All this trouble over the thermostat?!

[kaltenacht]

Ok first off this is going to be a kinda rant, because I am HIGHLY pissed off right now. But I do actually have a question. But anyway, I finally got my accord back on the road, and have been driving it for the only 1 day. I havent changed the thermostat since I've had the car so I figured I might want to do that before it gets stuck shut. So being the perfectionist that I am, I buy all the necessary parts. Top Rad Hose, a new thermo housing cause the old one was in bad condition, thermostat itself, and the gaskets. I come rollin in my driveway, put the car in the garage, and proceed with taking everything apart. Bought' the time I pulled the top rad hose off I started to notice some extra silicone around the bottom bolt for the thermo housing. I dont really think anything of it so I take the top bolt out and put the socket on the bottom one, when BAM the bottom head of the bolt FALLS off, revealing a BROKEN bolt. So I pry the housing off to see the damage, when I notice the shaft of the bolt is still stuck in the threads for the water outlet.
My Question:
So what am I to do about this? Is there any other way to take the shaft out without drilling it out and tapping the hole? Is the water outlet able to come off where ever it is attached to?
But back to the story... It gets better, So i decide to move along and atleast put the thermostat in, which actually works with the gasket. Then I notice that the thermostat housing I bought, DOES NOT MATCH THE OLD ONE. As a matter of fact it is NOTHING like the one I bought, but I know it is the one that is called for by the Autozone computer. Well, I clean up the old one and put it back on using the same method the other before me used, with the silicone. So then I go to put on the new rad hose I bought. Well guess what? TO FUCKING SHORT. So now I have to use the old rad hose. As of right now, my car is sitting in my garage with a busted ass water outlet that will probably leak, and on top of that I dont have another car to drive until I get this one fixed. Well, not for atleast a couple of days, but I do have to work so that aint gonna work now is it?

[kaltenacht]

Ok first off this is going to be a kinda rant, because I am HIGHLY pissed off right now. But I do actually have a question. But anyway, I finally got my accord back on the road, and have been driving it for the only 1 day. I havent changed the thermostat since I've had the car so I figured I might want to do that before it gets stuck shut. So being the perfectionist that I am, I buy all the necessary parts. Top Rad Hose, a new thermo housing cause the old one was in bad condition, thermostat itself, and the gaskets. I come rollin in my driveway, put the car in the garage, and proceed with taking everything apart. Bought' the time I pulled the top rad hose off I started to notice some extra silicone around the bottom bolt for the thermo housing. I dont really think anything of it so I take the top bolt out and put the socket on the bottom one, when BAM the bottom head of the bolt FALLS off, revealing a BROKEN bolt. So I pry the housing off to see the damage, when I notice the shaft of the bolt is still stuck in the threads for the water outlet.
My Question:
So what am I to do about this? Is there any other way to take the shaft out without drilling it out and tapping the hole? Is the water outlet able to come off where ever it is attached to?
But back to the story... It gets better, So i decide to move along and atleast put the thermostat in, which actually works with the gasket. Then I notice that the thermostat housing I bought, DOES NOT MATCH THE OLD ONE. As a matter of fact it is NOTHING like the one I bought, but I know it is the one that is called for by the Autozone computer. Well, I clean up the old one and put it back on using the same method the other before me used, with the silicone. So then I go to put on the new rad hose I bought. Well guess what? TO FUCKING SHORT. So now I have to use the old rad hose. As of right now, my car is sitting in my garage with a busted ass water outlet that will probably leak, and on top of that I dont have another car to drive until I get this one fixed. Well, not for atleast a couple of days, but I do have to work so that aint gonna work now is it?

Ohhhh k, after doing somemore research after I cooled down a little bit I found the answer to my question... Yes, I can detach the Thermostat Housing. I was looking through the shop manual and found it. It looks like it is attached to the block. So guess tomorrow Im going to call the ol Honda dealer and order me a new one, along with a damn top radiator hose and a thermostat housing outlet if the price is right... Damn I feel so right now...

[A20A1]

I have complete thermostat housings for both EFI and carb... you can unscrew any of the studs in the head if you need to.

[shepherd79]

YOu can just go visit your local junkyard and get it from there or cheap. A lot cheapper than your Honda dealer would sell it to you.

the other thing, when you get new housing don't you any silicone on the thermostat. that is what rubber gasket is for. make sure you have new rubber gasket and it will work just fine.

[kaltenacht]

I have complete thermostat housings for both EFI and carb... you can unscrew any of the studs in the head if you need to.

Damn, I wish I would have read that an hour ago before I went to Honda. But its ok though, cheaper than I thought It would be... The thermostat housing (that one that mounts to the block) cost me 51.51 after tax, next day shipping. And the Water outlet Studs cost me 2.18 after tax, next day was well.

YOu can just go visit your local junkyard and get it from there or cheap. A lot cheapper than your Honda dealer would sell it to you.
the other thing, when you get new housing don't you any silicone on the thermostat. that is what rubber gasket is for. make sure you have new rubber gasket and it will work just fine.

Yes, I tried calling my local junkyard, but they wanted me to drive up there because they had four different types of thermostat housings for our cars. I would have driven up there but, the junkyard I use is in Moorseville NC, and I live in Hickory, NC. If your fimilar with the area you will know its probably close to 100 miles away I'd say. So I didnt want to chance going all the way up there and them not even having the right one to begin with... About the silicone, since I dont have the bottom stud to tighten up the water outlet, do you think it will leak? Cause thats why I put the silicone back around the outlet.

Thanks for the replies though, im getting ready to go outside and pull it all apart. FUN!

[kaltenacht]

About the silicone, since I dont have the bottom stud to tighten up the water outlet, do you think it will leak? Cause thats why I put the silicone back around the outlet.

Quick reply, i went outside after words and started her up, and she didnt leak, but the antifreeze seeped through the silicone and it over heated. So I answered my own question again!

[kaltenacht]

Ok, so check this mess out. I went to Honda as mentioned and bought the thermostat housing. Well I went home and spent almost 3 hours trying to get to the bottom bolt on the thermostat housing but couldnt get it off. I tried everything I could think of, but I just couldnt get to it. So I finally, out of pure luck, managed to get the broken shaft out of the threaded piece on the thermostat housing, which was my problem to begin with. So I got everything back together and its works great now.

So now Im stuck with a new thermostat housing, that I dont want to return to Honda cause there is a 20% restocking fee. So I figured I would just keep it and put it on the engine Im going to rebuild. So all in all I guess its a win win sit, huh? But thanks for all the help