I've been searching for the source of a coolant leak on my 200tdi and I think I've tracked it down to the joint between the thermostat housing and the cylinder head. Does anyone know if it is possible to remove the thermostat housing without removing the timing belt cover first ?
Id change the bolts at the same time, there notorious for snapping.
I've prittey much replaced all bolts now with stainless Allen head bolts. Just the simple things that makes jobs so much easyer, example, fuel pump housing with the four silly flat head screws.. So much easyer with Allen head, all my thermostat housing now Allen head. Is say nearly all my suspension is with Allen bolts now.
years of undoing nuts and bolts ,and the wider the head the better
Ok. I've found Allen head to work good for me anyway. Most of the offroad parts specialists that build or suply parts for comp trucks use Allen head on their shock mounts and relocation brackets etc etc. I've had no head or bolt shear as yet and prob not for many year to come, I understand what ya mean about wider head but everything gets a washer anyway so brings it up to the same size as a normal head if that's how you meant it?
I fricking hate Allen bolts aswell, only useful on pushbikes
not quite ,an allen key has a small diameter for bolt size ,you can shear the head of a std bolt ut not an allen screw head or tool will fail first,they are used not for any practical reason unless head space is limited but to give appearance of a tech solution
Oops deleted it james I understand what ya mean but specialists are suplying and using them and I've had no problems and just personally prefer them but I get what your saying!