Hello Fiat Forum

Firstly if this has been covered before i apologize. My thermostat is seized closed so purchased a new housing/stat unit.

My question is do i need to use a sealant or will the card gasket provided be good enough.

Many Thanks

Card will do it, but I like to put a little blue hylomar each side, too. For one thing, it helps keep the gasket in place.

Thanks for that.

Yep.
Hylomar Blue is great stuff.
As well as on the gasket faces, use it on the hose joints too.
It will make it easier to slide on and also seal that slight weep that would have you over-tightening the Jubilee clips.

Thanks for your advice guys. Can't seem to find anywhere local that sells blue hylomar so i was thinking of using a little Granville sealant. Should be ok does the same thing.
I'm testing the waters with this job. I suspect that the failed thermostat may have damaged the head gasket.

I drained the cooling system which seemed to be filled with chocolate milkshake and reverse flushed the system. This surprising got the thermostat partially working. She'll warm up to 80-90 on idle, but every so often the blowers will start to cool and the temperature go's up to 100-110. A rev of the engine will drop back it back down to 80-90 and the blowers will start to blow warm again

Hopefully once the thermostat arrives I can replace it and fill with fresh 50/50 and everything will be ok.

forfiatsake said:

Thanks for your advice guys. Can't seem to find anywhere local that sells blue hylomar so i was thinking of using a little Granville sealant. Should be ok does the same thing.

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"Granville" is a make rather than a specific product.
They make many different sealants, only one of which would be suitable.

http://www.granvilleoil.com/product_info.php?prod_id=51

I'm sure you can find Hylomar Blue local to you though.
http://www.granvilleoil.com/product_info.php?prod_id=53

forfiatsake said:

... but every so often the blowers will start to cool and the temperature go's up to 100-110. A rev of the engine will drop back it back down to 80-90 and the blowers will start to blow warm again

Click to expand...

Cold heater + hot engine would point to a lack of circulation.
Possibly coolant pump slipping or a blockage.

Sorry should of been more precise. The link you posted is the product i poorly described

I may check my local parts store again to see if they're got blue hylomar back in stock.
Still waiting on the Thermostat from Poland

David C said:

Cold heater + hot engine would point to a lack of circulation.
Possibly coolant pump slipping or a blockage.

Click to expand...

Very true there could be a blockage or the impeller could be failing in the pump despite that it turns freely.

i'm not super fussed if I've got to replace the water pump as its only £21 for a new one. I wouldn't be surprised if i have to replace the radiator too but again its cheap at only £14.

The car had been stood on a farm only covering 2000 miles in the last 10 years and considering everything under the bonnet looks original its likely i'll be replacing a few parts.

Thanks again

Is it a Cinq or a Sei?
The Sei has a valve on the heater, so it is crucial that the heat is on full when draining, refilling and bleeding the coolant.
It can also take a while to get a proper constant flow from the bleed points.
So you could have an air lock too.

Its a Cinq. I've been using the bleed screw by the washer bottle and made sure the heater was set to hot.

I will be flushing the system again when i replace the Stat as it's still dirty and the pipes feel a little crunchy when i squeeze them.

Thanks again

Just finished changing the thermostat. Everything "seems" to be fine. Took her for a drive in heavy stop start traffic and she never went past 100.
There was enough rusty sandy crap in catch pan to build a small castle. Filled with 50\50 mix bled the system job done ? only time will tell but for now I got my cinq back.

forfiatsake said:

Its a Cinq. I've been using the bleed screw by the washer bottle and made sure the heater was set to hot.

Click to expand...

You NEED to bleed from both bleed points, do the one near the washer bottle first, that gets any air stuck in the rad out only though.. then do the one on the bulkhead after. Gravity alone will bleed the rad but you either need to run the engine or apply pressure to the system from the fill cap to bleed the other one.

I have always just blown on the expansion tank and opened the screw and kept blowing until i get a nice stream without any bubbles and put the screw back in.... Possibly not correct method but thats how i did it for 10 years of cento ownership and many car and i have never had any airlock issues.. That way you don't even have to start the car and zero chances of scalding yourself with hot water. But after run the car upto temp and let it return to fully cold and recheck the water level and top up as required.

blu73 said:

You NEED to bleed from both bleed points, do the one near the washer bottle first, that gets any air stuck in the rad out only though.. then do the one on the bulkhead after.

Click to expand...

He may not have the bulkhead bleed screw. Mine doesn't.

ah right yeah, i always forget some 899s don't have that one, pretty sure all sportings do. My first ever cento was a black 899 - had loads since but that was the only 899 i ever had, and i was young and stupid then.

Cheers Guys searched the bulkhead and did a real good check tracing the system. I'm almost possitive i only have one bleed screw. blu73 I thought I was the only person crazy enough to give my expansion tank a blow job LOL
Good new is i've done two 22 mile tips now 11 miles on motorway and 11 mile stop start traffic return on the parralell A-road. Even at 85 "KPH wink wink" she didn't go past 80 degrees. On the return journey I stayed in 5th 30-40mph purpose and hit 95-100 degrees while stationary for about 5 minutes.

I think i'm in the clear for now NEXT JOB all 4 trailing arm bushes "oh joy"

They are boxed up and ready for posting monday morning