How to turn a (relatively) simple job into a near impossible one.

[El Gringo]

Decided to do some maintenance on the cooling system of the engine.
Bought a new water pump, hoses, thermostats and coolant etc.
It didn't take long for it to get difficult.
The thermostat nuts came off OK, but the cover itself....
The studs were corroded to the alloy housing and didn't want to budge.
However I did win, ruined an old butter knife and a scraper, but it did come off.
Condition is - not great but usable, I just linished the gasket surface down flat.

OK, next. After removing the alternator I started removing the water pump outlet.
Top bolt was great, no issues at all, bottom bolt, pretty tight, but moving, till - snap.
Yep, snapped the head off the bolt.

Now, I can't get the water pump out while this is still attached, so what to do?
Well the outlet goes outside along the engine and into a cover for the engine oil cooler.
So, yep I went there - started taking the bolts off the cover, first 2 were fine, but then, oh boy.
Of the nine bolts holding the cover on I got 3 out, 2 unscrewed but stuck part way out and 4 snapped off at the heads.
Bugga, bugga, bugga... etc.

Out comes my big LPG torch and start heating the damn thing, drive some wedges in to put some pressure on and I try to lever it off.
Nope...
Well there is a threaded hole in it for the heater, so I jerried up a puller for it.
More heat this time, work that puller, bash it with the lump hammer
The only thing that moved was my wife out of the way.

OK, never done this before, but try and weld a nut onto the broken stud without damaging the alloy housing.
Did the smaller one on the outlet first and it worked, who hoo...
So onto the other ones on the cover proper, feeling confident about the welding now.
However after repeated efforts not one of them would budge at all, keeps breaking at the welded area.

OK, I'm beaten.
Now this is an old bus, this engine would be 40 years old as well, so are replacement parts available.
City Wreckers in Adelaide said they had one that looked OK, but wanted me to make sure it was the correct part before they removed it.
So, after an hours drive across the city, yep it's the right one - cool.
He gets the rattle gun and bolts start flying right up till the last one, yep, snap again.
And he refused to try any further or to let me have a go either.
Frustrating drive an hour home again.

Time to try further afield, I sent emails and pics to every truck wrecked I could find.
And got 2 positive responses. And ended up getting a really good one, no corrosion from Hornsby NSW.
So now we wait for it to arrive.

In the meantime I have removed the water pump and got the new one ready to install.
And now, well I guess it's grinder time, I'm gunna cut the damn oil cooler cover off.
Didn't want to go that far though till I was sure of getting a replacement, but just received word that it's on the way...

I also added a pic of the corrosion you get from not running coolant in your radiator, had to replace this too.
I have had coolant, but obviously before hand didn't...

Cheers,

[BernieQ2]

Your having lots of fun Bernie...did you get the name of the Chinaman you ran over.
Just so I know whom not to run over.
Always one nut or bolt...Been there done that...and as you say bugga bugga.
Must be about beer o'clock.
BernieQ

[Greynomad]

BernieB,

I think I ran over that same Chinaman...

SWMBO says your post sounds like any maintenance job I attempt.
Murphy is my constant companion...

[native pepper]

Know how you feel Bernie, I tend to have projects and simple jobs turn into marathon disasters. The end result is always satisfying and your engine will be in much better condition. Have used a screw driver to remove thermostat housings in the past, very frustrating as is bolts snapping. Hope the rest goes well.

[T1 Terry]

Hi Bernie, that erosion is cause by dissimilar metals forming an electrolytic action and the softer metal becomes the sacrificial one. Fit new battery leads between the block and the chassis in a few places as well as a negative cable from the body of the alternator to the battery negative, that will stop the water in the cooling system being used to create the earth path and should reduce the metal to metal attack.
To get the broken bolt out if you have a piece sticking out. Drench the bolt and into the hole with WD40 or a good penetrating oil. To weld onto the broken bolt, run a grinder across the end of the broken bolt to get clean metal, put the over size nut over the piece of bolt sticking out and weld against the bolt end allowing metal to flow out to the oversize nut. The nut and broken bolt should be bright red when you have finished. Let it cool and the bolt should unscrew. The welding heats the bolt up and expands it, when it cools it should become loose in the thread, enough for the penetrating oil to get down the thread, another good soaking once it has cooled doesn't hurt and improves the chances of getting some down the thread.
You will find every alloy piece on the motor where water is involved will be eaten away, such is the ferocity of the electrolytic action when there is a poor negative return. 400amp plus every time you engage the starter creates quite a serious current through the cooling system, destroys water pumps, thermostats, cases radiator tanks to crack or leak and destroys all the alloy bits.

T1 Terry

[El Gringo]

Thanx for the love peeps, as a sufferer of Bi-Polar it has been quite a ride...

T1 I did all that you mentioned, retried welding the nuts on multiple times.
I think the problem is the length of the bolts, over 4" seems beyond the ability to heat the length of it enough - believe me it was cherry red.

Interesting re the earthing. I have just replaced the main power and earth cables and found the earth was well under sized.
Also interesting is that the earth from the alternator is very close to that corroded piece.
The wiring on the alternator is quite poor also and will be replaced.
I have actually been doing a complete rewire leading up to this.
Having replaced some senders etc I needed to start the bus to check things out, but couldn't because of having some cooling stuff apart.
So fix the cooling, then complete the wiring... and the fun starts.
As if re-wiring isn't stressful enough.

However the oil cooler itself looks quite good.
Started hacking it up this afternoon. I can't cut it right off as its close to a number of important things, like air and wiring.
I reckon with what I have cut out and the bashing it's received welding nuts on now should work.

Cheers.

[jon_d]

Instead of WD40, use bee wax or candle wax.

It flows into the hot area via the capillaries.... and it lubricates the thread by filling the rough thread as well.

[Newcastle George]

I have a product called Liqui Moly - ceramic rust release which I have found effective for rusted in bolts.

George

[El Gringo]

I got told by the head mechanic at Benz in Adelaide years ago to only ever put water soluble oil in those Kraut machines.
Only takes about a desert spoon full to do the job. Any more will tend to rot the hoses more quickly.
Every time you turn on or off the heater lever you'll know if it needs more.
The oil is also known as white oil & Ray probably uses it on his roses??

Yeah, I remember using that stuff, Zephyr's Hillman's Holden's etc all went well with it.
However my 1st P76 with the all alloy motor didn't like it at all.
Had to convert to coolant otherwise the radiator would fill up with little flakes of aluminium.
So stayed with coolant ever since.

Not sure what this old Nissan would prefer, but I got 40lt of Nulon coolant very cheap when Supercheap had a big sale earlier this year.
So have enough to mix 80lts. Pretty sure it will take about 50lts to fill the cooling system completely.

Cheers,

[jon_d]

Bernie,

can you use a tungsten carbide grinding tip and grind the ally away? ... Like down the side if the bolt.