....Or winterizing your diesel Grand Voyager.

I've never liked the way the complicated thermostat worked on my GV diesel, so I fitted a second one in the top radiator hose. The pictures I took are self-explanatory, and it was the quickest, easiest and most successful job I've done on a car in a long time. Not that second thermostats are unknown in vehicles by any means.

Here's "how-to" tips.

1) You can get the watercoolant out of the header tank with one of those cheap little polythene pumps used by caravanners, and by pushing the tube down its throat as 'twere, it's possible to get the coolant level BELOW the level of the job you're doing. So no lost coolant, it can all go back after the job. See picture.
2) I used a thermostat for a Nissan Almeria, this being the smallest I could find. It said "QTH 210" on the box. The watercoolant passage part is as big as a larger 'stat., it's the flange which is smaller. This flange has to be reduced in size by clipping it radially every quarter inch or so with tin-snips, and bending down the metal segments with a pair of strong long-nosed pliers so it becomes a decent fit in the top rubber hose. If you can find a smaller 'stat, good on yer. Grind off any sharp edges so the rubber hose isn't damaged. See picture.
3) When fiitting the 'stat into the rubber hose, you gotta get it the right way round, i.e. the business end which has the wax pellet in the brass tube MUST POINT TOWARD THE ENGINE. That is so that the 'stat can open when the engine coolant gets hot enough. In this case 180*F. You'll not get a perfect seal inside the rubber hose between it and the 'stat, nor do you want one. A minor leak-by will help disperse any air-locks -- which as it happened was not a prob. on mine. Before you do the next thing, put a second Jubilee clip onto the hose. As you push the hose back onto the engine coolant pipe, it conveniently pushes the 'stat just far enough down to do the biz. and get the 'stat in the right place
4) After pushing back the hose onto its engine pipe, tighten the main Jubilee clip as usual. Carefully use the second Jubilee clip to hold the 'stat in place. You can feel with your fingers exactly where the 'stat is inside the rubber. Don't tighten it strongly, you only need it to hold the 'stat in place, and you don't want to cut the rubber, although it's pretty tough.. See picture.
5) Put the watercoolant you took out back where it came from. You won't need to spill a drop.

On test several differences were seen:--
I have a my own block temp. guage on the engine as well as the usual coolant temp. guage. Before the second 'stat, the block temp. guage rose more QUICKLY than the usual one -- this situation was reversed by the second 'stat. Probably showing the watercoolant is heating up quicker.

I'd estimate the engine is warming to correct operating temp. 20 to 30% quicker than before. As diesel drivers know only too well, diesels are very long-winded in the warm-up (and are quite thirsty in the warm-up). This effect of the diesel's high fuel-burning efficiency shows up in winter most of all.

The way the usual temp. guage works has changed. It follows the more normal pattern of slowly rising to a fixed point on the scale, then staying there no matter what. In my case. just below dead-centre. Before the second 'stat fitting, it moved around some.

Money...
1 -- QTH 210 'stat..........£5
1 -- Big Jubilee clip..........Nix, already in stock.
Labor.............................. Nix, a DIY job. Most of my time was spent modifying the 'stat

I will further report on fuel consumption when the data are available.

Leedsman.
n.b. If anyone uses this second 'stat method to get round a regular, complicated, expensive, and labor-intensive 'stat that's jammed open, --- now that would be very naughty, wouldn't it? Saving a couple of hundred quid? Perish the thought.

 

Some of the pix. didn't send. Hopefully they are here...

 

I thought of the idea before I bought mine of Flee-bay that some cars of old had the thermostat inside the hose and not in a housing, but I couldn't remember what car it was. This must have been a smaller unit.
But good try here with result that it works.

 

Old school again Leedsman, I make its opening heat 82°C

Quinton Hazell 210 Thermostat
Opening Heat --- 82 deg C
Size A = Across ring --- 48mm.
Size B = Below ring --- 32.5mm.
Size C = Bottom ring --- 28.5mm

 

Nice one Leedsman. Very naughty but brilliant.

Regards John.

 

Er ...wot?

Leedsman.

 

lkjsd;lsl ijsppsjs ijwdvss POIS pod9rew;o ooasood idr90r[0 oeiwfowo.

 

Sulliman said something like,

Gentlemen do not understand how this website where what to look for. has experts on Chrysler needles were secured in 1992 the prime forum for this model? thank you

 

- did you 'pull' your post to me on voltages, interference and communication protocols ?

 

What's the inside bore on a 2.8 CRD top hose - or does anyone know where there's a schema with dimensions ?

Leedsman, you did yours a week or so ago, 20 to 30% quicker than before is a good result. You fitted a 48mm, the Gates is only 43mm, did you 'sweat' yours in, or was is a slack 'n easy fettle ?