have the new parts but am still trying to decide should i have a beer for courage before attempting replacing the thermostat

im not exactly a spanner expert and the bottom bolt has a bit of a reputation in the forums ive read

anyway...main question is will i loose much coolant if i dont drain the system first and can i just top up with water or do i have to use g12

read one blog that said u wouldnt loose too much if changeover was quick enough but i dont want to be rushing the job cause no doubt ill mess up something

on a side note i got a new oil pick up so hopefully do that job on monday...read about using 5w 30 or 10w 40...does it make much difference!?

thanks in advance

It depends how much you lose really. It can be very awkward to be quick in this situation, so a bottle of G12 mixed to the right mixture will be handy to have.

Have you got a decent 1/4 drive sockets with extension bars? I ended up using about 10" worth with universal joint and allen end. It was fiddly.

It depends how much you lose really. It can be very awkward to be quick in this situation, so a bottle of G12 mixed to the right mixture will be handy to have.

Have you got a decent 1/4 drive sockets with extension bars? I ended up using about 10" worth with universal joint and allen end. It was fiddly.

have the socket set allright with i think enough extensions but not sure of the knuckle joint or allen end.

found a good guide

but id imagine this guy has just a tad more experience then me hence why it sounds so easy. might wait till i get into halfords as have to get some sump sealant anyway for the oil pick up replacement...dont want to end up with bits of car lying round coolant soaked drive in the dark either :no:

With the right tools, its easier. Best to get those before you start.

With the right tools, its easier. Best to get those before you start.

have the extensions and the knuckle joint. where do u need the Allen key. I thought it was just sockets

Its an allen bolt top and bottom of the housing.

You need an allen socket.

Edited 30 April, 201115 yr by Liverpool-Lad

Its an allen bolt top and bottom of the housing.

You need an allen socket.

ok..think i can manage that and halfords open tomorrow so will get coolant then

thanks

Use G12...

ok..think i can manage that and halfords open tomorrow so will get coolant then

thanks

Actually it is allen bolt but you can use a 13mm socket as well as it is effectively a 13mm bolt with allen insert.

See 7th pic down in the link you posted.

Also i find it easier to remove alternator and push it upwards out the way, as not a lot of space in there to see and get to lower bolt. You can do it without but be careful of the wiring to alternator.

see pic 11 to see how close the extension and knuckle socket is to wiring.

Thats definitely the reason why i used 1/4 inch stuff (bought 2 long extension bars)

changed over the thermostat yesterday with new o ring but have sprung a leak. gonna take off the housing to check the o ring aint pinched or see its sitting ok but wanted to check if its ok to put some sealant on the housing before putting back on

just when i thought i was on a winner :'(

changed over the thermostat yesterday with new o ring but have sprung a leak. gonna take off the housing to check the o ring aint pinched or see its sitting ok but wanted to check if its ok to put some sealant on the housing before putting back on

just when i thought i was on a winner :'(

You should not need to put sealant on the t'stat. The rubber seal should compress between the t'stat and give good seal. Make sure surrounding areas are clean and flat, as crud can cause uneven seal. It would not hurt to use a sealant if really needed.

Make sure it is the correct sized O-ring.

When mine was changed a few months ago it turned out the one packaged - and it was an original unopened genuine VAG part - was slightly too large.

Luckily the old one was still servicable.

took the thermostat out again and found a small corroded looking bit where it meets the block at the top. corresponding part of t'stat looked the same. tried without sealant but same leak so have used small amount of seal on the o ring and on the housing..hope im on the right track cause its all trial an error

did see the exact same problem another guy had and his was ok after using sealant so fingers crossed

Make sure it is the correct sized O-ring.

When mine was changed a few months ago it turned out the one packaged - and it was an original unopened genuine VAG part - was slightly too large.

Luckily the old one was still servicable.

looks the same...got parts @ local vw so they should be on the ball. the old o-ring has a small piece out of it in the same place as i mentioned the other corrosion above. was gonna try it before i saw that

been running for 5-10 mins with heat on and no leak...off to the shed in work to do the oil pick up now. might aswel keep going while im doing so well...yeah right

few bottles of G40 in the boot!

thanks for all the help guys n girls. couldnt do it without

Edited 2 May, 201115 yr by huwants2no