Reinstalling air control flaps and Brazilian thermostat

Its maybe due to somebody levering the fan housing off without disconnecting the thermostat rod.

The curly spring should be less curled than in your last picture too, look at other pictures.. the loop is meant to be maybe 10mm away from the pivot.

Originally the spring was far too straight hence the idea that somebody brutal has been there first.

I agree, the end of the flap has been bent back where the ribbing ends.

The movement on a working thermostat is only maybe 10mm or so, the alcohol in bellows style capsules in a frame hit the frame before expanding to their limit at high temperatures.

 

I concur, as I tested my bellows in hot water, but was advised to keep it in the frame, as it could damage it, if it expanded too much.

 

James was spot on, the flap was bent. I just needed to see a good part to figure it out. I've straightened it and it's now obvious how it should work. I trimmed a bit off the bottom of the shroud and that also fits better now. To be fair, the thermostat wasn't working when I bought the van in the mid-90s so the flaps were removed when I installed a recon engine in 2008. They have been sitting at the back of my shed for the past 15 years. Could have been damaged there or by the previous owner. With the rebuilt 1776 going in soon it seemed like a good time to refit them.