Thermostat Change

[soulman123]

Hey up all :)

Trying to help a friend change his stat on a 2004 1.8 petrol focus :p .. heres a pic of whats we are faced with:

http://tinyurl.com/bn8core

Now is it just a case of draining the system from the bottom of rad, removing that small/skinny top hose and undoing the three torx screws pull it away from the main housing, take out the stat, replace and doing it all back up ?

The ford parts guy said I should change the entire housing, at a cost of £139 vs the £18 for the stat and seal. He reckon it will not screw back together again due to the warping of the plastic of the stat housing cover which sounds about right but its a lot of money and I think its worth a shot without the entire kit. Poor design I guess.

What do you think about his thoughts ?

Also does my process sound about right to just change the stat ?

thanks

[stef123]

Sounds like have got it sorted mate, but I would just change the stat and seal. I have had to change a few before and never had a problem with the plastic warping although I have had to change housings due to them being warped...

[soulman123]

Thanks for the post stef, got the parts ordered just need to wait and pick it up at my local ford.

Hopefully I don't balls it all up lol. Lately me and car diy home diy pfft anything with diy has gone pear shaped hehe.

[stef123]

Thanks for the post stef, got the parts ordered just need to wait and pick it up at my local ford.

Hopefully I don't balls it all up lol. Lately me and car diy home diy pfft anything with diy has gone pear shaped hehe.

I'm sure you will be fine Dean.

I don't pull the bottom hose off where I can get away with it, I just pull the hose off the housing if I can get a tub or bucket in.

When tightening the 3? Securing screws for the housing just make sure you do them up progressively and evenly. If you have a torque wrench which goes low enough, use that too. Not sure what the setting is for yours though.

[Major Eazy]

I had my thermostat housing replaced by a Ford-approved garage, but still have leaks. I often believe that you have no control over the spare parts the garage pick. What I am doing now is getting the parts myself, I bought the housing from a website called Euro Car Parts for about £79 (when they were having an Easter sale, its normal price is £90.) when I got it, I can have a look at it for myself, see if I'm happy with it, then I plan to give it to an independent garage so they can charge me with labour.

[soulman123]

I'm sure you will be fine Dean.

I don't pull the bottom hose off where I can get away with it, I just pull the hose off the housing if I can get a tub or bucket in.

When tightening the 3? Securing screws for the housing just make sure you do them up progressively and evenly. If you have a torque wrench which goes low enough, use that too. Not sure what the setting is for yours though.

Cheers Stef, I was going to undo that draining screw on the back bottom of one of the sides of the rad and stick a 5 litre oil pan I have under to catch it. I think you can attach a hose control it. Although I think it might be simple to do what you say. Maybe undo that big hose on the front of the housing and wedge a container to catch it. Maybe that small hose on the front of the housing would be easier to aim into a coke bottle, I guess the coolant gushes out of that when removed too. Sadly and amusingly I watched a neighbour drive his car over a drain and undo his sump plug!!!! just popped in to my head.

I have a torque of 0-60 for things like this will look the value up in the Haynes probably 30 at a guess.

Hope its a dry weekend.

[soulman123]

I had my thermostat housing replaced by a Ford-approved garage, but still have leaks. I often believe that you have no control over the spare parts the garage pick. What I am doing now is getting the parts myself, I bought the housing from a website called Euro Car Parts for about £79 (when they were having an Easter sale, its normal price is £90.) when I got it, I can have a look at it for myself, see if I'm happy with it, then I plan to give it to an independent garage so they can charge me with labour.

sounds like a good plan major,

sometimes garages use crap sadly, best to find a good garage maybe a recommended independent or a ford specialist and that way you can be sure well usually they do it right. I think all you should pay is a hours labour and coolant costs if its reknewed.

or you could maybe have a good at a diy if you have the time and weather and a few basic tools. If not best left to the garage. Words I should try remembering when I bote off jobs on the car that are crazy to do you the floor like rear trailing arm bushes lol

[Major Eazy]

sounds like a good plan major,

sometimes garages use crap sadly, best to find a good garage maybe a recommended independent or a ford specialist and that way you can be sure well usually they do it right. I think all you should pay is a hours labour and coolant costs if its reknewed.

or you could maybe have a good at a diy if you have the time and weather and a few basic tools. If not best left to the garage. Words I should try remembering when I bote off jobs on the car that are crazy to do you the floor like rear trailing arm bushes lol

I used a Ford specialist garage, they replaced the housing, and it's still leaking, so it's not really much different if you use independent or Ford specialist garage, just because it is a garage approved by the car maker, it makes no different, either way, you still get either doggy parts and bad work, or you get good parts and really good workmanship, with either independent or Ford-approved garages.

Best to assume all garages as questionable until you are dead sure a garage you know is known and provided to be trustworthy.

Getting my own parts may cost a little more, but I can check out the parts for myself, if I feel it's rubbish, I return it to shop, if I feel it's good, I keep it. All that is left for me to worry about is making sure of the garage, as I don't have the time, experience, rescouces, etc.