I've decided to change the thermostat. The old one was held in with heaps of silicone rubber and was likely to be causing my dramas. So I've cleaned it all off and found this 'engine stay' bit (green arrow) is not mentioned in my book and could be the reason behind the use of silicone. The order of parts went: Head - Thermostat - Gasket - Engine stay - Heaps of silicone - Thermo Housing - Radiator bracket. I've done a quick search in magazines and on here and haven't seen any other engines using this engine stay, I know it needs to be fitted, but where?

My engine also has a top engine steady, I wouldn't be too worried about it. I think there were some engines that came with the engine steady from the factory, someone on here will know the specifics. Just make sure you have two thermostat gaskets.

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Your silliness has been noted.

AFAIK the cars that came from the factory with the passenger side engine steady are cars with rod change 'boxes. The remote change housing acts like a engine steady on cars equiped with a remote change. Your car will need it otherwise the engine will rock unnessasarily.

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Hi
Your avatar shows a roundie ?? Is that what you have ???

The engine stay that your arrowing was fitted to clubbies and others with rod change gearboxes because the remote type gearhift housing player a role in stopping engine movement. The rod change, by comparision, was an accountants design and didn't assist in stopping engine movement.

So a second engine stay was added and it was also an accountant design. This is what you have.

Now - you do need to check the rubbers on the stay and if they are at all in doubt then replace them - they are peanuts to buy. You dont want great globs of silicon floating around in the engine waterways or in radiator either so get rid of it.

Spend bit of time cleaning the thermostat housing and making sure its mating surface is clean and flat. The same for each of the other mating surfaces also. Then reassemble using the aviation type gasket goo the doesn't harden between the gaskets ad the mating surfaces. Tension it all down equally, fill up the radiator and warm the engine while looking for leaks. If it leaks start again and find and fix the leak.

Now if secondary engine stay have worn rubbers, so does the one next to and above the clutch housing - replace them too.

Mike

Thanks for the tips everyone.

Mike - The engine number says it's a Clubman motor, and it has a rod change gearbox. The car is a Round nose Deluxe. Thanks for other info too, looks like it's not a five minute job anymore.

Scotta - I went and bought two gaskets like you said. Thanks.