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Temperature gauge bulb stuck in thermost houseing!

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Russ Austin

Russ Austin

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I'm taking my dash panel to be refurbished and in the process I need to remove the temperature gauge. I released the nut that holds the bulb in place and found that it was stuck; I removed the thermostat housing to see if I could get it out from there. When I looked in the thermostat housing there was a lot of scaling around the bulb, I have scraped away as mush as I can. Any ideas!
 
And heat of course always helps. Heat the aluminum to expand it around the sensor threads.

Sometimes a little candle wax melted into the threads with more heat will work their way down the threads and loosen things up.
 
The nut that holds the capillary tube in the thermostat housing came off fine it's capillary tube that's stuck there was scaling all around the tube. I have scrape all around the tube with a dental pick being careful not to rupture the capillary tube. I didn't want to heat it up to much, afraid that it may damage the tube itself "good temperature gauge" I have poured some CLR and am going to let that stand overnight and see where I'm at then. And by the way how are you Peter haven't talked for awhile, next time in Evansville yell.
 
Good luck, Russ. When I was doing this six years ago, I was where you are now. I eventually gave up and cut the cap tube at the housing; no way were they to be separated. West Valley Instruments did a fine job rebuilding my cap tube and gauge.

I wound up getting a new (old) housing from Roth Brothers in Manhattan Beach.
 
Russ:
When I did my restoration, I tried everything I could think of to get the tube unstuck and nothing worked. I also tried breaking it loose from the inside and that didn't work either. I ended up breaking it off trying to remove it. They didn't have PB Blaster back then. I would try soaking it with that for a couple of days and see if it won't come loose. Good luck!
 
I got it, after soaking over night I trying again. It was still stuck; OK I'm desperate now so I try a pair of channel-locks with one end on the end on the capillary bulb and the other on the thermostat house and just squeezed as hard as I could. It popped out, I took it over to my bench and put a torch to the end and it registered a temperature. Went up to 200 degrees with a big smile on my face!
 
Lucky you!
 
Lucky you !! is right, Russ
Usually channel locks will distort the tube enough so it
won't fit back in or not make a good seal to the retaining nut.
A little late now but what has worked for me in the past (after removing the housing from the head) is a product called "Lime Away" A few days soak removes the oxidation on the housing without hurting the brass tube.
As we've discussed, the temp gauge is the most expensive item on a
facia rehab...I'm glad you were able to save it !!
FRank Conklin
 
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