

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