How To: VR6 Thermostat Housing Replacment

[gogsboy 0]

Cheers for the info, hopefully Ford can come up with the goods in the end.

 

See when a head gasket is gone on the VR6 would you see water dripping down, just some people have said my HG could be gone.

 

The leak I had was on and off initially but now it seems to be guaranteed and the water is dripping down pretty central when looking underneath.

[gogsboy 0]

Right thats the job done, mechanic done it pretty switfly, whole housing replaced and seals, never changed any of the sender things, nor the crackpipe but there was a seal there that might have been worth replacing while apart but never had it.

 

Just incase anyone else doing this and worried about the VR6 stat being dodgy, I bought the R32 stat and so far so good. Temp guage was hardly above 90 even when sat stationery for a good while.

 

Only need MOT and TAX now :lol: ....and chains/tenisoners maybe...to be safe...or take the risk :shock:

[too hot 0]

Is it better to use an R32 stat??

Or are there other suitable ones.

Take it the idea is it opens at a lower temperature??

[Jon_vr6 1]

i used the low temp one from awesome stays at 71 Oc down the motorway going to be even better in the summer with the heatwaves(live in hope)

[gogsboy 0]

Well apparently some people had been buying VR6 ones from VW and turned out to be faulty, I'm not 100% sure.

 

I was told not to get the low temp one as it can hide problems but I'm no mechanic, some people swear by it others say it keeps the engine too cool...

 

I was advised to stick in an R32 one and its marked 80 on it which I think the VR6 one is anyway, not sure on that.

 

But the R32 fits like a glove and so far so good this end.

 

Sure other more experienced and mechanically minded chaps can comment on this better than moi :lol:

[fla 9]

Much nicer diagram by Ford. Why are VAG so mince all too often? :(

 

Ok, the bits I got were:

1

 

2 & 5 - (Ford 1032251 and 1032252) that should give you the three main bits of housing

 

4

 

6

 

10 (X3)

 

18

 

 

I did not replace thermostat but recommend you should (3)

 

Hope this helps - it was a saga for me, too.

I found Ford's service better than VAG's :shock: :? in that they could get parts next day, whereas VAG took two days.

 

I want to replace the thermo housing plus stat and seals on mine - how much did these set you back from Ford, Iain?

[CazzaVR 0]

Best deal on a stat kit is from the States. Works out at around £50 delivered AFAIK, and you get everything inc crack pipe. I'll try and find a link.

[CazzaVR 0]

Here you go- bargain!

[Andy T 0]

I did this job recently, when I went to VW I had to order the thermostat seal seperately for some reason, the stat ordered on the part no. below came without a seal.

 

The stat seal part no. is 901 368 02 (£2.26!)

 

I used these part numbers off page 5

 

If replacing everything you should have new:

 

021 121 117A - Main housing,

021 121 133D - front housing elbow,

021 121 121A - thermostat elbow,*** You already have this part!***

b 075 121 113D - thermostat & seal (should come together from VW), ***You already have this part!***

b 025 906 041A - Blue

b701 919 369D - Yellow and

b357 919 369F - Black sensors,

3 x N903 168 02 - small O-rings that go with the sensors,

2 x N101 392 01 - slightly larger O-rings to go on the crack (drainage) pipe and the front housing elbow,

1 x 021 121 119A - odd shaped seal (kind of rectangle) that is for between the main housing and the block.

 

 

So you just need the other parts above they are the VW part numbers and thats if you replace everything! I reused the the black blue and yellow sensors as they were fine and reused the allen bolts aswell!

[glen 0]

printed out the how too, set out tools and got as far as first too lines and one of the bolts is rounded off in the coil pack...

Nice one... can this be done with out removing the coil pack???? or is it going in the garage???

[Jon_vr6 1]

Remove the front end mate lights, bumper fogs etc far easier access if you remove the front!!

[mic_VR 3]

printed out the how too, set out tools and got as far as first too lines and one of the bolts is rounded off in the coil pack...

Nice one... can this be done with out removing the coil pack???? or is it going in the garage???

 

Can be done but like Jon_vr6 has said you'll be struggling for access so the front will probably have to come off. Which isn't actually a bad job to do, and will make this a far easier job.

[Andy T 0]

I'd try doing it without removing the front end first, I'm sure others have done it without removing the coilpack.... You could remove the rad fan to give more room at the front.

[glen 0]

front end it is then.... lets hope i can get it all back on lol

 

well ive got till the end of the month to get sorted... :?

[craigowl 0]

The coil pack bolts should not be done up too tight as much of the component is made of plastic which gets brittle and cracks after a few years. To round them off, some "mechanic" must have been a bit of a gorilla. lol.

Cant remember if you can do job without removing coilpack, but access to hoses, etc underneath may prove too difficult.

Try loosening fluid on bolt and saw a slot in the bolt so you can unscrew it. Those dremel type tools are useful for making slots and you will not regret buying the tool. Others make Dremel type tools for low prices. As I recall it, access to the bolts is quite easy once the plastic engine covers are off.

[CazzaVR 0]

I had the same thing with mine- sorted with some Irwin bolt grippers. Defo a must-have for any tool box imho!

[mic_VR 3]

I had the same thing with mine- sorted with some Irwin bolt grippers. Defo a must-have for any tool box imho!

 

True, if you can hold of a set of irwin bolt grippers you'll be able to get the bolt out.

 

A pair of Flexible Ratchet Hose Clamp Pliers would also be very useful, didn't have a set when I did this job originally but used a pair since and they are awesome and make short work of the hose clips, no idea how much a set is though.

[glen 0]

found my problem someone bodged the housing back on with the wrong bolt and tons of washers and it worked its way loss...

 

Also the inner lip has broken a little do you think this will still be ok as looks spot on apart from that?

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/76663385

[CazzaVR 0]

Sorry dude, but I would defo get a new one...

[andy35554 0]

hi, im going to have a crack at this job soon as my car is leaking quite bad now, only thing is im not sure what the 3 sensors are for?

How do you know if they are faulty? Can you test them? what are the "signs" that they maybe faulty?

I am considering buying all the bits so I only have to do the job once, im convinced its the main housing seal onto the engine block that it leaking.

cheers

andy

[Philmo 0]

hi, im going to have a crack at this job soon as my car is leaking quite bad now, only thing is im not sure what the 3 sensors are for?

How do you know if they are faulty? Can you test them? what are the "signs" that they maybe faulty?

I am considering buying all the bits so I only have to do the job once, im convinced its the main housing seal onto the engine block that it leaking.

cheers

andy

Hi

There's a "definitive thread" on the Forum re: cooling system, covering stat, sensors, fan controls, checking/testing them and all you need about having a "cool" car!

It's brilliant. :notworthy:

Can't remember its name off-hand but a quick search will find it.

[andy35554 0]

hi, thanks to this thread and the definitive one i done mine over the weekend, i removed my battery to do the rad stat too and this gave me a bit more room in the engine bay

thanks for to the ppl who helped and done this write up

cheers

andy

[Jon_vr6 1]

Enjoy your leak free corrado fella

[fla 9]

i recently replaced the housing and seals etc but it seems the thermostat is stuck open, ie the water takes ages to get to 70C and only really rises to 90 when driving around town on stop-start runs. Is there an easy way to replace the thermostat again without draining the whole thing down?

[fla 9]

i recently replaced the housing and seals etc but it seems the thermostat is stuck open, ie the water takes ages to get to 70C and only really rises to 90 when driving around town on stop-start runs. Is there an easy way to replace the thermostat again without draining the whole thing down?

 

no other option than to drain it down again?