Is my Chim running too cold???

[M@H]

TheHobbit said:

M@H said: TheHobbit said: .. investigate the thermostat.. How's that work then... all you do is chuck it in a cup with some hot water and watch it. Matt. yeah, yeah, I know.... but while they have it down there, it'll be a lot easier for them to get the damn thing out and stick it in a mug than for me to do it. looks like an arse to get to! have done it on the old triumph.... but it's a lot easier to get to!

True enough, I found it impossible to remove the thermostat housing without moving the swirl pot pipe too as I had no room to move the flexible hose other than trying to slide it further up the swirl pot tube.

The best option seems to be to move the whole swirl pot slightly rather than mess about with the flexible hose. The swirl pot has three mounting bolts, two through the lower bracket and one in the higher bracket behind the ignition module connector. To rotate the swirl pot you need to remove the higher of the two bolts in the bottom bracket using a 13mm socket and extension bar, and the top bolt behind the ignition module connector using a 14mm socket.

You may be surprised to see that this lower bolt is about 6 inches long but with thread only for the last inch or so. Also, you may have to fight against some sealant which will have set around the bolt when the engine was assembled. To remove the 14mm bolt you will need to undo the connector to the ignition module by taking the small wire clip off it and pulling the connector block out. These clips are easily lost so take extra care when removing. Gripping the clip with pliers helps to prevent it springing off and being lost. Re-assembling the connector as soon as the bolt is undone will help you keep everything together.

Having undone these two bolts, slacken the remaining bolt through the bottom bracket by half a turn and then undo the Jubilee clip holding the flexible hose at the end of the swirl pot top pipe to the thermostat housing. You can now draw the hose off the thermostat housing. The swirl pot will pivot on the bottom bolt and move the desired inch or so to allow the hose to slide. This movement will be halted by the swirl pot top pipe touching against the oil filler cap.

So that’s the easy bit. Now there are just two bolts holding the thermostat housing to the engine block, both 13mm. You can just reach the bottom one with a socket set and extension bar, however to get to the top one you’ll need a small 13mm spanner. You can apply this from above and should be able to slowly rotate the bolt. If you’re lucky, this will only be tight for the first turn or two until you relieve the spring washer. Hopefully, you can then spin it with your fingertips (this will save you a lot of time).

Once removed you will be met with the sight of your thermostat, held in place by the original gasket. A sharp knife blade gently applied flat to the edge of the gasket should be enough to prise it off, although take care not to score the metal facing surface with the knife in the process. This is all that holds the thermostat in place, and with the gasket removed, you can lift it out of its housing. You will note that it sits in a machined recess to locate it properly.

So you're probably right.. best let them deal with it as they've got it there anyway..

Cheers
Matt.

Edited to add, this is for a Pre Serpentine Engine.

>> Edited by M@H on Wednesday 7th January 10:30

[TheHobbit]

Cheers M@H! I've bookmarked this thread as that last bit on the easiest way to get in there could well be useful iin the future. maybe it should be faq'd 'how to get the damn thermostat out' ?

thanks,

Karl

[greenv8s]

Would have thought you are far better off pulling the top hose of the stat housing, thirty second job and makes it far easier to get the stat housing itself on and off the manifold? Beware the hose clips aren't always reusable so you might want to get a couple of replacements in.

[PeterC]

Fistly, I have not got my Chimeara to hand to check this, but I do not believe that you have to extract the metal clip to part the electrical connector on the ignition module.

I think that you will find that if you press the clip IN, this will cause the clip to splay open a little and the plug part can then be removed.

Secondly, I think that lower running temperatures are probably symptomatic of a small leak somewhere. Which means that the cooling system cannot pressurize properly and therefore runs below optimum temperature.

The favorite leak spots seem to be the blue pressure cap, the radiator, connecting pipes and jubilee clips in that order. Hence the earlier comments about Penninsula wanting to do a pressure test on the cooling system first.

On older cars with the traditional radiator cap, pressure testing was achieved by fitting a rubber bung into the cap orifice that produced an airtight seal. The bung would also have a valve (car inner tube type) fitted and by pressurising the cooling system using a footpump you could look for any water leaks. I don't know if anyone has any kit that can do this on a TVR?

I seem to have a small leak problem myself and welcome any advice.

>> Edited by PeterC on Wednesday 7th January 14:44

[M@H]

greenv8s said:

Would have thought you are far better off pulling the top hose of the stat housing, thirty second job and makes it far easier to get the stat housing itself on and off the manifold? Beware the hose clips aren't always reusable so you might want to get a couple of replacements in.

On my car due to the short length of this flexipipe, and the relative closeness of the Stat housing top pipe to the top pipe from the swirl pot it was not possible to remove the hose this way, hence the comment in my 1st paragraph, second line.

Edited again to add.. having re-read your bit, that is what I acheived anyway though by moving the swirl pot.. the hose was slid off the top of the stat housing.

Cheers,
Matt.

Edited to add again again:

Here you will see the dilemma:



As you'll note, there is about 2" - 2.5" between the jubilee clips, accordingly there is under 1" between the mating ends of the two solid pipes. No chance to deform the pipe enough, and move it around enough to remove it I'm afraid without moving the sold pipe from the swirl pot a bit.

Cheers
Matt.


>> Edited by M@H on Wednesday 7th January 15:02

[malloryn]

I also have a cool cabin at speeds 60+.
I found and blocked the 'fresh air vent' on the drivers side which helped quite a bit.
There still seems to be cool draught coming form under the dash and seems to originate from the passenger side. The symptoms seem to be as if the cold air inlet is leaking i.e letting cold air bypass the heater and come directly into the cabin.

Has anyone else had this?
To remove the matrix looks like quite a job from inspection.