Thermostat housing remove/install

[carmangary]

There is a tiny leak of coolant at my thermostat housing from the last time I worked on it. I need to remove it and reseal it. But, now, the engine is full of coolant. What's a good way to take it loose without getting coolant all over the? Do I need to drain some or can I pinch the big hose?

 

[billyjack]

You just need to drain enough so that the level of coolant is below the thermostat.

Bill

 

[monte olrac]

you are going to loose some coolant in the process, but just make sure the upper rad hose is empty, put on a new thermostat and a fel-pro gasket, while your at it make sure your bolts are not rusted if so replace them so the dont seize and apply a light coat of anti seize on them and you're done. you loose less than a gallon of coolant.

 

[Brick442]

Also, while it is off, make sure you check that the housing hasn't warped. Make sure the bottom is flat. This doesn't often happen to the stock housings, but it happens often on the cheapie chrome aftermarket housings. When this happens It will appear that the gasket is leaking. No point in wasting a new gasket if the housing is warped.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Try running a small hose down into the radiator through the filler cap hole and syphoning out the coolant into a jug. 5/16" vacuum line works well. If the houseing needs to be trued, a sheet of sandpaper on a pane of glass will make a great surfacer. Just sand the houseing surface in a figure 8 pattern until it's smooth. TIP- add coolant to the motor slowly until it gets just up to the level of the thermostat. Then install it and the houseing. That way you know there's coolant, not air, under the thermostat and she'll open up the first time.