The V8 Owners Forum -

Have you tried TR Spares in Lonsdale SA - they might be able to help https://triumphroverspares.com.au/produ ... -mg-p5-p6/

No pic unfortunately.

If all else fails

Ha! Just picked myself off the floor! Thats AUD$245! Glad the iPad sympathetically won’t let me into the site! Geez……

Garry,

Thanks, Just sent them an email. I like the idea of trying casting, but then I would still need a housing of mould off …. Interesting idea though! I could be the thermostat housing supplier to the world! Suddenly that $245 sounds quite reasonable! Regards Dan

I have the housing you are after on my V8, 10 years ago I broke the area where the temp sensor screws in and I could not buy and new housing then, I ended up getting it welded and retapped - has worked well ever since.

What happened to your old thermostat housing before the carb/manifold conversion was done?

Garry

Hi Garry,

Well the simple answer is ‘l’m damned if I know’.

I was raised in country Australia in the early 1960s and saw lots of Series 2 and mostly Series 3. For some insane reason I gravitated to them over the Toyota Landcruiser. I’ve had a diesel 109 cab truck, and a ex military 2.6 petrol. When I could, I bought the County 110 3.5v8 about 5 yrs ago, but it needed an awful lot of parts. I’m at the end of collecting parts for the rebuild but I’m missing 3 parts - the thermostat housing, the intake manifold rear water outlet fitting (which had rusted away), and an unusual in dash AC/Heater Control unit.
When I received the County, which as a perfect chassis and bulkhead, my son and I started disassembling to determine what we would need to replace. Somewhere along the process I am missing the housing and the rear water outlet. The AC/heater control unit was buggered! I’m looking askance at my, now 23yr old, son, but he will have none of it! Apparently it’s my bag and I messed up - well maybe, but I am not sure ……
Can you take a photo of the housing you have? I get that the Rover 3.5 is an old engine, and older given the Buick 215cid engine but there must be these parts floating around in lots of shed …..

Regards
Dan

Damoco wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2024 11:19 am
Can you take a photo of the housing you have? I get that the Rover 3.5 is an old engine, and older given the Buick 215cid engine but there must be these parts floating around in lots of shed …..

Regards
Dan

Unfortunately my 3.5 is not in a County but a 101 so the pics with it bolted up do not show much. The bypass pipe that goes to the back of the water pump is hidden deep down in the pics. I have this blocked at the moment with the S pipe that goes to the back of the water pump not fitted.

You can see the top radiator hose which goes to the left and then swings forward to the radiator - will be a slightly different shape on your engine.

On this first pic the front of the engine is the top. On this pic the front of the engine is the top On this pic the front of the engine is to the left

Damoco wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2024 11:19 am
Can you take a photo of the housing you have? I get that the Rover 3.5 is an old engine, and older given the Buick 215cid engine but there must be these parts floating around in lots of shed …..

Regards
Dan

Unfortunately my 3.5 is not in a County but a 101 so the pics with it bolted up do not show much. The bypass pipe that goes to the back of the water pump is hidden deep down in the pics. I have this blocked at the moment with the S pipe that goes to the back of the water pump not fitted.

You can see the top radiator hose which goes to the left and then swings forward to the radiator - will be a slightly different shape on your engine.

On this first pic the front of the engine is the top. On this pic the front of the engine is the top On this pic the front of the engine is to the left [/quote]

Hi Garry,

Thanks for that. Difficult to see the orientation as there seems to be even less room than in the County. I’ve seen another type of housing with 2 sensor ports which may also work. Frankly I’m not entirely sure what benefit the bypass to the water pump does! It’s certainly a pain in the A trying to find a suitable housing…….

Is your 101 a truck or a van? I’ve always wondered about them, but my 6’4” frame may not fit - it’s tight in the County and I am toying with the idea of having a cut down seat box fabricated ….

Regards

Dan

If you do not have the bypass, the area around the thermostat does not have coolant flowing through until it opens and the problem is that as it is external to the engine, the coolant in the engine can be far hotter than the thermostat area and indeed the engine may overheat before the thermostat opens. - Ask me how I know. As I said I have the bypass blocked at the moment (not one of my better decisions) and so I have drilled small holes in the thermostat (around the edges) so that coolant can pass through, heating the thermostat so it opens inline with the coolant temp in the actual engine. If you are not going to use the bypass then you need to do something like I have done - but then the water pump is seeing little coolant until the thermostat opens and will cavitate. The bypass is there for a reason.

Pic of my 101

Yes, I think I will stick with the bypass if I can. If I remember correctly cooling was always an issue with the 3.5 in Australia. In fact it contributed a lot to the Triumph Stags poor reputation here. I know extensive work has been done by modern aftermarket suppliers and this is know longer the issue it was, but I would like everyone to work properly. Summer in Brisbane is often in the high 30’s C, and the relative humidity over 100%! I know, delightful!! Anyway, I have a new water pump, recored radiator, new fan & belts and I’m considering putting an electric fan between the grille and the radiator…… although I wonder if the electric fan compromises the engine fan and visa versa?

The 101 Forward Control looks the ticket ready for WW3! How do they ride? I suppose it has Stage one underpinnings?

Damoco wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2024 4:20 am
How do they ride? I suppose it has Stage one underpinnings?

They ride well as they have parabolic springs. No, the Stage 1 and early Range Rovers have 101 underpinning .

I have not had any problems with cooling as long as the radiator and cooling system are up to scratch - I would hold off on the electric fan for the moment and see if it actually needs it - my guess would be not.

Good advice.

Would someone 6’4” fit in a 101?

Height is not such an issue, it is the distance around the waist that is the problem - if you are 6' 4" on that measurement then yes - the steering wheel is a bit close to the tummy tum tum

Ah, the spectre of a pending diet!!!! My wife will be pleased!