Lonestar JR

Well, I'm at the point of replacing the thermostat...housing is off, O-ring is out, and ....$&*^%$#@, the thing won't come out!! Tried a small screwdriver to pry on the bracket..even tried the needlenose pliers as one post suggested. Tapped it with a wooden block...wouldn't budge. Then got the mother of all tools (MOAT),...Vise Grips!! Broke off the bracket, (I think I heard a snicker from deep inside the beast). Many more parts come off this thing and they're going to wind up down inside the bowels of the shark. Any advice before I call in an air strike? I do notice a thin layer of what appears to be coolant residue where the O-ring seated. And yes, I do plan to replace the seal behind it, if I'm deemed so priveleged!

Cobey

Been there. First I didn't realize the outer o-ring was even there. Then had to take a screw driver and hammer to the brcket edge and do some tapping as if to rotate the thermostat out. That finally got it to break free.

KBlair

If possible, remove the whole water block THEN get the T-stat out on the bench. Less chance of parts falling down in the works....

Scott G

JR,

I just finished this job myself. I had no problem removing the thermostat. The seal behind it was another story. It crumbled when I tried to pull it out. I ended up using a circlip removal tool to bend it away from the housing (toward the seal's center) until I could grab it and pull it out. I did this with the housing on the car so I carefully blocked the coolant passageways with shop rags. Before removing the rags, I thoroughly vacuumed up the debris.

I had intended to remove the thermostat housing so I could replace the seals but I couldn't get one of the 4 bolts out. If you plan to do this, try to loosen those bolts before you get too far into it. The back right bolt (looking from front) is hard to get an allen onto because the plenum gets in the way.

Let us know how it turns out.

John Struthers

L*,
I've heard that if you take the coolant reservior cap off you won't have a cool down vacuum draw on the system...give it a try.
On the other hand, if the Hoses are still connected, and the radiator cap still on. Try squeezing both hoses and utilize the wonders of not so new HYDRAULICS as a work aid. Not sure if it will work but give it a try.

Lonestar JR

Thanks for all the advice! I was able to get the T-stat out by using a small screwdriver size pry bar, placed against the side housing (not the flange). The seal behind it had deteriorated, and getting IT out proved another challenge. It does help to know that there is a metal ring beneath the rubber and it can be grasped with Vise Grips, as has been noted elsewhere.