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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - What sort of Heat?

Hi all,
Mk 3 midget.

My thermostat cover has bonded itself to the studs and refuses to budge, despite " gentle" bashing, buckets of Plus Gas releasing fluid and lots of swearing.
I guess my only other option is Heat.

So, my question is:
I have a Hot air gun ( used for paint stripping etc) is that going to be Hot enough, or should I use a Blow torch?
Cheers chaps
Colin
colin frowen

I would normally use a blow lamp.

Do you have enough stud protruding to enable the 2-nut method to loosen or remove the studs?
Dave O'Neill 2

Colin,
have you tried to break the integrity of the gasket with something (offer it a tenner), I carefully use a blunt wood chisel. Keeping the bottom of the blade against the cylinder head, gently tap the chisel around (as much as you can) the gasket, particularly at the studs. I find this deforms the exposed gasket side and the wedge shape of the chisel head lifts the stat housing.

Obviously be careful to to scratch or damage the cylinder head or stat housing with the chisel.

With your mallet hitting alternate between blows above and below to see-saw the housing off and up the studs.

I've never know PlusGas to fail if left long enough.

Only recently I thought I'd look clever by getting a stud out the same night rather than letting the PlusGas soak at least overnight - I broke the stud, luckily leaving enough to 'Super Wrench' it out.

Oh, and this was the heater tap studs that my mate couldn't get out when he'd applied heat to it - of course "he must have loosened them first". :)

Nigel Atkins

One method I use sometimes works - place a bit of wood or tube into the hose spout and rock the cover gently. Once a small gap opens on the opposite side to the spout, insert a thin screwdriver in the gap and continue rocking while levering with the screwdriver.
Chris at Octarine Services

Chris makes a good point of using a wooden lever 'up the spout', I used to use a screwdriver too but moved on to the blunt wood chisel instead when the gaskets were so thin the screwdriver was less effective.

When replacing I'm considering a layer of Hymolar Hylotyte Red 100 on one or both sides of the stat gasket as it's not setting so may make future removal of the gasket at least easier. I've given up on the Klingersil gaskets as it does cling to the head and housing which you then have to abrase(?) off and if using Red 100 might as well used (better quality) ordinary paper gasket.

I've found Red 100 seals against (4-Life) coolant where the Blue didn't.
Nigel Atkins

Hi Colin,

From my experience I tried as much heat as I could with a blow lamp but it did take me an age to get the housing off. Remember using all manner of levers to get it moving. Then tried to remove the bolts instead.

The first two eventually came out with heat and WD40 left overnight, but and still couldn't get the last bolt out, but with the other two out the cover came off.

The last bolt ended up snapping so I had to very carefully drill out the stub and then used the tap and die set to re-thread the hole. Bought three new bolts and thankfully it worked out ok, but I was really worried whilst drilling.

Such an effort for what seemed a straight forward job.

Good luck!

James






James Paul

Thinking about it, what was more odd was the lack of a thermostat!



James Paul

I have had to destroy them to get them off in the past

To do this I use a BFH (2kg) and a sharpened chisel to break it up between the studs. even then the front stud can take some persuading to start rotating. anti seize is your friend on assembly

BTW standard WD-40 is absolutely the wrong thing to use as a penetrating oil, it is a water displacement (WD) spray and is absolutely useless as a penetrating oil, other products are MUCH better here. the brand seems to have expanded to other products here, like brake cleaner, but standard WD-40 has no use for me
Dominic Clancy

I slightly expanded the holes in the housing with a 8.5 mm drill to give a bit more clearance to the stud and then used copper slip. It comes off far more easily now.
Bob Beaumont

I did the same as Bob, but I didn’t drill all the way through. I left about 1/4” at the top, so that it still aligned properly.

If a stud breaks, you can often weld a nut to the bit that remains and the heat also helps to free it.
Dave O'Neill 2

Something for me to look forward to when I start on the engine after the body restoration 🤪
Yojic

Use Plus Gas penetrating fluid over few days; as Dominic says WD40 is a water dispersant, not a penetrating fluid.. Try the gentle knock with the hide side of a copper hide hammer/wooden block or wedge emojis mentioned above. Also try tightening and loosening the nuts on top of the studs. If that does not work, cut off the thermostat housing with a hacksaw (make sure you have a good quality replacement housing to hand first).

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

PlusGas and patience has always worked for me, the patience is more important I think than the absolute brand of a good penetrating/ releasing fluid - which standard WD-40 isn't.

Colin,
leave the PlusGas to soak in at least overnight, if after this it doesn't then repeat - put a drop more on and leave to soak for at least overnight again. I've never had it fail and I can't remember ever needing more than two days of soaking and trying - let the chemicals do the hard work.
Nigel Atkins

RE: WD40

I'm not saying it is the best, but to say it isn't a penetrating fluid is wrong.

A QUESTION OF LUBRICATION

Myth: WD-40® Multi-Use Product is not really a lubricant.

Fact: While the “W-D” in WD-40® stands for Water Displacement, WD-40® Multi-Use Product is a unique, special blend of lubricants. The product’s formulation also contains anti-corrosion agents and ingredients for penetration, water displacement and soil removal.

Source: https://www.wd40.com/myths-legends-fun-facts/

James Paul

Personally I didn't say ordinary/standard WD40 wasn't a penetrating/releasing fluid I (always) put it wasn't a good one, that might be a matter of degrees but for a proper job you want the proper product.

WD40 Company also has 3-in-1 and GT85 and other brands and labels.

Nigel Atkins

Just a tip for people in the future - use Loctite stud locker on the coarse stat stud threads when fitting - this will stop the water seeping up the threads and into the housing.

Chris at Octarine Services

James. Yes, the WD 40 has some minor lubrication qualities. But, over a thirty year span of examining precision machinery that has, from time to time, been "lubricated" by people using WD 40 instead of a better lubricant, I do not use WD 40 myself. There are better moisture displacing lubricants for the specialty markets (i.e. ones that perform equally as well as WD 40 and do not, over time, dry up and leave a sticky, non-lubrication residue), and there are any number of better lubricants than WD 40. The single best penetrating oil I have found is Zepp Restore, but PB Blaster is also good as are some of the home made products such as ATF mixed with Acetone. By the way, ATF is a much superior lubricant when compared to WD 40, but, then, almost anything is.

Les
Les Bengtson

The WD40 range has expanded from the original product.

For penetrating fluid see - https://www.wd40.com/products/penetrating-oil/
Chris at Octarine Services

Ah, marketing, a USA specialty, the rebranded stuff, called somefink different in the UK may well be good but I don't no idea, what was it called before WD Company 'acquired' it. Sometime in the future the Donald's friends may well sell it to this island as a cure for all manner of aliments. Gawd bless corporate America.
Nigel Atkins

In the past (on a Mini) I found a piece of thin wall tube that a stud would fit snugly inside, filed 'teeth' into the end of it and and ran it down the studs much like a hole saw.
Chewed through the alloy corrosion and crud a treat, with the occasional re-sharpening.
G Hawkins

This thread was discussed between 05/08/2020 and 07/08/2020

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