Replacing thermostat what a nightmare!!

[mill5y]

So, anyone replaced the stat on their 1.8 t?? I'v done it twice today! And, it's still leaking!!
I should of enrolled the help of a child because there's no way of me easily getting my hands in!! The o ring felt right when fitting turns out it wasn't!! Now absolutly freezing and nearly out of anti-freeze I'm waiting until tomorrow now nip to motor factors and use a small bead of gasket sealer to hold o ring and seal the housing.
The housing didn't have a gasket was it supposed to?
What a nightmare!!

 

[traumapat]

stat onto block then o ring, then pipe/housing yeah? o ring should go between housing and block not stat and block.

 

[andycupra]

as said, your not specific in how you are fitting it, but it doesnt read right to me...

access certainly is an issue, but fitment shouldnt be.

 

[mill5y]

Yep stat, o ring housing... Iv had it done twice! It bolts up fine feels good and upon re filling and squeezing top pipe can hear it blowing and upon starting it drips out.
Going to run a small bead of sealent round the housing to hold the o ring as i think on tightening the housing is moving slightly and not seating the o ring correctly. Although when i remove the o ring is sat up against the stat nicely. Puzzled!

 

[traumapat]

strange. cracked housing? new o ring?

 

[mill5y]

It was fine before, it's a new o ring. I'v not over tightened so pretty sure its not cracked. I'l double check it tommorrow morning but i'm pretty confident. Part was from gsf and was sourced through my number plate. Looks the same, 87deg, surely cnt be wrong part!!!

 

[traumapat]

only other thought... stat right way round?

 

[mill5y]

And that i am sure of lol
The fiddlyness of it is the worst part, what a place to put it!!

 

[traumapat]

Never easy is it. We have a passat tdi too and did both cars along with new temp senders. Whilst the tdi is alot easier stat wise the sender was a harder job than on the leon.

Hopefully its something obvious

 

[Jason-R]

Had mine done at the garage last week. Had a look at the location and didn't fancy doing it myself. Maybe admit defeat and let them do it? Just a thought!

 

[mill5y]

Not an option now i'm afraid, it's sat on my drive half in bits, needed for work tomorrow night! I'l sort it

 

[BEEFYGTI]

I had a nightmare too. I ended up taking it to a garage. I gave up too fiddly for me

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jason-R]

As said stat housing is quite weak and cracks easily so might be worth changing that to be sure. Housing was less than a fiver from ECP. Good luck

 

[mill5y]

Least it looks nice,
Wife's sat with legs crossed tonight, got a baby due in feb and car is out of action! I fixed the split breather, and on the test run after first attempt of replacing stat it felt a lot better driving up road. Warmed upto 90 sat at temp just fine. Just this buggery leak

 

[IanS]

Hi can you tell me how much a garage would charge to change thermostat? Looks like a couple of hours labour Thanks

 

[LEE69]

A stat can be changed in 30 minutes easily, you need the right sized tools for the job due to the cramped space.

http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?p=16925102

 

[mill5y]

Sorted!! And it takes about 10mins when you'v done it a few times!!! Definatly need the 3/8 flexi knuckle attachment!
No leaks and temp sat nicely at 90deg

My bottom hose isnt getting hot tho? I'v been squeezing both top and bottom hoses with cap on amd cap off. Heaters on full blast, heaters off. Ticking over fine with cap on and off, been for a run its held its temp.... Im pretty sure the bottom hose (that goes to thermotat) should get hot???

 

[LEE69]

Mine doesn't the bottom hose is the return to the block so will be cooler, stop worrying

 

[mill5y]

Thank god! An calibra i once had didnt heat its bottom hose, it ended in a busy roundbout traffic and great load of steam after pipe bursting!

Ahhhhh big sigh of releif.

 

[andycupra]

Sorted!! And it takes about 10mins when you'v done it a few times!!! Definatly need the 3/8 flexi knuckle attachment!
No leaks and temp sat nicely at 90deg

My bottom hose isnt getting hot tho? I'v been squeezing both top and bottom hoses with cap on amd cap off. Heaters on full blast, heaters off. Ticking over fine with cap on and off, been for a run its held its temp.... Im pretty sure the bottom hose (that goes to thermotat) should get hot???

not straight away...
and then after being up to temp it wont be as hot as it coming off the rad which has the job of cooling, not to mention the coolant might not be circulating much if the engine isnt too hot.