EX343 Thermostat Replacement --- help a dumb guy!

[shawndoggy]

I tried to replace my thermostat yesterday. Removed the three hex-cap bolts from the top of the housing (one short, two long). Then tried to remove the top of the housing. No joy, it's STUCK on there. Is there another bolt somewhere that I missed? Is engine paint that strong? Am I that weak?

[Nauti-by-Nature]

Shawn,
I remember thinking the same thing when I opened mine up last fall. I had to pry at it a little bit, but it eventually came loose. Getting all of the gasket material removed was pretty tedious as well.

[shawndoggy]

Thanks for the pic. I figured it just needed some coaxing so I stuck a broom handle in the business end of the housing and gave a little tug. The broom handle broke! So that made me reconsider whether I was actually doing it right. Maybe I'll bust out the heat gun and get it good and hot before trying again.

[Nordicron]

Those three bolts hold on the entire housing. It's actually two pieces and an even bigger pain in the a$$ to split those pieces!


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[shawndoggy]

Tips or tricks?

[Nordicron]

Use a wooden wedge and a hammer!


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[shawndoggy]

Use a wooden wedge and a hammer!


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Ha, well I was strongly considering beating on it with a rubber mallet yesterday, but it'd already been a long day of bloody knuckles, and I thought I'd take a chill pill and ask the interwebs if it was a good idea.

[Nordicron]

Ha, well I was strongly considering beating on it with a rubber mallet yesterday, but it'd already been a long day of bloody knuckles, and I thought I'd take a chill pill and ask the interwebs if it was a good idea.

Rubber mallet woulda worked to get the sucker off. Your likely gonna need the lower gasket also, since that's what's gonna break free first. Atleast that was what happened in my case.


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