Aux oil thermostat removal (Solution)

[SchnellSchweitz]

I have had issues with heat and burning oil since rebuilding my engine, but have since traced this issue to a non-functioning auxiliary thermostat.

I just wanted to share a solution I came up with to remove the aux thermostat safely and relatively quickly... I call it the Jack Assist Method.

If you are having heat issues with your engine and all vacuum leaks have been eliminated, it's "possible" it may be a bad auxiliary thermostat. In my case, I traced this issue by researching this very site for solutions.

Once I found the issue was the aux thermostat, I researched removal and found many folks were cutting their lines to remove it. I actually crimped one of my lines while attempting my removal, but I may have found a solution to avoid this issue next time around. Hopefully, others find it useful.

First off, as many have described in this forum, the nuts are real PITA to get off. Probably tougher to get off than a broken delvar.... just because of the lack of space you have to work in.

My solution - With the rear of the car resting on jack stands, I positioned an adjustable wrench on the outer rear nut attached to the thermostat so that my 3 ton jack could lift on the handle of the wrench. This broke the seal and allowed me to remove it by hand with no damage to any oil tubes. I used the same method for the inner rear nut. It took me about 20 minutes of careful alignment and slow jacking to do, but worked like a champ.

I should add, I shoved a standard sized adjustable wrench into the separation space between the top of the thermostat and the inside fender wall to keep the thermostat from rotating. I think any similar size object would work... just so the thermostat has something to block it from rotating.

The forward thermostat lines were a different story. Since the nuts on those lines turn horizontally, and are too far forward to use any kind of jack assist, I did these by hand. However, I will not do this the same way again. I actually crimped one of the lines by doing so.

I found the best solution for removing the front two lines is to remove them at their connections over the front passenger tire and take the lines and the thermostat out together.

I believe this is the best way to remove the (auxiliary) external thermostat and I didn't see this method mentioned elsewhere... Although it may have been and I just missed it.

Anyway.... that's my contribution to the group for the week.

Eric J.