Thermostat housing/bend

[Doug G]

This bit on my Mini Moke

seems to have 'corroded' and expanded quire a bit, which also expands the hose at the attachment.

I have a replacement ready for insertion, but HOW do I stop the corroding/expansion from reoccurring?

[grantourer]

HI Doug. One of the things we have in Anti-Freeze is a corrosion inhibitor, but you probably do not use Ant-Freeze.

[Doug G]

HI Doug. One of the things we have in Anti-Freeze is a corrosion inhibitor, but you probably do not use Ant-Freeze.

Strangely enough they seem to sell something like it.

Will check.

[Wally2]

Hi Doug,
You could try 'waterless' coolant, but it is expensive.
See other posts about it.
Chris

[Doug G]

Hi Doug,
You could try 'waterless' coolant, but it is expensive.
See other posts about it.
Chris

I saw that.

They haven't started selling it here.

What i can't fathom is why the aluminum corrodes to such an extent at that point.

[Tim]

I can't vouch for it, but I've heard a theory that the thermostat housing isn't plain aluminium, its a zinc based diecasting alloy and it works as a sacrificial anode for the engine. It dissolves away so that the block doesn't have to. After a few decades you buy another one.

Tim

[Doug G]

I can't vouch for it, but I've heard a theory that the thermostat housing isn't plain aluminium, its a zinc based diecasting alloy and it works as a sacrificial anode for the engine. It dissolves away so that the block doesn't have to. After a few decades you buy another one.

Tim

That could be the reason.

[Doug G]

BTW I have some anodes for my boat.

Now to find out how to insert them without restricting the water flow.

[Tim]

Why? You're not using seawater as coolant are you? The thermostat housings are cheap, so that its not too painful to replace them every 10-20 years.

Tim

[Nigel(no top)Sykes]

It can be.... Trying to separate it from the studs, that is.

[Tim]

True, some people prefer using bolts because they break free from the alloy cover more readily. Personally I've never had a major problem with them. Maybe I've been lucky.

I did break a stud off in the head I most recently removed. As it turned out it was an Austin A30 head, not much good for my purposes, so I'm not too bothered. I reckon that stud had been there since the 1950s.

Tim

[spider]

Yeah, once they sieze, I've never been able to break them free of the housings, end up smashing the housing in to 3 bits and spinning them. As Tim has said, some - like me - use bolts, but I always grease them, never had a problem this way.

[Doug G]

Why? You're not using seawater as coolant are you? The thermostat housings are cheap, so that its not too painful to replace them every 10-20 years.

Tim

This one has lasted less than 5 years.

[Nigel(no top)Sykes]

Cheap modern stuff (mutter mutter mutter)

[spider]

Why? You're not using seawater as coolant are you? The thermostat housings are cheap, so that its not too painful to replace them every 10-20 years.

Tim

This one has lasted less than 5 years.

It's possible that the water that you are mixing with your coolant has a very high or very low pH and that'll do it for sure.