Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi All, Im having trouble removing the thermostat housing on my Morris . I had no problem removing the nuts from the studs. I know this is a common problem so would appreciate any solutions.
Best Wishes
Jason

Plus Gas, Duck oil, WD40 etc if you are lucky but if its well and truly stuck you have to smash it off with hammer and chisel and replace with a new one... Just don't damage the studs cause they also sieze and you will end up having to drill them out and re tap.

re tap the studs, don't be daft, who'd ever have to do that...

Think we've all been there some time or other

Ive sprayed lots of WD40 on it tonight and will try tomorrow. Hammer and chisel sounds scary but will give it ago if all else fails.

heat it up cool it fast.,grandad

Just don't damage the studs cause they also sieze and you will end up having to drill them out and re tap.

if the studs shear off at the block, you just need a MIG welder and a big nut...

Best to apply HEAT (and lots of it) to the housing - and then try to get it off by carefully levering/wiggling it about. But (as said above) unfortunately it's highly likely it will break - or you will have to smash it. Do your best to avoid damaging the cylinder head in the area where the housing seals ! The steel studs react with the aluminium housing. Hopefully the studs will survive if you sacrifise the housing. When refitting - it's a good idea to run a drill bit down the stud holes and enlarge them very slightly - and smear the studs with grease before refitting the housing. Obviously you are at least going to need a new gasket!

rayofleamington wrote:if the studs shear off at the block, you just need a MIG welder and a big nut...

I tried that with no success. I think I accidentally welded the remains of the stud to the head.

Mine just came of...

I'll go now

Try and fit a Brass housing as a replacement to avoid such problems in the future.

I tried that with no success. I think I accidentally welded the remains of the stud to the head.

I tend to use my 130A mig on max, and it's always worked although sometimes needs a few attempts if the weld doesn't take straongly enough to the stud. I've done it on heads, blocks, body fittings, rounded nuts and some other things I won't mention. Maybe I'll give you a tutorial next time your round ;-)

I have to ask M25van - although I have no intention of doing so - where does one get this brass housing ??

Minor Developments is where I bought mine from for about £8 but I noticed them here...
http://www.mgm-spares.co.uk/pricelist.asp
for only 55p more than the alloy ones.
I changed over after noticing a brand new alloy housing badly corroding after only 6 months.
Surprised they are not more popular......

Well - indeed if they are available could be a way forward!

Since the cover was trashed anyway, I sawed it off. Cut the ears off along the inside of the studs. Then removed the studs with the corroded remains of the housing.

Those brass housings have not been available for a few years so its nice to know they are around again.
I agree with Roy as the housing is a known issue I do the same and open the hole up with the next size drill so that its a slide fit rather than a wiggle fit so to speak and then I use copper grease.
I wonder if anyone on here has used the stainless nuts and bolts with any sucsess although they are pricy.

Surely stainless would make the problem worse ... in my experience it's the electrochemical reaction between the white-metal housing and the steel studs that creates 'fur' up the inside and jams it in place.

My solution in the past has generally involved a cold-chisel, a lump hammer and a 'new' housing :s

I like the sound of the brass housing though, if only because it would look 'cool'

Open the holes up to at least 11/32" (8.7mm) diameter, clean the studs and re-assemble with plenty of grease on the studs. Lasts for years!