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SV6 3.6 Thermostat Replacement

markovr

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I will never buy a VZ for the above reasons. transverse originally or not, it should not cost $1200 (which my daughter paid) to change a thermostat on any car but specially on a car which trades on its reputation as "the AUSSIE car" back o' Bourke or the Black Stump and your thermostat fails. What do you do? Call for NRMA roadside assistance, tell them where you are and listen to the chorus of laughter from the phone. I doubt you would even get a tow from out there. I can, even in my feeble state, can change my VT thermostat in around 15 minutes. What were our favourite car makers thinking when they foisted this alloytec cr@p on us? I know my daughter was seen coming but I am seeing prices from $8-900 and up for this job. P!ssed is short of what I feel for my girl. She is very angry as well but her car is the family taxi so she had to get the job done. Thanks very much to the 3 or 4 workshops who quoted similar prices in and around Campbelltown NSW. Could you all be called Highwaymen?

Trouble is very labour intensive job....parts cost not so bad especially if you only go factory on parts that arent excessively expensive. I could have used a paper gasket from bursons on the thermostat housing and reused the housing and old or installed a aftermarket thermostat and aftermarket o rings and got out of it around 70 dollars but I bought the factory housing complete with new thermostat and factory 3 o rings and it was about 100 more....thing is its taken 11 years and 180k to let go and never been touched before that ...not really that bad.
 

scaredyet

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I'm about to tackle this job this Monday and change the water pump as well while I'm at it should I change the radiator hoses as well, I have the serpentine belt as well.

What else should I do, metal gasket for the manifold, screw type clamps on the hoses etc
 

scaredyet

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I just purchased a genuine thermostat for $62.40 from Holden and my mechanic is going to install it for $180 including coolent
 

greenacc

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Consider doing spark plugs if they are due soon while the manifold is off.
 

scaredyet

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Consider doing spark plugs if they are due soon while the manifold is off.
I have already done this a couple of months ago as I had a stuttering problem.
 

scaredyet

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Ok guys I just changed the thermostat and new o-rings, water pump, inlet manifold gasket, metal manifold gasket, both O2 sensors, serpentine belt, upper and lower radiator hoses and coolant for $250 I purchased all the parts myself and got my mechanic to do the job. 2005 V6 VZ Lumina Wagon.
 

Hot Orange SV6 Ute

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Make sure to make sure the thermostat actually works before putting it in.I just rebuilt my engine while i had the engine out replaced the thermostat as i didn"t ever now how it could be changed. The problem that i am having is it not working it wont open to let the coolant through. Trident brand thermostat. So pissed that i have to pull it out.not to mention if there is damage to my new engine if so they will pay
 

Fu Manchu

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They won't pay
 

Fu Manchu

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This is something we maybe encountering on our VE.
this thread is equally helpful for the VE. However the VE is even harder because the motor sits closer to the firewall.

I think if you could make a frame over the engine bay that allowed you to lay over it, it would make this time consuming job a bit easier, or if anything, more comfortable.

Mission Impossible
 

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greenacc

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Frame you say, might not be too hard to do, lay a timber beam across the strut tops, attach 2 joists from that cross bar extending over the front of the car and make 2 legs to the ground in front of the headlights with another cross beam between the legs. Lay some 12mm ply over that frame and giddee up!
A 2 legged work bench if you like :)
 
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