thermostat housing

Hi All, This tuesday I tried to replace my thermostat and failed due to the bolts having a fine thread. I managed to fit the top two in but not the bottom one so I dicided to remove the housing and start again but then I couldn't get the bolt in altogether so I left it alone. I have now thought is it possible to screw in the bolts without the gasket fluid in place then, when their is a small gap between the housing & outer cover I will then squeeze the gasket sealent through the gap all the way round even pushing it in by usiung a feeler gauge or my fingers then tighten up the bolts do you think it would work? The last resort would be to ask my nissan specialist but for £48.00per hr for that tiny item it may not be worth it. One other thing I noticed when removing a hose that was close to where I was working was full of sludge which may have been part of the original problem with the engine. When I have finished flushing the system out I'll give you a report on my use of STEEL SEAL for my head gasket problem as if you read online this is another way of dealing with a blown head gasket, creaked or twisted head instead of replacing it altogether & costing a lot of cash.

Yeowart 0003
 

LiamC

I've ruined my car ?
Hi All, This tuesday I tried to replace my thermostat and failed due to the bolts having a fine thread. I managed to fit the top two in but not the bottom one so I dicided to remove the housing and start again but then I couldn't get the bolt in altogether so I left it alone. I have now thought is it possible to screw in the bolts without the gasket fluid in place then, when their is a small gap between the housing & outer cover I will then squeeze the gasket sealent through the gap all the way round even pushing it in by usiung a feeler gauge or my fingers then tighten up the bolts do you think it would work? The last resort would be to ask my nissan specialist but for £48.00per hr for that tiny item it may not be worth it. One other thing I noticed when removing a hose that was close to where I was working was full of sludge which may have been part of the original problem with the engine. When I have finished flushing the system out I'll give you a report on my use of STEEL SEAL for my head gasket problem as if you read online this is another way of dealing with a blown head gasket, creaked or twisted head instead of replacing it altogether & costing a lot of cash.

Yeowart 0003

No you have to take it off and clean the faces and use gasket of some sort, liquid or a proper one. It's very easy access too. Have you stripped a thread for the bottom bolt?

Once again, that head gasket sealer is not permanent. It's there to get you home from a garage or whatever. You need to have the head gasket done professionally, and possibly a head skim, or get a new engine altogether.

"It just looks like a scrotum" - Jeremy Clarkson on the K12
 
No you have to take it off and clean the faces and use gasket of some sort, liquid or a proper one. It's very easy access too. Have you stripped a thread for the bottom bolt?

Once again, that head gasket sealer is not permanent. It's there to get you home from a garage or whatever. You need to have the head gasket done professionally, and possibly a head skim, or get a new engine altogether.

"It just looks like a scrotum" - Jeremy Clarkson on the K12
Hi LiamC, No I have not stripped the thread, beacuse when I have stored the bolts in each of the holes without the top cover. As I was talking to a neighbour about my cars problems I mentioned the Steel Seal and found out that his car has that treatment do to it and that was some 20,000 mile about 2 years ago, and he has a ex-army landrover which meant using 3bottles, you may not believe it.
Peter0003
 

LiamC

I've ruined my car ?
Hi LiamC, No I have not stripped the thread, beacuse when I have stored the bolts in each of the holes without the top cover. As I was talking to a neighbour about my cars problems I mentioned the Steel Seal and found out that his car has that treatment do to it and that was some 20,000 mile about 2 years ago, and he has a ex-army landrover which meant using 3bottles, you may not believe it.
Peter0003
If you haven't stripped the thread then what is the problem taking off the housing and doing it properly? It needs a bead of sealant all the way around in the little groove that is on the face of it, and it needs to be 100% clean. If you're going to try and push it in from the outside you're not going to get a proper seal, it will get oxide and crap into it and you will somehow manage to boil your engine again and warp the head or something. Do it right or don't do it at all, I've said what I think if head gasket seal, it's there to buy in a garage to get you 50 miles home or whatever. After that, you take your car to someone who knows what they're doing and get it repaired

"It just looks like a scrotum" - Jeremy Clarkson on the K12
 
In my experience head gaskets sealer always cost more money in the long run... if financial constraints mean a sealer is the best option at the time then sure but just be aware that down the line when all the gunge need a to be removed (and it will as mentioned above the sealer is temporary) it will cost way more than doing it properly in the first place. Nissan Micra head gaskets are a piece of cake to swap... hell, even buying and fitting a new engine is not extortionate...

From my own personal experience of customers that say "it' been fine for 15 thousand miles" often exaggerate and when looking at receipts of broken cars we bought to fix and sell it turns out it's only been a few k in mileage but many months... people also use head gasket sealers because they have a lot of condensation in the morning out of the exhaust and think it's burning coolant... in that situation they think the sealer works because the car doesn't break down...

You've been posting a lot about this issue, be careful and be studious in the long run not the short term that's my two pence
 
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