Temp Sender Thread

[cjc_td5]

When I removed the mechanical temperature gauge sender unit in the thermostat housing some months ago it provided quite a bit of resistance and ended up piercing the bulb and damaging the thread in the aluminium housing. There is not enough thread to hold the new sender unit.

What are my options?
Would a helicoil work in this situation? (I have not used one before)
Try to build up some metal in the thread area (with solder or similar) and recut a new thread?
Can new (or good second hand) thermostat housings be obtained?

Your thoughts?
Cheers,
Chris

[Grockle]

I'd helicoil it Chris,good luck

[chazza]

Helicoil might work if the proper thread is available for the sender; so would boring it larger and tapping to a bigger size and using a reducer,

Cheers Charlie

[Bigbjorn]

Helicoil might work if the proper thread is available for the sender; so would boring it larger and tapping to a bigger size and using a reducer,

Cheers Charlie

Another alternative. Build up with Devcon metal putty, drill and retap to original size.

[groucho]

I think from memory the thread is 1/2 inch BSP ?
Dunno if you can get BSP helicoils
May be tap it to the next size as chazza sez and use a reducer
Some plumding shops will have the fittings still quite common...Mark

[groucho]

You may have problems removing the housing. Those alloy housing's
become a problen with the bolts rusting. I have had to cut a few off with an grinder as there was no way the bolts would come loose.
Better to tap it to the next size in situ............
I have at least 5 that look like these.
going by the age if these things you may get a surprise..........

[groucho]

Country water......... Good luck...........

[Blknight.aus]

you can ally putty it
araldite will also work if you descale the housing first.

I would try getting it machined to take a larger fitting and fitting a reducer helicoil style but different.

generic helicoils are NOT rated for sealing, mostly they work sometimes they dont. generous servings of loctite 243 or 567 whilst assembling will work just dont sell it on to me afterwards or ask me to get the heicoil out again.

[chris1983rangie]

hi,

never heard about Helicoils, did some reading to add to my brain. Goto say what a clever invention!
also found a good vid demonstration on youtube

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFYa6sjhh_E"]YouTube- How to Repair Threads With A Heli-Coil Insert[/ame]

cheers

Chris

[cjc_td5]

you can ally putty it
araldite will also work if you descale the housing first.

I would try getting it machined to take a larger fitting and fitting a reducer helicoil style but different.

generic helicoils are NOT rated for sealing, mostly they work sometimes they dont. generous servings of loctite 243 or 567 whilst assembling will work just dont sell it on to me afterwards or ask me to get the heicoil out again.

Araldite, there's an interesting option, especially as I have some sitting on the shelf. If it doesn't work I can just drill it out and tap to a larger size and fit a reducer as also suggested.

I am trying to avoid having to remove the housing from the block as I think this will be a pig of a job and will lead to other issues (i.e. busting it). I have not reinstalled the wings and radiator yet so have pretty good access.

Now I have to try and locate some BSP plug taps, especially the full plug tap to cut a thread right down to the shoulder that the sender seats onto.

Cheers,