Thermostat of death

You can RANT and RAVE to your hearts content here instead of clogging up the Q&A Technical Forum!
Report any offensive posts to [email protected]
Post Reply
User avatar
Noel
Donator
Donator
Posts: 530
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 7:57 pm
Car(s): Capri 2.8i
Range Rover
M140i
Location: Twickenham

Thermostat of death

Post by Noel »

2.8i back from MOT today (no advisories) and getting tappets set (do it - much faster now).
Had a long standing drip leak from bottom hose / thermostat housing. Had mucked about trying to make the bottom hose reseal, but gave up and left it to the garage who did MOT and valve clearences.
Anyway heres what happened when it came off:
Image

Lucky escape there! Been like that a few years and obviously the crack was quite old as its not exactly clean metal is it!!!
They also found a split on the air intake hose, but had one IN STOCK - lucky day.
User avatar
Jasonmarie
Donator
Donator
Posts: 4707
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 12:30 am
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser Mercury Grey 1987 hobby .
Mercedes Vito tourer 2.1 Big Bus Daily Driver
Location: Kent

Re: Thermostat of death

Post by Jasonmarie »

I would say you had the money out of that , funny as everybody’s housing seems to be needing to change .
Also glad she passed mot ok
Ford Capri 2.0 Laser 1987 Mercury Grey ....... :beer:
User avatar
Fordoholic Nick
Donator
Donator
Posts: 6196
Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2014 3:40 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser,
Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi
Location: Enfield, London

Re: Thermostat of death

Post by Fordoholic Nick »

Hi Noel , Wow mate, that housing has seen better days. Great it was found before it caused damage and well done on the mot. Nice one Noel :)
I was born a Fordoholic, They'll bury me a Fordoholic...
User avatar
Andrew 2.8i
Donator
Donator
Posts: 14723
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:38 pm
Car(s): '83 2.8 Injection (sunny days only)
'04 Toyota MR2 (owned from new)
Location: Ceredigion
Contact:

Re: Thermostat of death

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Great news that you car has passed it's MOT with no advisories Noel, now you're ready for another year of motoring joy!
I've had exactly the same thermostat issue that you've illustrated here. The aluminium castings seem to be quite weak at those lugs and are vulnerable to overtightening. Thank goodness that reproduction items are available.

Andrew.
Image
User avatar
pbar
Posts: 7420
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:29 pm
Car(s): Capri 2.0 Laser, frequent driver.
Location: North-West

Re: Thermostat of death

Post by pbar »

Nice commemorative royal mug.
User avatar
Noel
Donator
Donator
Posts: 530
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 7:57 pm
Car(s): Capri 2.8i
Range Rover
M140i
Location: Twickenham

Re: Thermostat of death

Post by Noel »

Well spotted on the mug.

Funny how it had been dripping for about 4 years but I never thought it was anything that serious.
I remember a 2 hour crawl round the M25 at about 5mph on a saturday afternoon last July when it was about 30C in the shade. Imagine if it had let go then eh? Very lucky. I bought the replacement housing some time ago but had it as a low priority job.

Looking at the radiator now everything else is up to scratch mechanically:

Image

Wonder if its time for a replacement? Have had no problems with cooling at all, but its getting quite flaky. Been recored 20 years ago so perhaps time to do it again?
User avatar
D366Y
Donator
Donator
Posts: 2568
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1

Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8...
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Thermostat of death

Post by D366Y »

I always lean on the side of caution with my rads - if it goes one day and cooks the engine you're worse off than you would be if you got a new rad or had the current one re-cored... my thoughts anyway :)
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another" :beer:
It's me, I'm the wise man.
Stish704
Donator
Donator
Posts: 452
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:34 pm
Car(s): Capri 2.8 injection special. Weekends only!
Sierra Sapphire- rolling restoration.
Vauxhall Movano- the company vehicle.
Vauxhall Mokka. The wife’s!
Location: Hornchurch, Essex.

Re: Thermostat of death

Post by Stish704 »

Ironically, I’m in the same predicament . Just changed my water pump as I had a slight leak to!
Luckily enough, my thermostat housing was in good shape so just changed the stat. Unfortunately, the new one didn’t sit right and when I filled up with water it pissed out! Changed back to the original stat because it was working ok.
Put it all back together again, filled it up with water first then all good!
Let it run, cooled it down then drained off a load and filled with anti freeze.
Seems all ok now.
Now the radiator. I was thinking the same once I had taken mine out. Ok for now but am looking into getting a new one.
Contemplating an aluminium one but don’t think it’ll look right.
Decisions decisions!
User avatar
Noel
Donator
Donator
Posts: 530
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 7:57 pm
Car(s): Capri 2.8i
Range Rover
M140i
Location: Twickenham

Re: Thermostat of death

Post by Noel »

Will be re-coring mine when I get round to it, as it keeps the correct look. I think there are some places that will add a three row core to the standard rads, but I have never had cooling issues with the stock item.
Post Reply