Topping up coolant

As per previous post, I need to top up my coolant and possibly change my thermostat. Are the rubber bung thingies easy to get out? The one on my thermostat housing has been changed for a bolt and may very well have it's own problems when I undo it but what about the rubber ones, do they come out easy without breaking? Socket or spanner? I see it has a big slot in it too. I just sense this could be one of those little things that causes big hassle - like for those of you who tried to take the plastic drain screw out of the sedimentor and bust it.....

Cheers
Rich

The plugs are plastic and can be removed with either a socket or ring spanner, if the plug is damaged then replace with a 1/2" BSP brass plug they around £1.40 from plumbing hardware shops in the uk, plus an O ring to suit. Similar are sold on Ebay but cost a bit more.

My plastic rad plug is ok but this is one I have just in case

Ta very much! Mind you, there's nowt in Spain for £1.20 - I just got charged over 21 euros for a thermostat ffs! :censored:

sp33der said:

Ta very much! Mind you, there's nowt in Spain for £1.20 - I just got charged over 21 euros for a thermostat ffs! :censored:

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Pop down to your local Brico (DIY) shop and get half inch radiator blanks.

Cheers
Dave

Ah, nice one Dave, ta

Even rad blanks cost more

Brico.be - Bouchon M 1/2"

What size spanner or socket is needed for the plastic bung? I haven't got one to fit.
Cheers
Rich

I'm about to drop off the page, anybody? I have limited tools here and don't have a spanner or socket that size. It's not a 20mm or a 22mm but there are no 21mm spanners in the shop - is it an imperial size?
cheers

sp33der said:

I'm about to drop off the page, anybody? I have limited tools here and don't have a spanner or socket that size. It's not a 20mm or a 22mm but there are no 21mm spanners in the shop - is it an imperial size?
cheers

Click to expand...

Hi mate, what I found is, assuming we are talking about the black plastic plugs in the top of the thermostat housing and the rad; they don't unscrew so I gently attacked them with a lump hammer and small cold chisel.

Brutal yes; effective yes.

Dave

Sorry took so long to replay but have been out all day off-road in my mates new truck, lanes, tracks, boulders, rocks, rivers and mud - blôody marvelous

sp33der said:

I'm about to drop off the page, anybody? I have limited tools here and don't have a spanner or socket that size. It's not a 20mm or a 22mm but there are no 21mm spanners in the shop - is it an imperial size?
cheers

Click to expand...

Yup it's 21mm.

and the chances are - it will snap - replace it with a household radiator drain valve - same thread, but allows to to bleed the system hot or cold .

Ok, are the thermostat housing bleed screw and the radiator bleed screw (ie the 2 plastic or brass plugs) both supposed to be the same size?

sp33der said:

Ok, are the thermostat housing bleed screw and the radiator bleed screw (ie the 2 plastic or brass plugs) both supposed to be the same size?

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Yes mate, on a std car they are the same size.

Hmmmm, ok,cheers Dave, on mine, the thermostat one is much smaller. When I changed the thermostat I cleaned up the housing and saw what I thought was corrosion around the outside threaded hole as it seemed to be cratered or concave and there's just a plain bolt around 10 or 10mm bunged in there with 2 homemade cut-out bits of rubber as a seal....it's the one I put a pic of on here last week. I think someone's filled it with filler, drilled and tapped it, ie bodged it. Not convinced it's air tight. Anyone got a thermostat housing to flog?