HI guys,
just thought I would post some words up with regards changing the Stilo JTD Thermostat...
....its EVIL.
What a huge pig of a job. Sure, to look at it, seems reasonable which is why I set about it at 1pm this afternoon. Left an unfinished job at 630pm.
Everything about the job is made as awkward as possible, the hose clips are horrific, the tightness of the hoses and length of the plastic pipes are horrible and despite ALL that, it transpired that in fact you have to remove/loosen most of the EGR from back to front.
Why?
well, on mine the EGR exhaust pipe from the bottom of the egr to the front of the engine has TWO brackets, on eat the rear where you simply CANNOT see it and one at the front...where? YUP, OVER the lower bolt of the thermostat. The thermostat only has two bolts holding it in place, top one is a doddle, bottom one is mean, nasty and downright WHYYYY.
Lets put it this way, despite removing the exhaust bit both ends (which is a pig as it is) and loosening the egr before that, the amount of movement you have to get the egr exhaust bracket away so you can remove the thermostat is about as minimal as you can imagine. How did I do it? I got a screw driver and a hammer, and BEAT THE HELL out of the bracket to flatten it as best I could - then I had difficulty wiggling the long reach 13mm socket in over the bracket bolt onto the thermostat bolt to get it out.
THEN, getting the thing out is just a marvel of badness. The pipes are short and awkward at the back, ok at the front, VERY tight to remove and those host clips MY GOD WHY??
so, horrible job I regret starting but on the flip side im glad I didn't take it to a garage because although its the first time ive done it on this car I can see even an experienced mechanic would still have difficulty - its in the design.
SO, I have removed the thermostat, fitted my new one with new hose clips but I need two more, one for the big pipe at the front and one for a very awkward pipe where the clip came undone.
evil job.
just thought I would post some words up with regards changing the Stilo JTD Thermostat...
....its EVIL.
What a huge pig of a job. Sure, to look at it, seems reasonable which is why I set about it at 1pm this afternoon. Left an unfinished job at 630pm.
Everything about the job is made as awkward as possible, the hose clips are horrific, the tightness of the hoses and length of the plastic pipes are horrible and despite ALL that, it transpired that in fact you have to remove/loosen most of the EGR from back to front.
Why?
well, on mine the EGR exhaust pipe from the bottom of the egr to the front of the engine has TWO brackets, on eat the rear where you simply CANNOT see it and one at the front...where? YUP, OVER the lower bolt of the thermostat. The thermostat only has two bolts holding it in place, top one is a doddle, bottom one is mean, nasty and downright WHYYYY.
Lets put it this way, despite removing the exhaust bit both ends (which is a pig as it is) and loosening the egr before that, the amount of movement you have to get the egr exhaust bracket away so you can remove the thermostat is about as minimal as you can imagine. How did I do it? I got a screw driver and a hammer, and BEAT THE HELL out of the bracket to flatten it as best I could - then I had difficulty wiggling the long reach 13mm socket in over the bracket bolt onto the thermostat bolt to get it out.
THEN, getting the thing out is just a marvel of badness. The pipes are short and awkward at the back, ok at the front, VERY tight to remove and those host clips MY GOD WHY??
so, horrible job I regret starting but on the flip side im glad I didn't take it to a garage because although its the first time ive done it on this car I can see even an experienced mechanic would still have difficulty - its in the design.
SO, I have removed the thermostat, fitted my new one with new hose clips but I need two more, one for the big pipe at the front and one for a very awkward pipe where the clip came undone.
evil job.