How do I get the thermostat housing off? : MGB & GT Forum : The MG Experience

How do I get the thermostat housing off? #1
klandtet Travis T Houston, TX, USA Sign in to contact 1972 MG MGB	Topic Creator (OP) Mar 1, 2015 11:09 AM Joined 10 years ago 71 Posts

Need some help here. My thermostat housing, Moss calls it the water outlet elbow, is stuck. How do I get it loose?

It appears to be rusted to the studs. I have applied Laco Rust Buster, tapped with a wooden block, tapped on the joint with a hammer and screwdriver (don't tell my grandpa), and heated it with a torch. Trying not to force it so I don't break anything.

Travis
'72 MGB

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #2
deemce Dave McCarthy West Chester, PA, USA Sign in to contact 1973 MG MGB	Mar 1, 2015 11:40 AM Joined 9 years ago 140 Posts

Try PB Blaster and patience. I used PB Blaster to free rusted nut/bolts on the rear suspension. Let sit overnight and they were able to break free.

Good luck

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #3
mgb4gary Gary Brown Covington, VA, USA Sign in to contact	Mar 1, 2015 11:46 AM Joined 15 years ago 1,201 Posts

In reply to a post by deemce Try PB Blaster and patience.

x2 and lose the screwdriver. drinking smiley

Patience Grasshopper

Gary Brown

It's the "Little" things.

Although I now own this C, it will always be Pat's MG

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #4
dipstick Kenny Snyder (RIP) La Center, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1941 Ford N-Series 1958 MG MGA 1500 Coupe "Rosie" 1970 MG MGB GT "Pat's GT" 1971 MG MGB "Gifted To Me" & more	Mar 1, 2015 11:58 AM Top Contributor Joined 15 years ago 7,564 Posts

Put a dowel or close fitting pipe into the outlet opening for wiggling/prying. Heat the top of the studs and apply Rust Buster, it will bubble down in between the studs and the housing, and allow to cool. The studs will shrink when cool, wiggle with the pry bar. If no housing movement heat the studs and apply more Rust Buster, the housing will eventually start to come loose.

When hot or cool gently pry upward and downward with the pry bar and simultaneously tap upwards on the underside of the housing air pump bracket. The housing itself is cast iron, very brittle, so don't be too rough with it. Patience is a virtue. smiling smiley

Be safe out there.
Kenny

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #5
ErnieY Ernie Y Albatera, Alicante, Spain Sign in to contact 1976 MG MGB GT	Mar 1, 2015 12:45 PM Top Contributor Joined 12 years ago 19,528 Posts

Comes a time when assistance is required and when all else has failed I would use an old wood chisel I keep for such jobs with the flat face against the block so that any damage is confined to the easily replaceable cover.

You'd have to be a totally hamfisted gorilla to damage the head anyway.

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #6
barry s Barry Stoll Alexandria, VA, USA Sign in to contact 1972 MG MGB GT 1974 MG MGB 1976 Triumph TR6 1980 MG MGB	Mar 1, 2015 01:15 PM Top Contributor Joined 14 years ago 7,461 Posts

As you are trying to free the cover from the studs, you might try and unscrew the studs from the head with 2 locked thin nuts. Your photo shows that you need to try the rust buster chemicals more before you proceed further. Others have mentioned PB Blaster. You can also try 50/50 ATF and acetone. Kroil is another good solvent/lubricant/penetrant. Whatever you use, tap the cover after application to set up vibrations to assist the penetration.

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #7
ukelelejack Jacky Franklin Elmwood, TN, USA Sign in to contact 1972 Ford F-250 "The Hulk" 1977 MG MGB "JESSE"	Mar 1, 2015 01:26 PM Joined 10 years ago 272 Posts

I might shy away from acetone myself, very special solvent, acetone is..gives paint pure hell.
Use more patience....and blaster (PB) and take that block of wood you have and set up those vibrations.
You must allow the chemicals time to creep into the seams...they will. you can also use SOME heat to get thermal shift and break up
the oxide matrix and assist that creep. This in my short time here is one of those things, like pulling steering wheels, where the best
friend you have is a cool head...ukelelejack

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #8
tomkatb Larry Baygents Dayton, Ohio, USA Sign in to contact 1963 MG MGB	Mar 1, 2015 01:32 PM Joined 19 years ago 6,502 Posts

This is the advantage of using lots of goop on the gasket.

Try using a paint scraper to pry a bit. Be careful with the double nut trick on the studs. They can break and it is not a good deal. No Godzilla effort here. Patience and finesse.

Patience and one of the PBlaster products.

AutoZone had a replacement Felpro gasket for my 63. No goop. A forever gasket.

The typical cork gasket normally sold requires only inch pounds of torque on the bolts. Use a 1/4" drive wrench and minimal torque.

L.W.(Larry)Baygents
63B
77 Spit

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #9
Recently Bitten Dennis Stewart Rochelle, IL, USA Sign in to contact 1968 MG MGB "Aunt B"	Mar 1, 2015 01:38 PM Joined 12 years ago 388 Posts

This worked for me....Good luck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Fn8SQdaCsKc

Dennis Stewart
Rochelle, Il

If you want to hear God laugh, Tell Him your PLANS!!

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #10
biglawndog Scott Thomas Coconut Creek, FL, USA Sign in to contact 1979 MG MGB	Mar 1, 2015 01:47 PM Joined 17 years ago 378 Posts

If you try to remove the studs and they do rotate then the housing should be freed. Be very careful if you go this route, you don't want to break them. Personally I'd try all other methods mentioned first. Risk/Reward. Patience is a virtue.

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #11
ErnieY Ernie Y Albatera, Alicante, Spain Sign in to contact 1976 MG MGB GT	Mar 1, 2015 02:03 PM Top Contributor Joined 12 years ago 19,528 Posts

If the cover is that stuck to the studs that it won't even move then no way are you going to double nut the studs out and all you'll do if you try is strip the threads or shear them level with the housing.

One of the most important things in this scenario is to preserve the studs because when it's got that bad it's unlikely that you'll get them out of the block even when the cover is off.

Goop on the gasket will not prevent this problem, what will help stave it off is a generous lathering of copper grease on assembly but the real secret to preventing it is regular removal of the cover.

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #12
dipstick Kenny Snyder (RIP) La Center, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1941 Ford N-Series 1958 MG MGA 1500 Coupe "Rosie" 1970 MG MGB GT "Pat's GT" 1971 MG MGB "Gifted To Me" & more	Mar 1, 2015 02:41 PM Top Contributor Joined 15 years ago 7,564 Posts

Ernie said, "... what will help stave it off is a generous lathering of copper grease on assembly ..."

For reassembly coat the inside of the housing stud holes (Q-Tip?) and the studs with anti-seize.

Be safe out there.
Kenny

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #13
ErnieY Ernie Y Albatera, Alicante, Spain Sign in to contact 1976 MG MGB GT	Mar 1, 2015 03:18 PM Top Contributor Joined 12 years ago 19,528 Posts

That's what I meant Kenny winking smiley

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #14
dipstick Kenny Snyder (RIP) La Center, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1941 Ford N-Series 1958 MG MGA 1500 Coupe "Rosie" 1970 MG MGB GT "Pat's GT" 1971 MG MGB "Gifted To Me" & more	Mar 1, 2015 03:23 PM Top Contributor Joined 15 years ago 7,564 Posts

Ernie said, "That's what I meant Kenny."

I knew that. On the west coast if you ask for "copper grease" folks look at you funny. thumbs up

Be safe out there.
Kenny

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Re: How do I get the thermostat housing off? #15
klandtet Travis T Houston, TX, USA Sign in to contact 1972 MG MGB	Topic Creator (OP) Mar 1, 2015 04:09 PM Joined 10 years ago 71 Posts

Thanks guys, going to keep tapping with a hammer and wood block and applying rust buster. No hurry here,will go out and look for PB blaster too. The front left stud is rusted to the housing for sure.

Travis
'72 MGB

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