Morris Minor Owners Club

hey all,

while my engine is out and all that i'm going to replace the thermostat. i'm reckoning on getting an 88 degree one rather than an 82 degree one - whaddaya reckon?

any advice/tips/experience welcome

juliet xx

82 in the summer, 88 in winter, surely? Get some copper grease on the studs and nuts, and it should be a 2 minute job to swap them over.

aha! cunning as foxes, these gingery fellows

Cunning as a cunning fox who got a degree in cunning at the university of cunning, yes...
I hope I remembered the right way round though - neither of my 2 have the temp written on them

bigginger wrote:82 in the summer, 88 in winter, surely? Get some copper grease on the studs and nuts, and it should be a 2 minute job to swap them over.

Yep, what he said

Might be worth replacing the studs with bolts instead meaybe? Any corrosive seal will them be broken when you undo them, and no hammering teh housing off the studs...

cheers for that most excellent suggestion Packedup

GOOD call - that's what I'll be doing then

bigginger wrote:Cunning as a cunning fox who got a degree in cunning at the university of cunning, yes...

and modest withal

And not above blatant theft from Blackadder...

Packedup wrote: Might be worth replacing the studs with bolts instead meaybe? Any corrosive seal will them be broken when you undo them, and no hammering teh housing off the studs...

Be carefull if you do this and check that the tapped holes have no residue in them. You can end up cracking the head if any hydraulic pressure builds up when you screw the bolts in.
Better to use studs and a brass stat housing as this will minimise corrosion.

Well the Metro and late Minis got away with bolts (so I can't claim full credit for the idea)!

Obviously any tapped holes should be cleaned/ drained before winding bolts in, just as they should be when replacing studs. Bit of kitchen towel does well for soaking water up, and one of those magnetic tool picking up things is great for picking up the rusty sludgey crud that gets in there

Fit 88degC and forget it

Also run the next size drill through the holes in the housing it will give a touch more clearance on the studs 5mm I think is the next size up.

millerman wrote:Fit 88degC and forget it

Works for me too.

88 or even 92 in winter - especially in écosseland - but safer with 74 in hot summer.

88 in mine all year no problems

Do as the Millerman says, Wibble!
I've had an 88C in for 4 years/40k miles and had no trouble - I'm thinking of going to a 92C. For an example, on last Thursday my 1098 Traveller did Andover to Newcastle on T, 300miles loaded and towing a trailer at 60-70 mph (GPS checked) where ever possible and got didn't get over 85C on the gauge (capillary type and checked). Air temp was 25C plus. On journey back I got lost (!) and wound up on the M25 - and then did 25 miles in 1 & 1/2 hours! Air temp about 25C. Max water temp then up to 90C. Overall for 650 miles no water lost (the critical test).
So go for it - if my rough old engine's OK, your wizzo wonder overhauled beast will be too. And the old drum heater's excellent! MikeN.

nice one Mike - that's kind of the way I'd been leaning...... good to hear it works!!

Just swapped my 7-year old 82 degree thermostat for a new 88 degree one today, hoping it would improve my heater, but it hasn't made a jot of difference!

For some odd reason, it now takes an age before any heat comes out, despite back-flushing it. It's had fairly recent new hoses, and those get hot, so it's somewhat puzzling as to why it's so lame.

Maybe it's stuck open.... For best heater/fastest warm up - you need to block the bypass hose.