Thermostat Housing

[83-gt-hatch]

I an currently mid project. And yes at 10pm outside. Hince the bad pictures. Anyone else ever have to deal with the Allan key bolt holding the thermostat housing on? I am having difficulties getting that off. Allen key stripped it which didn't surprise me. Vise grips keep slipping when their as tight as I could get them. Which as you can tell the ac compresser is removed for access from the side. (Compresser is froze up and no freon so no big deal. A later project that isn't necessary until the car can be driven) the car has approx 40 miles on it in the last month. Otherwise the last mike was in December 2003. It's day awhile. It didn't have any issues overheating in 03. To the best of my knowledge there's no thermostat right now. Otherwise it froze open. My issue at the moment keeping it from being driven is it doesn't stop heating up. With the motor almost running right finally it's Gotton better. It. Stays in the n in normal for a little while then rises somewhat quickly to between r and m. Still good, right where I imagine it's good. It status for a little bit then rises again. The hottest it's got is the a. My hope for fixing this was to put a new thermostat in and back flush it.. My dilemma at the moment is how can I get that Allen key bolt out? Any suggestions, its on there tight. Thank you in advance for any advice.. Oh yeah I put some white paint on the bolt to make sure it wasn't turning. It also helps with the pic from low light

 

[Grabbin' Asphalt]

Possible drill bit in the center to weaken the side wall, then maybe the vice grips can spin it. Thats if you can fit the drill, dremel in there

 

[83-gt-hatch]

I was afraid the drill would come up lol. The water pump is in the way to get straight with a drill bit. Other then that the radiator could come out and there is room for the drill. I question the punch and a hammer to knock it around to take the bolt out if I can find somewhere it could grab that I can get to. I have up about 20 minutes ago. Put tools up and I sprayed it with wd40

 

[Grabbin' Asphalt]

Yeah strip bolts are always fun, ..Not
Good luck bud

 

[83-gt-hatch]

Did not mean to submit that quite yet. I did soak it in wd40 which is all I have at the moment. My roommate used my pb blaster awhile ago to start a fire since he doesn't know how to start a fire. Im hoping it will help loosen it up some by tomorrow

 

[83-gt-hatch]

I got spoiled ' in its own way' for 4 years I had a ranger with a few bad oil leaks. Needless to say all bolts came out easily lol

 

[83-gt-hatch]

Now how well do you think hammering a socket or wrench on it will work if I don't care about the bolt or the socket/wrench. I got alote of extra Chinese old ones laying around

 

[90sickfox]

Get a propane torch and heat the aluminum around the bolt...not red hot but hot. Thats not the original bolt...I don't think. Never seen a factory allen there. I've used a torx head bit just a little bigger than the allen head and a quarter inch wrench to remove by stubborn bolts...tap the bit in with a hammer... Put the wrench on the torx bit and pull lol. Sometimes it works. A little heat some wd40 and some taps with a hammer go a long way.

 

[83-gt-hatch]

Is there a chance that if I put it back together and flush the system that it will run like it did before with no thermostat and not overheat. I know there's no 100% answer to that. I don't have a heat source or any more paitience left with the car right now. No willing help nearby. No more money left and no shop that I can trust. That's the only thing I have left that I can do is flush it. That I can think of. It's got flow and pressure in the system. Only one small leak that's I may be able to fix. It just flows all the time and doesn't stop warming up

 

[83-gt-hatch]

Kind hard to see flow in a pic but does show

 

[83-gt-hatch]

Just a update. I couldn't get any luck with the bolt so I put it all back together and went ahead and back flushed the system. Took it for a ride and all seems to be good. Still want to put a thermostat in but for now it's drivable. Im gonna keep a close eye on the gauge and and maybe this weekend get to my buddies house. He knows how to weld alote better then me. Until he looks at it he thinks he can weld a nut onto the end to get it out. And put a new normal hex bolt in. I had the other bolt started to come out the other day before I realized the 2nd bolt was a Allen key and decided I didn't have the time to get that deep. So I know that was properly tightenedand will come out eeasily. I plan to wake the neighborhood tomorrow morning just before 6am and bring it to work tomorrow. Hope that goes well lol. Thank you again for your assistance. If I get the time and motivation i will mess with it further this week. Now seeing that as the only problem aside from a dirty carburetor I've regained the motivation I lost earlier

 

[83-gt-hatch]

Maiden voyage to work went ok today. Ran a little bit warm but didn't overheat. Died a few times and ran bad due to the carburetor. All in all no problems

 

[90sickfox]

At least it didn't overheat...

 

[83-gt-hatch]

It's past my shut off point now. Granted it's running like total crap. I'm almost home now but this is the 6th or 7th stop due to it dying. Drove good until I got gas. Them it acted like it ran out of gas couple blocks down from the gas station. Stopped. Have it a minute and listened for the fuel pump. Heard it and it fired right back up as and ran good until the worst place possible. Thank God there was a utility truck behind me with the strobes deflecting traffic for me. On a bridge on a hill with no shoulder. Too much tragic to roll b back off into the grass. It finally started back up and fought it to get me to a side street. Popped the hood and took a look. Vac plug fell off. Seemed to idle better without so assumed it wasn't the problem. Got 2 buisnesses down and found a bolt and some hose. Put it on. The rest of the the time it runs fine a couple blocks and 'runs out of gas' but by the time I pull over it idle fine and takes off fine for a couple more blocks then same thing. Don't always have to stop for it to get better. Just pull off and go again. I found some shade since now it's past my cut off point. Letting it cool before I see 2 blocks down lol. It's not ready for daily driving apparently. Back to the bus in the morning

 

[83-gt-hatch]

Officially overheated. Got home. Rough ride but didn't overheat until the end of the driveway when it didn't want to go into the driveway. It's hissing alote from the heater hose section. Next step is compression test im guessing.. Since I have no functional oil dipstick to check for water there. Was streaming from the rear of themotor near the valve covers was all iI could see. Couldn't tell where it was coming from. But it had been smoking or streaming here and there from oil on headers and finger prints and con webs or leaves I missed out stuff like that

 

[90sickfox]

Sounds like the carb is shot (possibly). The hiss has to be steam...hoses ? No dipstick ? I couldn't drive a car without an oil dipstick...way too much room for error.

 

[83-gt-hatch]

I think the carb just accumulated too much gunk from sitting for so long and it has been run out of gas numerous times since it's last milage. Im going to park it until I can at the very least take it apart and clean it real well and replace the gaskets. (Out of my ranger I had a few years back I got a motor that the whole carb was filled to the top with sand. Took it apart and cleaned it thourally reused the same gaskets. Out it back together and booked it down and ran beautifully) if u can I want to go ahead and rebuild it though.

 

[83-gt-hatch]

The his was coming from from heater hoses. It got too hot. At least it was the first time it got this hot and was within 3 houses from home
Hope all is well.

 

[83-gt-hatch]

I hate not having the dipstick functional. Ever since I've had the stang it was broke off at the block. Finally a couple months ago I pulled the motor and the oil pan for the sole purpose of popping j popping out. 2 seconds and back to putting the motor back in. The cheap one from the part store didn't fit and now is used to keep the lawn mower running. Once I can get a air filter and clean the carb... I picked one up from a guy I worked with years ago. He said it would fit an 83. Was from a later fox 5.0. It doesn't fit right but at least it has potential. The dipstick still won't reach oil but at least now I'm not spitting oil all over the place. Once I do another oil change soon I plan to scuff the rusty dipstickadd clean as iI can get it and cut the tube to where it's the right length to show oil on it. Hopefully I can get it right to the full line. I just want to do it when I have the time to take my time on it and get it right

 

[83-gt-hatch]

With the full 5 quarts in it. That way I don't adjust it and there is a leak I don't know of and it's forever to short. That had seemed to be a hard part to find that isn't what I already have (ones that say 79-93) when I already have a later fox one that isn't right. It won't go all the way in. Goes far enough to stay and not leak. Place for the support bolt won't reach anything and may have to go in the cutting portion to thisproject. I should've and probly will get a progress tthread soon. The project will take awhile. Between bad job and bad roommates I need to get this going to get in a better job and place to live. Just need the car to be able to look for a place to live and get to and from work and look for a better job. One that doesn't leave me broke all the time. Sorry to vent. Just need it going. Hopefully this weekend