How NOT to change the thermostat on an S Series DOHC, 91-98
#1
08-11-2019, 11:18 PM
How NOT to change the thermostat on an S Series DOHC, 91-98
Hi,
For as much as I spew forth advice and knowledge about S-cars, you'd THINK I would have changed a thermostat in my 51 Saturn-years of driving.
Nope.
Really fun. Not.
1) make SURE you have a container to drain the coolant into that when the coolant is draining, is high enough in the air relative to the drain to keep from splashing coolant all over your garage floor
2) Don't check ahead of time if the drain cap on said coolant collection device leaks once the level reaches it.
3) Don't check ahead of time if the big top cap on said collection unit leaks when you stand it up to keep it from leaking
4) Spend HOURS trying to piece together some collection of 3/8"extensions, sockets, u-joints that does not include a 0.5" ratchet extension and a Husky 6pt 10mm deep socket, and a high tooth count hand/palm spinner
5) Spend hours trying in vain to start the bottom bolt on the thermostat housing from BELOW the car blind using your non-dominant hand backwards in an opening wide enough for 6 pencils arranged in a hexagonal shape
6) Do not remove the AC from its mounting frame. This gives a reasonable amount of room to work.
6) Don't use anything like a dab of vaseline to keep the gasket in place during installation/
7) Make sure the gasket shift in out of place as you torque it down so you can destroy the gasket, then hunt all over for a replacement.
8) sure you've not checked to ensure the gasket is seated
9) happily start refilling. Ignore.the sound that sounds like coolant hitting the floor. rationalize. keep pouring.
10) Stop pouring. Assess the resuits
11) Listen to the continued deluge of coolant hitting the floor. Take a light and shine it up into the area of draining coolant to ensure you end up with coolant that runs down your arm, into your armpit.
12)Be sure when not putting the AC compressor back to carefully support the 20 lb compressor while getting it both of the easily visible holes at the bottom that become blind holes as soon as you put your hand or a tool near them.
12) Continue to try to insert the bottom bolt from under the car because you had so much success the first time
12) Drop the bottom bolt into a hole in the frame cross member.
12) Spend 1hr contorting your flexible mag retrieval tool into a shape that's it's never supposed to be in, retrieve the bolt, drop it back into the hole while trying to grab it of the magnet, spend 15 finding it again
12) Once retrieved, do not consider re-removing the compressor ==that would be too obvious.
13) work from under the car, shred your forearm getting it in place by hand, put your tool on it, think it's started, remove the tool, and watch it fall into the same damn frame hole as the 1st time --- the odds of which are 1 in 156,762,666.
17) Search in vain for it.
18) go get another bolt
For as much as I spew forth advice and knowledge about S-cars, you'd THINK I would have changed a thermostat in my 51 Saturn-years of driving.
Nope.
Really fun. Not.
1) make SURE you have a container to drain the coolant into that when the coolant is draining, is high enough in the air relative to the drain to keep from splashing coolant all over your garage floor
2) Don't check ahead of time if the drain cap on said coolant collection device leaks once the level reaches it.
3) Don't check ahead of time if the big top cap on said collection unit leaks when you stand it up to keep it from leaking
4) Spend HOURS trying to piece together some collection of 3/8"extensions, sockets, u-joints that does not include a 0.5" ratchet extension and a Husky 6pt 10mm deep socket, and a high tooth count hand/palm spinner
5) Spend hours trying in vain to start the bottom bolt on the thermostat housing from BELOW the car blind using your non-dominant hand backwards in an opening wide enough for 6 pencils arranged in a hexagonal shape
6) Do not remove the AC from its mounting frame. This gives a reasonable amount of room to work.
6) Don't use anything like a dab of vaseline to keep the gasket in place during installation/
7) Make sure the gasket shift in out of place as you torque it down so you can destroy the gasket, then hunt all over for a replacement.
8) sure you've not checked to ensure the gasket is seated
9) happily start refilling. Ignore.the sound that sounds like coolant hitting the floor. rationalize. keep pouring.
10) Stop pouring. Assess the resuits
11) Listen to the continued deluge of coolant hitting the floor. Take a light and shine it up into the area of draining coolant to ensure you end up with coolant that runs down your arm, into your armpit.
12)Be sure when not putting the AC compressor back to carefully support the 20 lb compressor while getting it both of the easily visible holes at the bottom that become blind holes as soon as you put your hand or a tool near them.
12) Continue to try to insert the bottom bolt from under the car because you had so much success the first time
12) Drop the bottom bolt into a hole in the frame cross member.
12) Spend 1hr contorting your flexible mag retrieval tool into a shape that's it's never supposed to be in, retrieve the bolt, drop it back into the hole while trying to grab it of the magnet, spend 15 finding it again
12) Once retrieved, do not consider re-removing the compressor ==that would be too obvious.
13) work from under the car, shred your forearm getting it in place by hand, put your tool on it, think it's started, remove the tool, and watch it fall into the same damn frame hole as the 1st time --- the odds of which are 1 in 156,762,666.
17) Search in vain for it.
18) go get another bolt
Last edited by derf; 08-12-2019 at 06:14 AM.
#3
08-12-2019, 06:18 AM
Added some more above. Still not done.
I usually work abominably slow but get things right the 1st time. I am at a loss to explain 13+ bad decisions and screw ups in a row.
Must be the law of averages catching up with me.
That and I have the manual dexterity of an 8 month old/
I usually work abominably slow but get things right the 1st time. I am at a loss to explain 13+ bad decisions and screw ups in a row.
Must be the law of averages catching up with me.
That and I have the manual dexterity of an 8 month old/
#4
08-12-2019, 07:32 AM
Sounds like a rough day, man. A six pack, a pint or a joint might make you feel better. Or all 3 together! I don't recall ever having that much trouble with anything like that. Electronics? You bet. Things OFTEN go into the garbage can after taking them apart, reassembling and seeing it STILL doesn't work. Start over and take your time. You're not in a race.
#5
08-12-2019, 01:57 PM
If half the posts on saturnfans we're not contradictory about doing it from the top removing the AC compressor and doing it from below, I wouldn't have bothered trying to do it from below. Either way I needed that stupid extra half inch of extension because none of my other tools would fit in the ridiculously tight space it is they were either too short and hit a piece of the frame or too long and hit the radiator. I'll be picking up my $0.79 bolt at home Depot after work after which I will take the AC compressor off and do this the right way, then fill it then burp it and fill it some more then see if it overheats or leaks. Then I'll take the belt off again, so I can run it to see if my timing chain is making noise or if all the racket is coming from the AC compressor what you would think I would just replace right now can I don't have time because I wasted it all on the thermostat
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
sl1turn
General Tech Help
9
09-07-2011 06:34 PM