yet another horror to behold 1998 GP GT

[worb4me]

I‘m just guessing. Bolt hole got stripped. Thermostat housing was cemented to engine with metal putty. Once I decide to pull that all apart, truing the mating part of the engine with a file is largely a pipe dream. Maybe that would work with an intervening gasket.I have a few other crazy ideas but I figure I'd just ask.

[digitaloutsider]

So they stripped the bolt hole out and shoved it full of JB Weld?

[Psych0matt]

Sounds reasonable

[Imp558]

I hate to say it but you may be further ahead to get a new LIM, probably wouldn't be a bad idea to know how old the LIM gaskets and plenum are anyway.

Otherwise you need to file or grind that bolt flat, centerpunch the middle of the bolt and drill it out / tap the hole. If that doesn't go well most auto parts stores carry helicoil kits for a few bucks.

[worb4me]

Yeah all that. Wasn't positive that the therm housing bolted to the lim, but suspected it. I just moments ago threaded a spark plug chaser into the seemingly JB welded broken off piece of elbow. Got to find my tap wrench or borrow one in hopes of pulling it out (I can only pray at this point with the broken coolant elbow). I'm not particularly hopeful though, puppy is in there tight. In the end I'll probably wins up carving it out shaving by shaving

This week if it kills me. Then once the new elbow is installed I can see if there any overheating and scope out that code with my new cheapo scanner. Stay tuned . . .

[Imp558]

If there's something to grab heat the area with a torch and let it cool a couple times, then put some penetrating oil on it (let it sit) and twist it out with vise grips.

[Padgett]

Thought the series II had a two bolt water neck and the '90 was the last one bolt & O-ring. Is that a one bolt ?

[worb4me]

If there's something to grab heat the area with a torch and let it cool a couple times, then put some penetrating oil on it (let it sit) and twist it out with vise grips.

Only if I remove the piece from the car, which is possible at this point, just would have to remove the hose clamps. I may have to go that way. The chaser is acting like a reamer, shaving off the ID. Ain't much to grab though. I bought a small serrated parong knife from wally world for 1.24$. May have to cut out a section and pry off with an xacto blade. We'll see.

[worb4me]

Thought the series II had a two bolt water neck and the '90 was the last one bolt & O-ring. Is that a one bolt ?

That's my guess. It hadn't occurred to me that the bolt shank was still in there. That's good news if so as I won't have to retap a new hole, just true the mating surfaces which is hardship enough.

[Imp558]

Just take out the bolt that's holding and twist the housing back and forth a bit, it shouldn't take much to break JB Weld from something like that. I can't believe it's holding thus far.

 

The L36 and L67 use both a gasket and a rubber ring thing, the guys at the auto parts store will always just give me the gasket until I tell them the rubber ring should be there too.