UPDATE: GOT IT! Anyone ever have troubles removing a thermostat housing because of liquid sealant?

[StageLeft]

Let's say that you were attempting to remove the thermostat housing in your car to get at the thermostat. Let's say that after undoing the screws the thermostat housing would not come off due to years of solidified sealant (used as a gasket). What would you probably due to remove this, having failed at forcing it with a lot of leverage?

UPDATE: Got the bastard. Nothing worked until I used a piece of wood on the ground and put it overtop like a nail and hammered it. A few strokes in and I heard the sweet sound of rushing water An hour later the thermostat housing was sitting back where it belonged with a new thermostat in it and the sealant, which is now curing. I have yet to start the engine to confirm no leaks during the radiator fill process but I expect to finish that up tonight.

 

[FrustratedUser]

I use a pair of liers and just turned it. It came right off.

 

[flot]

Wack it with a rubber mallet.

 

[Evadman]

Can you get in there to cut the sealent with a raser blade?

 

[Scarpozzi]

You should sell your car and get a nice dependable american car.

 

[StageLeft]

I've been hacking at it with the end of a wooden hammer. Then I used my new breaker bar and using the engine as leverage tried to get it off; thing just won't come off. There is the silicone sealant around the edge mocking me. It is glued on there nasty style, and it's so tight that I can't get a razor blade or anything in there.

 

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Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
You should sell your car and get a nice dependable american car.

This isn't the maxima, it's the sentra.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
You should sell your car and get a nice dependable american car.

This isn't the maxima, it's the sentra.

LOL Which one of those two are American?

:Q

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
You should sell your car and get a nice dependable american car.

This isn't the maxima, it's the sentra.

Dang...that just totally blows my comment then. See if you can pry it with a pocketknife or a screwdriver.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
You should sell your car and get a nice dependable american car.

This isn't the maxima, it's the sentra.

LOL Which one of those two are American?

:Q

The Audi! gonna try and get a belt around it now for some real good pulling action from skoorb. It's gonna be dark in a half hour though.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Funny how when one little thing goes wrong on one car, another little thing goes wrong on another!

Oh well, they are minor things and must be done and so Skoorb is off working his magic. The sentra is an old piece of crap car but she runs well and is reliable...just a little cold without a thermostat!

This is the weekend for car maintenance in the Skoorb household!

 

[Scarpozzi]

At least Skoorb can do the work on them... I know plenty of people who can't work on their cars and end up paying $100 here and $200 there just to get minor things taken care of.

 

[Aquaman]

What Skoorbs needs

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

He needs me to live in the trunk of his car.

Whack it with a rubber mallet Skoorb.


Check to make absolutely sure that you have removed all the bolts before proceding any farther

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
What Skoorbs needs

Cheers,
Aquaman

I think they'd need a garage first...

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
What Skoorbs needs

Cheers,
Aquaman

That garage owns. Why do I see a tire balancing machine in the corner, but no tire mounting machine On top of it I do not see a shield for that machine either. He must have a bunch of holes in his wall from flying objects.

You done yet Skoorb? Is it getting dark yet?

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

All bolts are removed...I checked it twice as did Skoorb. The thing is just fused on there from over 160K miles work of engine running! Sigh. This is one maybe the pros will have to get off.....

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
At least Skoorb can do the work on them... I know plenty of people who can't work on their cars and end up paying $100 here and $200 there just to get minor things taken care of.

I can't do work either. I think I can, but it never works out. Well I can change the oil now and I was successful with the O2 sensor in the end I would be able to do this but the SOB WILL not come off!

Roger The area is SO insanely confined that I can't even get to all the screws; mrsskoorb's smaller hands had to do it. There were three and I'm as certain as possible that there are no more. The Haynes says to disconnect the hose going to this first, but I can't for the life of me see why that's needed, since the hose simply sticks out the back and is flexible. The most I can do to get at this is whack it with the end of a hammer vertically down. It's really a very confined area.

Course now the fluids are half drained, so I'll have to refill before I bring it to the mechanic on monday unless I can get this off and i'm almost done trying. I got some strings around it and using my belt was able to get a good angle of attack so I pulled very hard but it stays on.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I've been looking all over for 24"X24" black & white vinyl tile to do my garage like the one in the link, anyone ever seen any?

I've struck out @ Home Depot & Lowes & my local flooring store

 

[db]

It's the *hate synergy* of the oxygen sensor and the thermo housing. Buck up--these things come in 3s.
j/k

(to counter the hate synergy, you must do a sort of judo/aikido hate synergy reversal, turning the hate synergy energy back around against itself. Or, if you're in the southern hemisphere, reverse the above directions).

 

[StageLeft]

So there are no solvents or penetrating oils or anything that are safe in this environment to use or effective...?

 

[Squisher]

Can you setup MrsSkoorb so that she is applying some kind of twisting/pulling action while you give it a good whack?

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Squisher
Can you setup MrsSkoorb so that she is applying some kind of twisting/pulling action while you give it a good whack?

Not a bad idea. I could try yanking on it hard while she hits it with a hammer.

 

[HappyPuppy]

If possible, drive a screwdriver between the housing and whatever it's mated to.

Or, pry on it using steady pressure. Keep the pressure on for a minute or two. Silicone sealant can't really be jarred loose.

 

[Aves]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Squisher
Can you setup MrsSkoorb so that she is applying some kind of twisting/pulling action while you give it a good whack?

Not a bad idea. I could try yanking on it hard while she hits it with a hammer.

Perv!