2007 1.3KA Thermostat housing hassle

[DIYspanner]

Tried to put fresh antifreeze in today but hassle all the way.

Took various pipes off to flush the old out. Sadly one of the spouts on the stat housing for the one of the heater matrix pipes is partly broken and I can't get enough pipe pushed on for a seal so a new housing is required.

Tried to tighten it down but when looking for a air bleed tap of some sort, the pipe came off when I pulled on it.

Anyone ever broken one of these spouts off ? .... they actually seem quite sturdy so it seems odd!

 

[Burnerman]

They are fine when they are new, but after being heated and cooled a few thousand times they are as brittle as hell.
Personally I just remove the big hoses and leave the small ones be.....I usually get rid of those horrible hose clamps and fit Jubilee types at the same time.
John

 

[DIYspanner]

All done!

Got the stat housing assembly at a local factor for £45. More expensive than ebay but the local Ford's was £148+vat.

The jobs sweet as a nut. All hoses clamped with new jubilees from a couple of assorted boxes got from Lidl a while back.

Heavy snow forecast for Co Durham tomorrow so in the nick of time!

 

[Burnerman]

Little consolation but Ford ones aren't alone...VW stuff is just the same, and Vauxhall have given issues too.
That's a ridiculous price for a part like this - genuine or no.
John

 

[DIYspanner]

Indeed John, a ridiculous price!

ECP have the bare stat housing, without stat and sensor unit, for £30 and over the counter at the local Ford, the bare housing is £60+vat.

The unit I got is the complete assembly and the car's owner drove away a happy young lady. Most expensive antifreeze change I've ever done!

A pity in today's world of high tech material science, the boffins haven't formulated a more robust plastic.

 

[mointainwalker]

A pity in today's world of high tech material science, the boffins haven't formulated a more robust plastic.

I'm sure they have - this for example - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyether_ether_ketone - but whatever the material chosen for that housing, it has been judged good enough - or at least sufficiently unproblematical in warranty claims - to be used.