DC_ Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Ok so having decided to do a thermostat change I got to it yesterday. Two bolts came off with no problems and one had to go shear on me 🙄🙄🙄 so after soaking it over night in plus gas, went out again today. Still no joy..... the mates have said use a stilson tool on them which I don’t have, so I tried mole grips. Any thoughts? I’m scared to drill as it’s alloy and I might ruin the housing. I got snowed off today......as well 🙄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 (edited) I would guess heat is an option and then a couple of sharp taps with the hammer on the housing.... other than that grind some flat surfaces on the bolt and use a socket or spanner. In fact i'd do both. Edited December 29, 2017 by Mutley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 A bit of heat and a decent set of mole grips, grind a couple of subtle flats and clamp the mole grips onto it as physically hard as you can get them, then just work the bolt back n forth, try grip as close to the housing as possible, work it slowly, I might have got a spare one of those housings actually kicking about too, will see if I can look it out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 I think when I broke the same one I ground it flat, drilled it out (a tad oversize?) and attached it with a nut and bolt... not exactly OE but hey, who's counting rivets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Get a nut that's *just* big enough to fit over the protruding sheared-bit, and force it down until it's flush against the top of the alloy housing. Then use your favourite welder [MIG or stick] to weld all round the top of the nut so joining it to the sheared bolt. Then while it's still nice-and-red-hot from the welding get a lump-hammer and whack the top-end of the broken bolt *HARD* a few times. When it's cool-enough-to-touch put a spanner on the nut and unscrew... The heat from the welder will have an expanding/loosening effect - also hitting it with the lump-hammer will microscopically drive the bolt _down_ in its thread, in the opposite direction to the years of tension it's been applying when it still had its head, so helping to fracture the corrosion-bond. There's always a risk that some of the thread-into-the-alloy will come out along with the bolt. In which case drill/tap the hole to the next-size-up, and make up a stepped-stud. . . . that's what I had to do on the WWII-era Allis-Chalmers crawler tractor I was working on on Christmas Eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 Thanks guys, flat surface on the bolt it is when I get a chance. I didn’t want to apply too much heat on the alloy?? I’ve tried a few sharp taps with hammer too.... I’ll keep at it. Thanks for having a look for a spare housing Maverick. Much appreciated. Hopefully more news tomorrow if if only I had a welder, great idea though. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 if the thread is trashed in the alloy housing, just drill out & fit the correct thread insert [helicoli] instead of messing about trying to make a steeped stud or bolt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Remember ali expands more than steel so heat is def your friend, warm the aluminium, and grip it, and try turning to and fro to loosen, what Maverik said - and be patient -it will probably come eventually. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 Roger that !! 👍🔥 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan bomber Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Yes, heat the ali housing, not the steel bolt remains. If it goes really badly i could repair the hole at work, but the stat housing will have to come off the head, meaning there is a risk of more broken bolts.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lo-fi Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 I've used the method Tanuki describes many times with great success. The other option, which I've not tried myself, is chemical: A bit of patience required, but it looks quite effective! I swear by a little Loctite low strength lock and seal (243, I think) on bolts near to coolant. Certainly seems to save future headaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 I agree with Tanuki, if you follow that description I am very confident that it will work. It is a stroke of luck that it sheared off at the top. My 110 has a bad habbit of favouring studs to be sheared off at the base flush with piece they are screwed into Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted December 31, 2017 Author Share Posted December 31, 2017 Ok patients today and hopefully I’ll have good news. Storm Dillon interrupted this mornings proceedings ..... 825DCD39-5FA4-47E3-89CF-2B715A1D0121.MOV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted December 31, 2017 Author Share Posted December 31, 2017 Happy new year when it comes lads......🍺🍺 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 Satisfying result - you can enjoy the new year now! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted December 31, 2017 Author Share Posted December 31, 2017 Took about 3-4 hours, my blow torch was also playing up (new year purchase coming I think) it was also soaking in plus gas for a few days. The heat carefully aimed at the housing I think did the job. Like advised I worked back and forth then many cups of tea..... oh oh by the way!! The advice on another thread about heat from the fan inside the cab turned out to be spot on !! The thermostat was jammed open 👍😊🔥😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 Good job on the outside and a result on the inside. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 Steady on, 2 results in one day, don't use all your luck up, glad it all worked out. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 When rebuilding if you replace the studs with stainless bolts, it makes life a lot easier the next time around...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I run a tap through the threads then a die over the bolt if I am reusing it to make sure it is clean, reassemble with a touch of copper grease (unless it is a bolt to be thread locked inplace) then use a torque wrench set to the correct torque so that next time I don't have a fight - so far this has held up good for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 New bolts coming Wednesday with all gaskets, copper grease will be going on and torqued to 7-10nm. 👍 happy new new year to you all 🍺🍺 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Mmm just looking at your original pic, it looks like you have another half hole adjacent to that stud, as if the stud has been moved. If that is the case, once you have put the new stud in, I would fill the half hole with something to keep the water out, maybe silicon, just needs to be waterproof to stop future corrosion of threads. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 ME !! When I refit things like this, I use a thread sealant on the threads and copper grease on the shank. Thread sealant is SUPPOSED to stop the threads seizing and making It easier to remove the bolt/screw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 The small hole is 2mm deep. There’s Gona be sealant put on when it all goes back together with genuine gasket 😊👍 good eyes !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Nice one DC 👍 Mo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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