Thermostat Housing - How Tight?

[jason7579 5]

I'm going to be doing a coolant flush this weekend and put a new thermostat in. What torque settings should be used for the 2 nuts on the thermostat housing?

 

I've had a look at the Haynes book but I'm not sure which bit is for the housing nuts...

 

Torque wrench settings Nm lbf ft

Coolant pump attachments:

XV, XW, and XY series engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 10

XU series engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 11

TU series engines:

Housing inlet elbow (aluminium block engines) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 6

Housing bolts (aluminium block engines):

Small bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 22

Large bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 37

Coolant pump bolts (cast-iron block engines): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 11

 

I would just tighten them up FT but the last time I did a thermostat on my old GTI I ended up snapping the nut off and had to temp make do with only 1 securing it.

 

Thanks

[mickie 3]

can you not tell when something is tight ? or do you use a breaker bar ?

 

all i do with daft things like this is go so far with the ratchet, if it leaks, tighten a little more

[jason7579 5]

I've always been the type of person that says 'a little tighter, bit more, another half turn' SNAP 'whoops'

 

And as I said I've broken it before so I'm a bit cautious this time. I've also broken a few battery clamps and other stuff with my heavy handidness. I've got a couple of decent torque wrenches so why not use them?

 

if I can't find the answer then I'll do as you say and tighten it so much then check for leaks and tighten a bit more if needed.

Edited August 23, 2009 by jason7579

[ORB 227 1 Cars]

To be honest, I very rarely use torque settings. Thinks like this need the old 'Tight and a nip' technique.

[philfingers 5]

I think the answer is housing inlet elbow

[jason7579 5]

Thanks, will be getting it done this week - hopefully get my overheating problem sorted.

[Eunosfield 0]

Searched... Read.... Torqued to 86NM.... Snapped the stud.

I think I'll go with the nip shut until it doesn't leak method in future :-(

Looks like I have some drilling to do!!!

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

Searched... Read.... Torqued to 86NM.... Snapped the stud.

I think I'll go with the nip shut until it doesn't leak method in future :-(

Looks like I have some drilling to do!!!

 

 

its got to be a typo! Wheel bolts are around that torque figure. More like 8NM.

[KRISKARRERA 2 1 Cars]

Oops I think I slightly over did mine. Might take it off, replace the seals and do it up again.

[Masekwm 2]

its got to be a typo! Wheel bolts are around that torque figure. More like 8NM.

 

8 Nm, 6 lbf ft

[hexhamstu 9]

[Eunosfield 0]

Thats what you get for working on the car at 3am after trying to sort electrical problems all day!

Misread and made myself more issues!

No sweat though I got some sleep and extracted the broken bolt and have tightened the thermostat back down.

Unfortunately in all my flushing and dismantling I seem to now have a bottom rad hose leak, and apparently it's a pug only part.

I despise paying £20 odd quid for a bit of pipe but looks like the only way to go.

Although at least my thermostat works now

Edited June 1, 2010 by Eunosfield

[welshpug 1,626]

bottom rad hoses are about £8 or less?

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

Bottom rad hoses are made aftermarket by Gates and can be bought from any decent motor factor for less than £10.

[Eunosfield 0]

Cheers guys I'll try some other motorfactors.

I had a ring around but no-one around Birmingham seemed to have one in stock when I needed it, they all said it would be a Peugeot only part

The local pug dealer wanted £20 out of me so I told him to jog on and modified the pipe for a temporary fix.

I'll have to try and find another one now I'm back down in London!