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Do I have to drain the coolant to change the thermostat
I was just reading up on how to change the thermostat on good ol' DieselGiant's page. Is it necessary to drain all the coolant to change the thermostat? I just had my coolant changed when I got my blockheater installed last month. Is coolant going to spew everywhere if I open the t-stat housing without draining the coolant?
Thanks again. Andrew
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Andrew '04 Jetta TDI Wagon '82 300TD ~ Winnie ~ Sold '77 300D ~ Sold
Last edited by Biodiesel300TD; 12-19-2005 at 07:43 PM. |
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I just changed my thermostat this past weekend and I lost about 3/4 gal of coolant. I guess you could use a catch pan . . . .
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1981 240D, Auto Trans, 160k miles -- CRASHED! |
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So long as the engine isn't hot, it won't really "spew" everywhere. I changed mine in the rain, last Wednesday. About a gallon of coolant will leak out, if you don't drain it.. so be sure to have some extra to top it off with. It's a really easy job.. just be SURE not to do it with a hot engine, or the fluid will obviously scald you badly. |
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Here's a question, though. I replaced mine, and didn't notice any "arrow" on my aftermarket T-stat. In fact, Im not 100% sure which direction I put the thing in, at. I know the 'stat is orientated properly, just not sure if it's "facing" the correct rotation. Does this really matter? The car is running at peak performance, 82-90C.. so I'm guessing I have it right anyway.
Does that arrow really mean anything? If so.. did I just get lucky? |
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Now, I just had a thought: what if you reached into the t-stat casting with something like a brake adjuster - something that you could push against the t-stat spring (who cares if you hurt it - you are replacing it) and let loose the several more liters that typically flood out. If I had thought of this the other day, I would have tried it and collected the fluid.
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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue" "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." listen, look, .........and duck. |
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Careful with drain Plug!! Try
I drained miy coolant down past the thermo housing to my best guess. The head of a plastic drainplug to the radiator which takes a large flat blade broke almost as soon as screw driver touched it. Lucky I could still get pliers on it. It reminded me of some VW plastic parts that crumble in the fingers.
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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue" "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." listen, look, .........and duck. |
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Ron 2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth 2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING ! 99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD 62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD 72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD 16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR 19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels 14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green 84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD 71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD 73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace 81 380 SL - Rest in Peace |
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"Does that arrow really mean anything?"
Yes, I thought so....but the last T-stat I bought didn't have one. I examined it very carefully as they were hard to see anyway, no arrow. So No, maybe it doesn't or never did matter. Depending on your T stat housing the arrow pointed ahead or up. Anybody seen an arrow lately??
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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K 1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild 1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K 1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor 2014 Kubota L3800 tractor 1964 VW bug "Lifes too short to drive a boring car" |
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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue" "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." listen, look, .........and duck. |
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"I just put in a new Behr thermostat last week. The arrow was hard to miss."
I have a brand new "Wahler" (OEM yes) here and no arrow, I'm pretty sure they used to have one. guess I'll get "Behr" next time.
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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K 1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild 1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K 1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor 2014 Kubota L3800 tractor 1964 VW bug "Lifes too short to drive a boring car" |
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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue" "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." listen, look, .........and duck. |
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"chained to a car and required to remove and install that thermostat 360 times, reoriented in 1 degree increments each time"
LOL... Roger that The last arrowless Wahler I installed was rotated to match the writing on the cross bar of the old one (a Wahler with arrow).
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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K 1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild 1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K 1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor 2014 Kubota L3800 tractor 1964 VW bug "Lifes too short to drive a boring car" |
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1981 300D 147k 1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k 1979 300D 234k (sold) 1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold) Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair |
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