Just wanted to thank Gus and GGG for their assistance. Your detailed pics of the tower change out was a great help the bent 8 mm wrench was the trick. I did make one small change. I bent one for the open end and one for the box end. I also add a piece of 3/8 in (10 mm) square key stock to the wrenches making them 7 to 8 inches long. This made the wrench long enough to clear the top of the tower. Then used a 3/8 or 10 mm to remove and reinstall the bolts.
Graham thanks for the your help with the drain plug and sensor issue. Cleaned and dryed them out and all the codes cleared.

Life is easy when you have a group of Jag nuts to assist.
Jim

 

good deal... i did mine yesterday too!

 

Is that a black plastic screw cap on your replacement tower?

The one I used, and all the ones I've seen advertised, have aluminium caps.

Graham

 

Yes... it came with an aluminum cap BUT the seal seems different and i don't remember exactly when/who but a guy that works on these and has for many years says that the aluminum caps have often developed small leaks, but used in conjunction with a new plastic cap= Never a problem. I just took his word for it and threw the aluminum one in my parts box...just in case

 

I got mine from British Parts UK. The first one they sent was a roughcast finish exactly like yours but the cap wouldn't screw down. There was no chance of a watertight fit.

Sent it back. They replaced it immediately without question and also refunded my postage cost. The replacement was a smooth casting:



The cap fitted perfectly and the car is now sold but I'll remember your comment on using a new plastic cap if I need to fit an aluminium replacement tower on this car.

Thanks,
Graham

 

Kudos to you. On the road again.

 

Jim,

That 'super wrench' is worth posting a photo with measurements for those who are looking to solve the same tower replacement problem in future.

Graham

 

Are we talking about a new designed plastic cap or just a new one of the existiong design?

 

I am gonna be getting my tstat house via UPS in the next 5 hours or so...

Question: Can I siphon the coolant out of the Thermostat or do I have to remove the plug from the bottom of the radiator?

 

Draining it from the radiator is the right way to go.

 

Grrrr, I looked everywhere and can't find the drain plug. Is it hidden by the snow dam?

EDIT: looks like its on the back of the radiator facing the passenger seat. I was expecting it to be on the bottom facing down.

http://matt.zenfolio.com/xk-coolant-...tat---v1-1.pdf

 

The radiator drain plug is lower right hand side facing towards the engine. You're looking for a black plastic plug with a crossed slotted head:



Move to one side as you undo it.

Graham

 

well I hit a minor hiccup. I drained the radiator via the plug on the bottom of the radiator but because the thermostat is cold and closed there is coolant filling the bottom half of this:



I think i'll have to siphon that out after all

 

I think you will find the coolant leakage is minimal at this point just open it slowly.

 

Try to avoid coolant spillage over the serpentine belt either by wrapping with a large plastic bag or removing it. Once these have had coolant on them they start to squeak.

Graham

 

Photos of berlin1977's wrenches:





Clearly shows the bend needed and how the square key extension makes it easier to remove and reinstall the bolts.

Thanks to Jim for this.

 

Thanks Graham for posting the pics, I am sorry that I have not responded sooner but it has been on of those 70 hr work weeks. Gus had used/cut a slot in the bolts so a screw driver could be used. Which differently made the instalation easier. But I did not have a vise to cut the slots in the bolts. I had bent the 8 mm wrench and tried to use the vise grips but could only get about a 1/8 of a turn on the bolt. I purchased a second 8 mm wrench and bent them for open and box end. added the 3/8 in or 10 mm key stock to the back off the wrench which gave additional clearence from the tower. With the key stock it made the wrench between 7-8 inches in length, which cleared the top of the tower. (1 st. pic) Used a 3/8 in or 10mm wrench on the key stock to remove the back 2 bolts. Like the old saying "There is more then one way to skin a CAT!!" My cost was around $26 bucks. I hope this helps Jim

 

Just replaced my thermostat housing with the aluminum one yesterday and now it's leaking at the top. :/

 

There have been a number of reports on leaking covers. Who supplied the tower? Often the threads are not cut properly, so take the o-ring out and make sure it screws on a little further. If that is not the problem, look for a larger o-ring.

 

would a crow-foot wrench on a socket extension fit here - its raining outside, so I don't have the chance to go try it...