repair of cast alloy thermostat cover - advice please

[trk]

Hi,
I have an old model subaru wagon and the "neck" of the themostat cover (where the radiator hose fits) has a small hole corroded through.

I am having trouble finding a replacement part and thought perhaps there may be a way to patch the hole.

The patched bit will be covered by the radiator hose when it is reassembled. I would appreciate any advice please.

Thanks
Trevor

 

[beertender]

Hi,
I have an old model subaru wagon and the "neck" of the themostat cover (where the radiator hose fits) has a small hole corroded through.

I am having trouble finding a replacement part and thought perhaps there may be a way to patch the hole.

The patched bit will be covered by the radiator hose when it is reassembled. I would appreciate any advice please.

Thanks
Trevor

Try "JB Weld" (metal dust mixed with epoxy)
clean the hole, mix and fill, sand it down

Different blends available for steel, aluminium.

Available at most old school autoparts stores. Not sure if the discount parts chains have a clue.

zero

 

[Guest]

Try "JB Weld" (metal dust mixed with epoxy)
clean the hole, mix and fill, sand it down

Different blends available for steel, aluminium.

Available at most old school autoparts stores. Not sure if the discount parts chains have a clue.

zero

You betcha! Wouldn't be without it! I'm pretty sure I got my last from NAPA, an 'old school store' in my opinion. I even recently found they had wheel nuts of the old style, sans acorn heads. I had to fix a Hollywood bicycle carrier of stupid design and used said wheel nut inside the frame, because the 1/8" frame threads had stripped out! (I wonder why? Now I can torque the Baja 1.5" carrier in the receiver with 65+ lb-ft (gag, old school ft lb) and it won't wabble at all now!

Long live JB Weld! <grin>
Username munged by FixNews

 

[X-Eliminator]

Just buy a new one. If you can't get a new one, find a Subaru junk yard. If you can't do either, than either weld or apply "JB Weld" to seal the housing and grind off what you don't need.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Try "JB Weld" (metal dust mixed with epoxy)
clean the hole, mix and fill, sand it down

Yup!

I've used it for exactly the fix you need--an MGA (now there was an adventure finding parts!) t-stat cover that not only had a tiny hole, but the mating face had huge corrosion pits the gasket couldn't seal. Great stuff.

Best of luck,

Rick