Im currently installing the 160 stat, and while prying up the black seal from the old 180, the whole top half of the old thermostat broke off and seperated from the bottom! All Ive got in my hand from the old thermostat is the black seal on up, everything else (copper looking piece, coil, etc) is still inside the therm. housing, but I cant seem to get it out! Do I have to pry the bottom half from inside?

Ayyy mama.Back to work [bites nails]

 

it should lift out if you can get a grip on it...
it sounds like its stuck since you had to "pry" it... id suggest trying to jam a screwdriver or something into if u you can and twisting and turning it around to break it loose, then lifting it out.

 

thx for the reply, but Im in deep crap.

Only the arch part on top of the old thermostat came up and out, it literally broke at the two connecting rods holding the rest of the component together

Look at this pic: http://shbox.com/1/tstat.jpg

You see in the first picture (top left), only that came out, minus the copper colored part and every other part of the stat you cant see in that pic. Please god tell me the bottom piece couldn't have fallen down deeper into that housing

When I place the new thermostat in, however, it goes in w/ no problems!

Im literally working on this as we speak

 

Wow.. i cant see how your new thermostat could fit in there with the bottom piece still there.
Can you see the broken piece sitting in your water pump? That little ring at the very bottom of the thermostat should prevent it from falling into your water pump, i think.

 

No, I can't see it in there. Unless Im going absolutely insane, the bottom portion MUST have fallen into the coolant hold portion as I was lifting the top half out. Im totally stumped, and its raining outside so Im given the opportunity to jump on here and see if its happened to anyone before.

 

Well.. if it did fall in I can only think of a couple of options.... remove your water pump, hold it upside down and shake it, see if it will fall out or if you can hear it rattling inside, or, see if you can find a long magnet of some sort and stick it in there and see if you can fish it out.
It sounds unlikely to me though that its in there. Did you see it fall off, or feel it break? Look around, hopefully it fell somewhere else.

 

Will do. SO thats the water pump that the stat housing is on top of? gotcha. Now I know the right words to curse while I head back out to find the damn bastard. Back shortly

 

***UPDATE****

Good News, Bad news and W..T...F!?!?

Bad news, I didnt find the bottom half

Good news, car runs amazingly colder and, after further review and fingers covered with scalding coolant, there was conclusive evidence to deem that there is absolutely no chance the bottom half of the stat is in the water pump

W...T...F.... where in the hell did that lil bastid go? Not anywhere in the engine bay, not on the ground, car runs fine, and I have a top half of a stat to take pics of. What a way to start modding your car

 

Hahaha
Congrats an keep watching your temp gauge for a little while just incase.
Maybe it rolled down the street?

 

maybe the previous owner installed a regular SBC t-stat?