Here's a photo of the new part for those interested.

Looking much happier now.

LOT of "instant gasket.." used there,
AND a generic jubilee clip..,

NOT a FIAT job then,
Charlie

While the instant gasket is perhaps a bit heavy, it's pretty standard practice.

And the generic jubilee clip is far preferable to those damn clips FIAT use...

EJ192 said:

Here's a photo of the new part for those interested.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the update. Sorry for the thread resurrection, but how much did this fix cost? Our 2010, 51k mile 1.2 has just started weeping from the same place.

SiliconS said:

Thanks for the update. Sorry for the thread resurrection, but how much did this fix cost? Our 2010, 51k mile 1.2 has just started weeping from the same place.

Click to expand...

Just shy of £82.

SiliconS said:

Thanks for the update. Sorry for the thread resurrection, but how much did this fix cost? Our 2010, 51k mile 1.2 has just started weeping from the same place.

Click to expand...

Mine cost me the price of the part and £2 for a pack of jubilee clips. In terms of ease, this really is an easy job. Disconnect battery, take tray out and take the pipes off and take the stat off and put the new one on. No need for sealant IMHO. My original stat hadn't leaked any coolant from the seal and the new one hasn't either. Personally I wouldn't add anything to the equation that doesn't need to be added.

Thank you both. I think I'll tackle this myself, but I'll use a new gasket with some Hylomar or something. It's weeping coolant but I don't yet know whether it's from the thermostat joint, a cracked plastic insert or the pipe. I'd rather be prepared for a leaking gasket and have a new one standing by as I fit the new housing.

Can you recall how much coolant the system needed? I'll order the correct stuff but S4P only sell the coolant in 1l bottles. Where's a better place to buy it?

Change the stat, don't put the deal on. If it leaks from the seal I'll PayPal you £5, that's how confident I am that it's leaking from the plastic

306maxi said:

If it leaks from the seal I'll PayPal you £5, that's how confident I am that it's leaking from the plastic

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lol You're on!

Where did you buy your coolant? Did you use the correct Paraflu Up or some other OAT pink stuff? And did you buy it in 1 litre bottles? The system apparently needs around 2.25 litres of it.

I bought mine from S4p and got battery water from Halfords. Didn't lose a huge amount changing the stat tbh.

Paraflu UP mixed with 50% distilled water will last at least 5 years...
So just buy a few 1 liter bottles from any Fiat/Iveco/Alfa/Lancia dealer, and you'll be fine for a long time...

Thanks for those replies.
I had very little free time yesterday so in the end to allow my wife to get to work today I bought non-Paraflu OAT coolant from EuroCarParts along with the more expensive of their two thermostat housings and did the job last night. All the info I could find online suggested that Paraflu is just branded OAT coolant and that any equivalent pink stuff would work just as well. I'll let you all know if the engine grenades itself as a consequence in the next few years. (One clue of potential issues that I'll watch out for is discolouration of the coolant. The five year-old stuff came out perfectly clean.)

Replacing the thermostat wasn't too difficult. The hardest parts were working out how to disconnect the original hose clamps, disconnecting the sensor, and getting the pipes off the housing. My wife's gone off to work without any problems and all is harmonious in our household again.

The original paraflu is meant to look like red cordial. Mine was an orangey colour when I did mine.

I will change my coolant when I do the water pump

ahmett said:

yes my car needs a top up of coolant about once every 2 months. has been doing this since new, and it speeds up a bit during the summer.

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Always wanted to ask about this - iv'e got the same thing with my 2010, 1.4 - my Fiat dealership's garage said its ok and adding a bit every 2-3 months is normal on these cars, but should follow to see if its getting worse, i also can't find any leak under or inside the engine bay.

Never had the water pump replaced tho i did the timing belt 15,000km ago - the waterpump was still in good condition.

liav24 said:

Always wanted to ask about this - iv'e got the same thing with my 2010, 1.4 - my Fiat dealership's garage said its ok and adding a bit every 2-3 months is normal on these cars, but should follow to see if its getting worse, i also can't find any leak under or inside the engine bay.

Never had the water pump replaced tho i did the timing belt 15,000km ago - the waterpump was still in good condition.

Click to expand...

Have the cooling system pressurized at a good workshop.
If it holds up enough during about 5-10 minutes, just live with it...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal...tector-15PC-/221807225176?hash=item33a4bda958

liav24 said:

Never had the water pump replaced tho i did the timing belt 15,000km ago - the waterpump was still in good condition.

Click to expand...

False economy on an interference engine.

Thanks, nice set
They did checked the headgasket pressure few months ago at the dealership and told me it was fine with no leak.

zanes - do you mean i should change the water pump too?
It was only 68K km when i did the timing belt.

liav24 said:

Thanks, nice set
They did checked the headgasket pressure few months ago at the dealership and told me it was fine with no leak.

zanes - do you mean i should change the water pump too?
It was only 68K km when i did the timing belt.

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yes but since the water pump is only 20 euros or so and changing the timing belt means you need to get down there anyway, might as well do the water pump = )

ahmett said:

yes but since the water pump is only 20 euros or so and changing the timing belt means you need to get down there anyway, might as well do the water pump = )

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Exactly. Not unknown for water pumps to shed impellor blades or, more seriously, seize and shred the cambelt.

ahmett said:

yes but since the water pump is only 20 euros or so and changing the timing belt means you need to get down there anyway, might as well do the water pump = )

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I wish it was 20 euros over here, its about 300$ to do the timing belt without water pump (recommended dealership), and with the pump it will be about 450$, i'm guessing its because if the work