SKooT1027

Well Im trying to replace my Tstat.. and i cant get the damn snap ring to move. Im lucky when i can get a pair of pliars in there, but the position is so that I cant get nearly enough force. Does anyone have any other recommendations on how to get this POS out?

also.. coolant is dripping from my tstat area.. i drained it from the blue plug alreayd but only about 1 1/2 gal came out.. so i dunno how to get the rest out.. please help! I need to get this done tonight.. and ideally before it gets dark out!

Macfreak007

Stop! get out the phone book now, and call and find some of those 90ish degree angled needle nose pliers.
I found mine at home depot, also get a file and file down the ends some so that they slide onto the snap ring very easily. Then the process is just trying to budge one side, after that you can just work the snap ring around until it pops right out.
This was cake for me, and now that I have done it about 10 times, I am get a thermostat installed in about 10 min, includes in and out time!
thats pretty good for a job that used to be a real pain!!!

pearldrum944

My dad had a pair of snap ring pliers where you could change the ends, but we didn't have the ends we needed to fit in the tstat snap ring. So he modified a couple of welding rods real quick to fit in the pliers and the holes. Worked great, but yes...you need long 90ed snap ring ends.

SKooT1027

is 90 degree better then like 45? im working w those and getting no where. im about to just take a hammer to it and break the thing out

pearldrum944

What we used kind of looked like this...

toomanylemons

ive been successful with the short needlenose pliers with a 90 degree angle several times. i'm sure the larger ones could make it easier. pull one end of the snap ring in towards the middle then slightly pull it out. if you get just a little bit out of the groove, you can work the rest of it out.

just remember to be patient
best of luck.

SKooT1027

see my pliars will fit in.. i just cant get the leverage to push it together. Theres some belt and roller right in my way (im going at it from under the car).. but i dont know what it is or what to do with it or i would remove it.

also.. where is the other point to drain the rest of the coolant from? i found the blue plug, and i took off the lower rad hose where it meets the waterpump.. but there is still coolant dripping from both the thermostat area and the blue plug area which makes this job that much more annoying

SKooT1027

ugh alright im right about at the **** it point. i think im just going to throw new coolant in and hope that the problem was that and not the tstat.

Does anyone know where I need to look to drain the rest of the coolant

pearldrum944

When we did it, we held the tstat at an angle for a moment, coolant ran out from behind it.

porschefig

you can drain straight from the bottom driver's side of the radiator

black944 turbo

I couldn't get mine out, so I broke the t stat out and then was able to get the snap ring out with out damaging the pump. Not the best method but I had no choice as I was in the same situation you are in. 5+hrs under the car and nothing but a headache and the snap ring was in upside down. Everyone gave me different methods but noting worked. PM me if it comes down to this. Good luck.

SKooT1027

Okay.. well i decided just to refill my car w new coolant today. Heres the weird stuff:

It took less than 1 gallon of new fluid.. after draining closer to 2.
I tried to bleed the air out.. my cars temp guage hit the critical marker w/o any coolant flowing out of the bleeder. Any idea why my coolant isnt moving? im really starting to worry

SKooT1027

sorry i should have explained how i tried to vent. I basically went by the haines book:

Opened bleeder screw (car still slightly jacked up)
Filled reservour to maximum line
Closer reservour cap
Ran car w heat on full blast

...and nothing but a hot car.. i dont think the fans even on right now as i have it cooling down

pearldrum944

Is the coolant still at the same level in your tank?

SKooT1027

The coolant didnt budge. I put just under 1 gallon in.. which set it to the maximum line (which surprised me) and it hasnt moved. It's like something is blocking it 1/2 way