Well fellas, finally had something to fix on the 07 H3 (that wasn't maintenance or something I broke). When old man winter finally arrived here in SE MI after the New Year, she started with the P0128 CEL in the morning.

I have a Scan Gauge II in the dash so I would clear it when it would throw. It would take a LOT of driving to get the temp over 170F, not good. I have no room for the truck inside at work, and I was NOT going to do it in the driveway when its friggin cold.

So I bought the T Stat, 2 gallons of 50/50 Dex cool, and bingo, the entire family except me and the dog went out of town Friday AM until late today, youngest is prepping for college.

So what to do with an open heated garage bay? Yep, the T State replacement. Not that difficult, but you will start talking to yourself a time or 3 trying to get the top 10MM bolt back in on the new one, you have to have snake like forearms. Took about 2.5 hours, plus a while to clean up the mess from coolant all over when you pop off the old one. What FUN!

The AC Delco T Stat 15-11073 was $27, 2 gallons of 50/50 Preston Dex-Cool at Advance auto with the $5 off coupon was $26 = $53 total. I checked mechanic book time which is 2.1 hours at $100/hour, I guess the time and clean up is worth the $150 in beer $$ savings.

One though for you guys that do this, those round nose hose clamp pliers are a no brainer investment.

On the 20th of this month the 3 is 9 years old, first thing to break so far was that stinking T Stat. New one runs at 193-7F just like it is supposed to.

 

if you had trouble i hate to start! after the rad and new cap i dont get to 185? dont know why,stat? also think i have a pump slooow leak.
i have no heat in barn so im waiting for warmer wx if possible.
youre the 2nd to report that top bolt problem, and i assume the mess.
any tips on the pump change?
and are you using any gasket sealer?
i want it right the first time!

 

Replaced my thermostat last month. No code, just no heat. The top bolt was no problem 3" wobble extension and a 2' extension. Left the hose clamp on until the thermostat housing was removed and dealt with it outside the frame. Went to reinstall the spring clamp and after a few failed attempts, it broke. Installed a gear clamp. Took less than an hour.

 

Yep, wobble extensions and contortions. I remember it well. I used tape to hold the bolt in the socket when installing the top bolt, although one of those magnets in the socket would have been better.

 

on other cars i had trouble keeping the t stat flange in place while fighting with bolts. is this a risk here?. flange under the housing will leak huh?
i have never seen the h3 setup.
also what is done to get access after pulling the wheel?

 

This winter my 06 popped the P0128 code. I have the thermostat and dexcool. Just need to purchase the flexible extension and get to work.

 

The thermostat housing holds a thermostat, spring and an endcap. The endcap twists 90° to lock into the housing and hold the thermostat and spring in place. That's a nifty design. Putting the thermostat on the bottom of the block behind the suspension wasn't so nifty.

After pulling the wheel, you also need to pull the wheel well liner.

 

thanks, i hoped i would see something like that! its just the bolt to conquer huh!!
i guess the liner is not so bad?
im thinking of doing both pump and stat and getting it over.
im not getting up to 195 like i did a while ago, on my sg2.
im leaning the 2 skid plates off and thinking of pulling the shroud so im ready when i get decent weather.
shroud off ok???

 

Getting the bolt out is kinda difficult, but not really that bad if you have the right tools. It leaves you wondering how hard it is going to be going back together. I dropped the bolt once, but it was no harder going back together than coming out.

The liner isn't too bad, just has a lot of fasteners. Don't forget any Don't know about the shroud.

 

I thought you have a V8? If so, your T Stat is on the other side off the front of the water pump. The V8 uses a separate seal. Looks like an easier job to me.

The I5 has a rubber O ring built into the housing, when it is torqued down, the O ring is sealed against the smooth machined surface of the engine block, no need for gasket sealer.