MX5Ireland

We were spinnin around today and saw steam coming thro headlight opening. Too dark and late to start stripping but leak seems to be comming from a small fitting on bottom of housing. There is a small rubber hose coming from the housing and what looks like a steel tube pressed into it.
Im away to Cork so wont get a chance to sort it till wednesday.
Did anyone have this problem before???? If so do i need to replace the thermostat housing and if so, has anyone got a spare for a few sheckles like????

Sean.

I had a similar problem recently, you could try to plug the leak with some JB Weld, I ended up replacing the thermostat housing instead. If your going to replace the housing you need to take the timing belt off as well.


g

Made up a new t-piece with some 8mm(5/16) copper tubing. Soldered for now but will make up a new one that will be brazed.(stronger). Easy to do, just cut the piping the correct lengths and drill one 7 to 8 mm hole and join. I have the "luxury" of a Lathe to turn down the end that goes into the Thermostat Housing but a good fine file will do. It must be a tight clearance fit...ie, it must be hammered in with copious amounts of Loctite 571 Hydraulic Sealant. Problem was caused by bad coolant, it was on the to do list to replace it.
T-piece was rotten from the inside out so anyone who has'nt changed their coolant in the last few years do so asap to avoid this problem, lucky it did'nt end up with a head gasket blown.

Sean