Thermostat won’t come out! Help!!

[Carl1783]

Can anyone please give me some guidance. I bought the mercruiser thermostat kit and I cannot get the old thermostat out? It’s like it’s in backwards or something. It’s a 1986 Mercruiser 230 Alpha One, 305 GM v8.

please look at these pics and tell me what to do.

 

[alldodge]

Lay a piece of flat stock or wood across the edge of the housing. Use a prior bar or large screw drive. Can even clamp the top of the thermostat with vice grips and pry it out.

 

[Carl1783]

Thanks for the help. Using a screwdriver and pliers on the thermostat was making is crack and crumble but it wasn’t budging at all. So I actually took some pliers to the thin metal thing and pulled up as hard as I could and it finally came out. Looks like some kind of metal sleeve?? That was NOT included in the OEM thermostat kit I ordered.

The thermostat then came out with some more prying. But the bottom half broke apart inside the water jacket. I was able to fish it out.

Should I be concerned with the amount of rust? Or no.

I first decided to replace the thermostat because my temp gauge wasn’t reading over 100. It was seized and broken apart so that should fix the problem I hope.

 

[Carl1783]

So the sleeve is broken and unusable I assume?

I found this diagram online. Can someone confirm the correct reassembly order? I read it as thermostat, then cork o ring, then sleeve, then gasket.

 

[alldodge]

Yes that is the correct order