Thermostat stuck in housing

[Banshee365]

Ive asked the question on how to remove the thermostat from the housing and all the answers I got say they just drop out or you may have to pry a little. Well, mine almost seems like it's pressed it. I've done all the prying I can stand without feeling like I'm about to snap the cast supports on the thing. I'm taking it out to boil it and see when it opens. My truck started out with a leaky radiator but I'm just redoing the entire cooling system so it will last a while. Any tricks on removing the thing? It's really in there!

-Kelly

 

[Westech]

It just sits in there. Its not a press fit. Take a small hammer and beat on the end of it, your going to have to take it out with force. Some times you have to jump in and beat things up, I have to teach my techs every day on how to remove stuck bolts, hangers ect... "dont be scared just do it", thats that I tell them

 

[Knucklehead]

It is brass and very soft, insert a pry bar into it and work it side to side and up and down. It should deform enough to be removed.

 

[Banshee365]

Sounds like I'll fatally injure the thing by removing it. Can I just pour really hot water on it with it in the housing instead of removing it just to test it? From all I know the thing still works fine I'm just going through the whole system. Seems like I could heat up some water, take the temp, then pour it into the housing with the hoses plugged. Better idea than removing a perfectly good thermostat?

-Kelly

 

[Knucklehead]

Sorry, I thought you wanted it out of the housing. To test it it would be eaiser to use a heat gun, hot air, to see if it is opening. Although you will not get an accurate temperature reading.

 

[WillWagner]

Kelly, they are cheap compared to an engine. If it's stuck, just pry the blasted thing out and get a new one. Saturn, Memphis, White Owl, Addirondak Dodge...and more have them. You gotta get a gasket any way. Besides, when you get it out, you'll know what the housing looks like, how the stat goes in and how it SHOULDN'T come out.

 

[Westech]

Look in the parts cross Napa there under 30 bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cranetruck]

Sooner or later you may have to take it out, why not do it while everything is apart?

 

[acetomatoco]

knock out the middle and use a 3 fingered puller on it... or if your labor is free.... soak it with penetrating oil and heat it a little in the wifey's oven... and soak it some more then take and put the housing in a vise and use a small pipe wrench to rotate it... then put it in the yellow metal scrap bucket for recycling...I got a hundred bux a ton yesterday for some leftover stuff I found in the back yard. One pail for stainless, one for brass, one for copper and if you are lucky ... one pail for Titanium...Clean aluminum is bringing big money....too.....remember the rule... If you haven't used it in three years, chances are you never will...

 

[Banshee365]

I was going to just leave it in and put the whole thing in hot water to test it but i guess I may as well replace the thing if I'm redoing the entire cooling system and making sure it's all right anyways.

Since the radiator is out I'm thinking about retarding the timing for the turbo install I did last year. I figured it'll make it that much easier right now than deciding to do it once everything is back together. Should the cast expand more than the brass or vise versa as far as heating it.

Thanks for the help guys.

-Kelly

 

[Jones]

Sacrificing the thermostat is cheap insurance against it sticking later and taking out your engine. If you aren't crazy about the idea of beating it into submission, what about something like CLR, Lime-Away, or another brand of Calcium, Lime, Rust remover? Soaking the cast iron housing won't harm it and in time it should loosen the scale build-up that is holding the thermostat. Either way, I'd replace a used thermostat anytime I had the cooling system open/out-of-service for any length of time.