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Old 21st February 2009, 12:04   #11
robwijnstok
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Hello Kaiser,

I had to fill my coolant a bit every 2 weeks, and I have found out today that my thermostat is cracked. I can’t see where, but there is coolant in the V part of the engine. Hoses seems to be good.

I have an appointment with Lates on the second of May, for cambelts, and thermostat replacement but I am not shore if it is save with easy driving, and keep filling up. I will give Lates a ring today.

So you will understand that I am more interested then I was yesterday with your metal thermostat housing, any news yet?

Best regards Rob.
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Old 21st February 2009, 17:17   #12
kaiser
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Regarding the thermostat housing.
I got slightly side tracked by my MAP sensor going faulty on me.
That problem has been sorted now, and I can give you feed-back on how the thermostat works.
In one word: perfectly.
Since my resurrection of the engine, it has not used one drop of water. In open traffic, it runs at 90 degrees on the gauge, also if in town with AC on. Even if 30 degrees outside.
In town it will run up to about 105 degrees and then come down quickly when the fan starts.
But apart from this, there is now a calm in my heart, that I can ride this car without any sudden surprises, I never approach the car with fear of having lost water. I know I won't have. It is now as unlikely to suffer a sudden loss as my old reliable Rovers. And this makes such a difference!!!
I have looked into having these units cast in brass. The pattern maker has quoted me a price he thought would scare me, and it did! However I will pursue it again, my prototype really works.
Now I don't know how handy you are, but I will gladly let you know what I did if you are interested. If you have a TIG or MIG welder, access to a lathe and a pedestal drill, then you can make one out of steel as I did.
I nearly fell into a couple of traps, but luckily I avoided them, so can you.
Apart from the thermohousing itself, you also need to replace the two plastic cooling pipes in the V, and you will have a normal engine with normal reliability. And that is quite a relief!!
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Old 21st February 2009, 17:34   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robwijnstok View Post
Hello Kaiser,

I had to fill my coolant a bit every 2 weeks, and I have found out today that my thermostat is cracked. I can’t see where, but there is coolant in the V part of the engine. Hoses seems to be good.

I have an appointment with Lates on the second of May, for cambelts, and thermostat replacement but I am not shore if it is save with easy driving, and keep filling up. I will give Lates a ring today.

So you will understand that I am more interested then I was yesterday with your metal thermostat housing, any news yet?

Best regards Rob.
I used my car with this problem for a few months for the very simple reason than I had no time to look for it. If you have to top it every two weeks no worries. In december last year I had to do it daily, sometimes two times a day. The annoying part of the problem is that you have to keep an eye permanently on the temperature gauge, the risk to ruin the engine because overheating is huge, because nobody tells you when the crack becomes larger to loose the coolant in minutes; and I assure you that this will happen.
I wish I had a metal housing but couldn't wait until somebody had one made for sale. I could have done it myself, I know enough people who could cooperate to make one (including myself , excuse my modesty...) but I had doubts that I could find a certain market. (It's obvious that it is not worth the effort to make one, regardless the chosen technology).
In lack of a metal housing I reinforced the new part with an epoxy based belt, hopefully it will last longer. If you are interested to give it a try I'll search and post the link.
Until then: one eye on the temperature gauge and good luck !

Edited: what about a plastic one, but assembled with screws instead the welded joint ? I can do it but it is limited to 130 Celsius temperature resistance. And it will be...white
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Old 21st February 2009, 17:34   #14
robwijnstok
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Congratulations with your excellent project!

Now that would be a great feeling, driving a car with this problem fixed permanently!

I have no access to the machinery you mentioned, but a friend of my has at his work! Unfortunately I have no other thermostat here (apart from the broken one on my 75) perhaps I can find one at a dealer, or a member here in Holland who can loan me one.

So I you have any further tips on witch traps to look out for, I will have a chat with my friend a see if he is able to make it.

Do you have any photo’s by any change?
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Old 21st February 2009, 17:54   #15
robwijnstok
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Thanks for you reply Fidel,

I hope Kaiser is able to find someone to manufacture metal or brass thermostat housings in a batch soon, I mean realy soon. I trust there are loads of members who are interested in a metal thermostat housing. Watch the amount of reply’s when he makes his announce that production can be started!

For now I hope Kaiser will be so kind to help me getting started with the appropriate info and I will ask a friend of my if he is able to make it.
Your idea of making the housing more strong with epoxy is an interesting one. However I do not know how this will hold on the long term. On the other hand, if you do nothing, it will break for shore.

I can not imagine a team of car developers at Rover where someone presents his idea of making a thermostat housing of plastic, knowing that it will be fitted on a very warm place on the engine, and not being laughed out by his colleagues. I just can’t. It must have been the same team responsible for the VIS motors.

Rob.
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Old 21st February 2009, 18:09   #16
kaiser
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I remember having posted something on this somewhere before, including some pictures.
Let me have look if I can find it.

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...tal+thermostat
Hope this works.
I will push ahead next week and let you know regarding the cast unit. If you can hold that long!!

Last edited by kaiser; 21st February 2009 at 18:13..
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Old 21st February 2009, 18:19   #17
robwijnstok
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Yes, I can hold that long. I hope my thermostat will too.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Rob.
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Old 21st February 2009, 18:33   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robwijnstok View Post
Your idea of making the housing more strong with epoxy is an interesting one. However I do not know how this will hold on the long term. On the other hand, if you do nothing, it will break for shore.
Found the link. I'm pretty sure that no one except me will try it before I'll announce that it worked (let's say...in five years ) but just in case you want to take a look:

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthrea...ced+thermostat
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Old 21st February 2009, 18:58   #19
robwijnstok
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Ok thanks Fidel.
Nice job.
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Old 21st February 2009, 22:29   #20
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I would be interested in purchase too at a reasonable price, not too far away from the plastic version, up to double the price, I suppose.
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