external t-stat

[rfix'n]

While trying to remove the supply line from the external oil t-stat I cut to far and damaged the threads, oops. Frustrating because I had removed all of the other lines succesfully either by cutting or conventially with wrenches.

Do I a)bite the bullet and shell out $300 for factory t-stat, b)buy the Mocal unit for +$100 or c) take my chances with the thread saver?

Before browsing the online catalog today I didn't know the thread saver existed. I'll have to examine the damage a little closer tonight to see if I cut to far up the threads to make this work. Since I cut through I'm also concerned about metal bits making the thread saver less attractive.

Disadvantages to the Mocal? Why is it so much cheaper?

[Nickshu]

Rob,

How far did you cut into the threads? I did this too on mine a little. The seal does not come from the threads itself, but from the tapered inner mating surfaces. If you only cut into them a little with a Dremel cut off disk, then its probably salvagable. Did you cut all the way thru?

Nick.

[kstylianos]

Rob,

When pulling the lines off my t-stat to replace the brass lines, I damaged one fitting on the t-stat. It looked like the threads were flattened. I was able to use a thread cleaner file to rejuvinate the threads and it worked great. A friend of mine had the tool and showed me how to use it. It looks like a file with 4 sides. Each side having a different pitch. Once you line up the file corrctly on your threads (matching up the correct pitch) you slowly and cafefully 'sharpen', with a back and forth motion with the grain/threads, until you work around the whole fitting. It essentially cuts away the bad parts and cleans the grooves. Worked very nicely. Take your time.

-Charlie

[masraum]

I agree, if you didn't go too far you can probably still use it, but if you did then personally I think I'd go with a new Porsche unit.

[Chuck Moreland]

You'd have to really mess up the threads to make the tstat unusable. Like Nick says the seal isn't made by the threads, so all you need the threads to do is hold tight.

I wouldn't go the mocal route. If you do that you will need to replace at least two of you oil lines with flex hose because mocal has the connections in the wrong place. Further you will need to get adapters since mocal is AN fittings and your car is all metric.

You'll spend more on the mocal solution.

Plus I don't think mocal has a pressure bypass like your factory tstat.