Thermostat.

[Philip]

Hi, I have just changed my thermostat. The old stat had a hole in the side but the new one didn't. Does this matter? Also the old one had no gasket just some rubber sealer. The new stat was supplied with a rubber o ring there is no location for the rubber ring other than between the three studs. It doesn't leak but the housing doesn't sit flat. I am worried about the aluminium thermostat housing becoming distorted and leaking when I least expect it. Is it supposed to have the o ring?

[Uncle Frank]

Hi Philip, no the thermostat housing should have a proper cork or card gasket which covers the entire mating face of the housing to the head, they never used an `O`ring, other than in the tops of the thermostat housings which had a black plastic plug in the top...(a bit like the one in the end of the rad )

[Philip]

Thanks Frank. Can one be made out of cardboard? Cereal packet for instance. Is the fact there's no drilling in the side mean the thermostat is wrong too? It was temperature rated at 87degrees if I remember. Heater nice and hot.

[snowy]

I usually drill a hole in the side of the thermostat. It helps with bleeding the system. you do not need to do it.

Some makes come with the hole some dont.

Yes you can make a gasket out of a cornflake packet. But you can buy sheets of gasket paper from any decent motor factors if you want to do it properly.

If you've used the o ring that came with the thermostat it wont last long as there is no groove to keep it located.

[Philip]

Cheers, I will make one out of a cornflake packet then. I thought it looked bad! My local factors must be a bit rubbish as they couldn't get the oil filter right either. Is 87 degrees ok? I have seen one on ebay that is rated at 82 degrees. I don't want to do any damage thats all.

[Philip]

I just used a different factor in the end. I bought another thermostat that came with about a million gaskets. This one is made by Quintin Hazell who I believe used to be a supplier to Rover. The car seems to run warmer with this stat so I guess the new thermostat I fitted yesterday must have been faulty anyway.