Class III Thermostat Location

[markie61]

OK. All right. Guess what?

My TC40D had been running cool for the first 20 hours I have owned it, so (per the advice of many TBNers) I clamped off the bypass hose and was amazed how the temperature stayed within the middle of the green zone. I even commented that I could see the needle move when the thermostat opened and closed.

Well.....

Today, I ran for over 2 hours and the temp guage was at the bottom of the green zone. I guess the thermostat opened once too often and the pin/ball is keeping it open/w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif.

I haven't yet received my parts/service manuals and I have never replaced a thermostat. I searched the forum to see if someone said where it located, but no luck there.

Can anyone answer: Where is it located - upper or lower hose? Radiator end or engine end? How much coolant will I lose getting it out or unstuck?

Thanks in advance!

Mark

 

[jinman]

It's on the engine where the upper radiator hose attaches. There is a flanged adapter held on the engine with two bolts. I'd drain about a gallon of fluid into a clean container and that should take care of your fluid loss worries. After you finish with the thermostat, you can pour your coolant right back into the radiator. I'd suggest you get a gasket before trying to remove the thermostat. You might get lucky and not ruin the old one, but I wouldn't bet on it. Good luck.

 

[markie61]

Jinman,
Thanks for the tips! I need to call my dealer next week and find out where my manuals are.
Mark

 

[MikePA]

<font color=blue>I need to call my dealer next week and find out where my manuals are.</font color=blue>
I ordered both manuals, Repair and Parts, for my TC25D directly from New Holland. I called the number in the back of the Owner's Manual. I waited weeks. In fact it took them so long, they sent me a post card asking if I still wanted them. Apparently, they wait for enough orders to make a printing run worthwhile, or so I was told. In the end, NH said they no longer printed the parts manual, so all I got was the Repair manuals.

 

[markie61]

Good information to know, MikePA. I negotiated the manuals in with my deal, so they are already paid for. I wish they'd publish them on CD-ROM - it would be nice to have them on my computer and print out pages as I need them. Then when they got all greasy, I could just dispose of them.
Too much to expect?
Mark

 

[RickB]

All good advice here. You need only to free the thermostat pin/ball to allow the stat to close, then orient the stat so the pin/ball is closest to the cylinder head, rather than away from it. The coolant flow is lesser on that side, and it won't stick open again. Buying a new t'stat will get you the same thing all over again. If it is not oriented properly, a new one will stick open, too

 

[markie61]

Thanks, RickB,
I sort-of planned on doing that, but if I can get a free spare, I will. I may try the rivet/hole thing and want an extra if I mess it up. If I got to do the labor, I'm going to do part of it on NH's nickel. Make 'em pay, plus they get the feedback.
Mark

 

[djradz]

Mark, you can check to see if it's stuck without removing the housing Jim is talking about. Just remove the upper hose at the engine and look down in. The thermostat is right there and you'll be able to see if it is partially open. When mine was stuck, the engine never even got into the lower zone - almost stayed at the bottom.

 

[markie61]

Thanks, djradz. Do you lose any coolant doing removing the top hose?

BTW, I think it unstuck itself the day before yesterday, but yesterday it was cool again. I guess the ball sometimes comes loose by itself, but then gets stuck again.

Mark

 

[djradz]

You will loose some coolant. Like J Inman says, drain some out. With the dual drain valve on the right side of the block, this is faily easy. Crack the radiator cap and it will come out quite fast. I'd take out a little less than a gallon to be sure.

I'm a litle suspicious of your's being the problem since with mine, in never warmed up and therefore never became unstuck. The little the t'stat remains cracked when stuck seemed to be enough to keep the engine from getting warm enough for the t'stat to again open and loosen the ball. Again, if you look down the t'stat housing, you'll be able to see. Just use a clean container (rinsed milk jug works great) to put the fluid in and then you'll be able to add it right back when done checking.