Thermostat change.

handy andy

handy andy

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Hi,
I have the usual temp gauge issues at the moment,coupled with poor economy.
So i took a trip down to TPS last week and picked up a coolant temperature sender.Then fitted it hoping that it would cure my problems...
It didn't,what it did do was stabilise the gauge.It now sits at around 80 and only rises above when driven hard!

So today i picked up the thermostat and some G12 to top up my coolant level.

Advise please....

Could someone confirm that the thermostat is in the top hose/plastic housing entering the block?
Also to bleed the air from the system after toping up to the mark...Run the engine with the expansion tank cap removed until upto temperature-90?

Thanks in advance.
Andy
 
Thanks.
I take it you've done yours?Anything i need to know about removing air from the system?
 
There's nothing to it mate - remove the -ve battery lead and pull the wire that's on the alternator, out of the way. I'd never done one before and it only took me about 30 minutes to do in total. Drain the coolant from the bottom right of the rad (as you look at the engine), change the stat, refill and let it burp a bit with the heaters on hot and the expansion cap off and then take it for a drive. Let it cool over night and then top it up and monitor over the next week or so :)
 
Run the car from cold till 90 with expansion cap off then once at 90 cap back on and drive :) and make sure u have a good flexi head type socket and a magnetic pick up for the bottom bolt

Tom
 
Thanks Guys.

I want to try and get this done tonight if possible.
 
Easy peasy dude, just make sure you've got reasonable lighting, it makes it tons easier if you're doing it in the dark...
 
yeah mate, i did mine a few weeks ago. as above, absolute doddle dont be scared to give it a shot!
 
I just want to avoid draining the full system,if possible.

In the garage,so lots of light.
 
Just had a quick look and WOW that bottom bolt on the plastic housing looks tight!!!!

Can it be done without removing the alternator or anything else???Any tips?

Great design that?!?!?!?
 
unless uv got a baby sized hand and arm with immense strength, i dont think so :) as for the bolt it came off pretty easily tbh.
 
You do NOT need to remove the alternator, just an extension and a 5mm allen socket
 
Did mine last weekend in the snow, don't be worried about draining the system, there not prone to air locks.

The lower bolt will come out but as said your need extensions and the flexi head on your socket. Mine was slipping alot as it was -4 outside and dark but once removed it didn't look at all rounded off. Magnetic probe is very useful, forgot mine and the lower bolt fell between the block and compressor, had to jack the car up and lie on a stella box in the snow + dark to get it :D

As welly said, lack of light makes its alot harder, its a case of look at what needs to be done and then feel as theres no room for your hands and arms.

J
 
i did one at work the other week on a "ary" 180 audi tt.
i was in one of those moods where i wasnt taking any crap.......
i took the inlet manifold off! didnt actually take very long either and i didnt have to struggle with anything!

but on feeling from the inside at the water pump impeller i found that loose on the water pump as well.
 
Last edited:
I did the bottom bolt first, let the coolant go when I did the top one, changed stat then topped it back up with G12. Simples
 
SiGainey said:
You do NOT need to remove the alternator, just an extension and a 5mm allen socket
Click to expand...

i did have to on mine, i have a full set of tools and i wouldnt have removed it unless i really, really have to: i like taking shortcuts whenever i can :-D
 
dany2k said:
i did have to on mine, i have a full set of tools and i wouldnt have removed it unless i really, really have to: i like taking shortcuts whenever i can :-D
Click to expand...

I normally undo the top bolt and slacken the lower, allows the alternator to pivot forward and gives much better access.
 
audi upgrades
good idea that welly. hopefully wont have to change it again in the lifetime of my ownership!
 
Thanks for all the advice guys...

I managed to get it done last night without doing anything with the alternator..Just a couple of extensions on the ratchet!
Once all back together,i let it run upto 90 on the guage then took it for a short run and back into the garage.

This morning topped the expansion bottle up.But not used it today yet.So i'll update when i've used it.

Thanks again for the help and advice lads much appreciated :yes:
 
Hi all, sorry to bring up an old thread but i just spent a good hour trying to remove the bottom bolt of the thermostat housing and i clearly dont have the right tool for the job! :p Can anyone point me in the direction of the right adapter/extension i should be using? i would really rather not remove the alternator if i can help it! Cheers
 
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I used a load of 1/4 inch extensions and one of them 1/4 inch flex joints which are included in pretty much every 1/4 inch socket set and obviously the correct socket, think you can use a Allen head on the stat housing bolts also, which can make life easier..
 
Thanks Sam, i ended up buying a good quality allen key set which helped hugely! Such a pain getting in that tight space! ...and now i have managed to acquire a coolant leak after i changed the thermostat :(
 
Thread revival, but the info here helped me. Now, for the more visually inclined among us:

20180216 171305


This is how I managed to undo the lower bolt :D
 
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I got my first glimpse of my thermostat position and bolts today when having a good look around at where my oil leak is coming from .. whaddda ***** lol
 
Done this, took alternator off as I didn't have the right tools to get to it without doing it, what a pain. New stat because car wouldn't reach temp unless idling in McDonalds.

However ALL of my coolant was rusty muddy brown.. So I drained it all and refilled with de-min water with the intention of flushing a few times before putting the good stuff back in, but even after about 15-20min of idling, the car reached 90 and sat there for 10 min but the bottom hose had no pressure and was cold to the touch?

HELP. LOL.
 
Could also be a large pocket of air got dislodged while driving. Make sure to check the fluid level again :)
 
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burp the bitch .. park on slope wait to cool fully .. open reservoir tank .. start and idle for 4 or 5 minutes .. shake car vigorously to dislodged any air .. all this with heater set to hottest and on slowest fan on obviously
 
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