stupid heater, stupid thermostat.

[corelokt]

Put in a freeze plug heater. Sure wasn't no half hour fun job. It wouldn't budge, then fell inside the block. Then wouldn't come out. Dropped a big punch on my nose and bloodied it, anti-freeze all down my sleeves. Got - r - done, finally.
Thermostat housing broke. The top bolt busted a piece of the side of the threads out, despite lots of penetrating oil and a lot of loosen, tighten, loosen a bit more. The second bolt just broke off. Had to remove the passenger alternator bracket to remove the housing, so that I can drill out the broken bolt, and epoxy the broken piece. I'm going to drill out all the threads, and put bolts in from the back, epoxied in place, and use nuts to hold the thermostat in.
I have two heaters now, magnet on the oil pan, and freeze plug. Both plug into an outlet I placed in a steel box and screwed to the inner fender. I ran a cord out of the box, wired to the outlet, out the front.

 

[uoa]

Need evidence of all of the above

 

[corelokt]

I pic'd my nose, does that count?

 

[uoa]

I pic'd my nose, does that count?

Ha Ha! He made a funny!

 

[doghead]

Dude my M1008a1 starts nearly instantly, it's 6 degrees out right now and it fires up as fast as my gas 2000 truck does. I have no heaters. You need to fix your gp's, starter or batteries.(maybe even IP pump)

 

[gimpyrobb]

Yeah dude!

 

[doghead]

Yeah dude!

Dork!

 

[acmunro]

Those freeze plug heaters are fun, I have a civi truck I am going out to the garage to remove the current freeze plug heater to replace. I worked at it one other day, didn't get it out. Really isn't any where to pry it out. Can't really push it into the engine block. I am making a hook to pull on the center bolt to get it out. I will have to push in and turn the screw 90 degrees so the pulling action does not spread the retainer. Hope this works, Any other ideas ?
After replacing the glowplugs on my M1008 it will start at 0 deg F, but I cringe thinking about that cold oil. I am going to add a freeze plug heater to it. - Al

 

[mangus580]

Core... I have a t-stat housing....

 

[corelokt]

Since I fixed the battery cables it's been ok, but like the idea having the heaters for the "in case" factor.
I think my housing is salvage-able, gonna give it a go once I get caffeinated
If I end up needing one, I'll drop you a line mangus, you've been great about offering to help.

I thought I made a good funny too, pic'd, like got hit with a pic, like took a pic, like stuck a finger up there, it's funny so many ways!

 

[doghead]

I see, I thought you were still having a hard time starting in the cold weather and installing the heaters to fight that. Glad she's starting ok, I can understand the extra heater, just in case.

btw, I just noticed that at 5am this morning it was -24 F at the Watertown NY airport.

 

[corelokt]

Luckily we only saw about 10 below and it's warming. Coldest I've seen in sixteen - eighteen years here was fifty some below. Nothing would start. Neighbor came down with a salamander heater to start the 4 cyl minivan I was driving then, took awhile with that. Just starting out back then. My front porch was my work shop, even tho the windows kept blowing out. Otherwise it was the mud floored shed that the van could just fit into. Things are better now, tho money seems just as tight as ever, more of it, but more bills and kids are expensive teenagers with appetites and college dreams.

 

[BEASTMASTER]

i put in one of those 2500 watt thermo siphoning heaters in my 602 gasser. works great and less agravation .gonna put one of those magnet jobs on my power steering resorvoir though, to heat up that 30 wght. oil.

 

[dependable]

Just did a t stat housing on a 1028 today. one of the bolts broke and I ended up with cracked T stat housing boss before I was done. I should have done better after all these years. A few reminders; Steal bolts in aluminum will corrode, stick to propane if you are using heat on aluminum, Take housing off and do on bench with Kano Kroil or some other good penetrating oil. apply and wait, mabey some single gas torch heat, let oil soak in. Use anti seizing compound when putting back together. I had another housing on a junk engine out back. but the normally simple job of replacing a thermostat requires care on the 6.2 .