[MID FL CAP]

Hello,I removed the thermastat,and broke 3 out of four bolts in the process.I was able to heat 2 of them up and the were removed with a great deal of power.The third one would not move ,so I cut it off and drilled it out with a small drill bit,BUT I went to far and went thru the block,I think.The question is ,did I really do a lot off damage by goning to far with the drill dit?Is there a water jacket behind that ,or what,I do'nt know for sure? Could I put a little J B weld in it and then the bolt,with some anti-seize on it then the gasket and call it good,or a nother course of action reqired? Hope some small fix-it or major job? At any rate the t-stats were shot,so I was doing something right by inspecting them before heading for blue water!! THANK YOU for your help in advance!!!Ray.

[MID FL CAP]

Note To Self And Others.i Used Heavy Force With Vise Gripes,was Able To Take Two Out That Way,with Help From Penertrating Oil.the Other One's: I Hade To Use Heat (a Cutting Tourch) It Helped Alot. The Last One Could Not Get It To Move No Matter What,cut It Off,and Drilled It Out And Then Re-taped It.put All New Bolts Back In It With Some Pipe Dope,new T-stats ,gaskets,everything Working Fine.

[mcbassin]

You might also note great care should be taken when heating that aluminum, it is very easy to get it too hot fast then things can go bad in a hurry.

[rodbolt]

gotta love heat
at 6ft and and amazing 140 pounds I am a special scarecrow, I aint scared of fire.
lots of old saltwater yammies here with 1/4X20 bolts holding the t-stst housing in place though.
but if your careful you can use that cutting tourch to heat it enough the bolt draws the threads right out making a helicoil a snap to install.