Thermostat replacement alloytec

[rambunctious]

Has anyone had success replacing the thermostat and or thermostat housing by working over the engine with the upper manifold/plenum removed.
I have read posts on it and it seems it is doable all beit with the aid of a mirror.

Looks like I have to do mine.

 

[Fu Manchu]

It’s easier to remove the gearbox.

Having said that, on a VE, doing this is actually easier because once the cowling is removed, there’s more room than on a VZ. At first it will look like VZ has more room.

Doing this is ridiculously hard. Allow for a few days because you might get Jack of it and need a rest. There are videos showing it being done. Doing the job and not getting a leak will be the challenge so you might be doing the job again. Plan for that so the hurt won’t be so bad. Plan for the worst and hope for the best is the very best mantra for the job.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Like building a ship in a bottle.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Have something to stop the firewall insulation from getting damaged too. That stuff can be messy once it’s damaged.

 

[Grimes]

I did the heater pipe o rings on the thermostat housing working over the engine with the upper manifold removed. Patience, swear a lot, walk away for a while….I’m not so sure I’d try doing the thermostat like that. Cleaning the gasket face would be difficult. I’d drop the box and be done with it.

 

[rambunctious]

Thanks for the replies but I don't have to do it now.
It was the ute I had and the neighbour wanted to buy it right or wrong so he bought it from me but found the leak from rear and also from water pump that I was dubious about but had not had the time to thoroughly investigate, so he took it to his mechanic and said fix it.
He gets it back today so be interesting to find out how much he was shafted for.

 

[Fu Manchu]

$700 is my guess in the what did it cost bingo.

 

[Grimes]

The leak at the back could be the o rings at the front stem. They leak down the valley and trickle down the back of the block if let go too far. They’d also be the water pump leak.

 

[rambunctious]

The leak at the back could be the o rings at the front stem. They leak down the valley and trickle down the back of the block if let go too far. They’d also be the water pump leak.

Yes, I was thinking the same but I was not given the chance to investigate before he told the mechanic to go ahead.
Car will be back today so I will let you all know how much the stitch up was.

 

[rambunctious]

The car is back, with the engine, which I had very clean, looking like a dogs breakfast, grubby grubby grubby, no such thing as clean it with these people.
Costs as follows
Replace water pump and thermostat
Water pump $ 120
Coolant $ 45
Thermostat $ 130
Inlet Gasket $30 whatever that is
Valley Gasket $170 ??? I assume plenum/upper manifold available at Zupps for $87 retail and a good amount less that that on my Bursons account
Labour $600
RWC $90 (safety certificate) not called RWC in over 20 years in Qld
Total excluding Safety Cert $1100
Parts prices wayyyy over the top

Note to self
Continue to do my own repairs no matter how much pain