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By Deyomatic - 3 Years Ago
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Wasn't that a song?
Now that I have my hot engine problem isolated to the thermostat choice I had originally made and it's running cool again...the housing is leaking slightly- I come back 8 hours later and there's a drop on the bottom side. The one I have is original and I was wondering if I'd be better off getting a new one from Mummert so I figured I'd ask.
For starters- on the original one- is it possible to over-tighten it? Will it eventually crack if I reef down?
Second- Are the truck and car thermostat housings identical OTHER than the orientation of the neck? Bolt holes will line up correctly, right? I was thinking of using the truck one for aesthetics.
Third- Looks like Mummert's are aluminum. Any concerns there as far as getting it good and tight- could I mess up and crack it? There's no photo of the bottom side online- It doesn't use an O right seal or anything idiot proof like that, does it?
Lastly- is there an easy way that I'm missing to keep a vertically mounted thermostat housing in place while everything gets tightened down? One of Ford's better ideas...that wasn't, if you ask me!
Thanks again.
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By DryLakesRacer - 3 Years Ago
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My car came with a vertical truck and the hose to the radiator was miss aligned. Standard cast iron car housings were and are readily available for under $20 when I bought one; Neither one leaked. I coat the inside with GE glyptol electric motor winding paint. Unless you want aluminum for a reason ?? I painted mine silver and it’s on an aluminum intake. I also use Permatex #2 on both sides of the gasket which I made from gasket material I bought at Pep Boys… Your call.
With the comments below I remove the flanged tube part from the water pump every time I’ve replaced my thermostat or did any work which the intake was removed. I make the hose about 3/8” shorter and slide it back towards the thermo housing and install. With a dual quad manifold the hose is about 1” shorter. As the manifold is closer to the water pump.
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By paul2748 - 3 Years Ago
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I put studs in the intake - then everything (gasket and housings) just slides on the studs.. I do this to all my cars if possible.
There is a way to keep the thermostat in position. Kind of hard to explain but -take a rubber band, run it through the "spokes" of the stat and run the ends out of the housing front (where the hose goes on) and use something like a long bolt that is longer than the opening to hold the ends of the rubber band from retracting. This will hold the stat in place when installing. When tightened up, remove one end of the rubber band from the bolt and pull the rubber band out.
I know, hard to imagine this, but it works for me.
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By Deyomatic - 3 Years Ago
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Thanks for the replies. I just tightened up the bypass hose in case that was the offending spot. I'll keep an eye on it.
Paul- that makes perfect sense. I was visualizing that very thought today only with a piece of string. Your rubber band is a MUCH better idea.
Thanks again. I'll do that next time.
What about the bypass hose? After the housing is in place and bolted down, or while I'm trying to line up the housing do the hose at the same time? I keep just wedging and fighting with it after the housing is bolted.
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By Lord Gaga - 3 Years Ago
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Check where the bypass tube is pressed into the housing. I had one that leaked there.
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By Ted - 3 Years Ago
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It may be necessary to put the thermostat housing on a belt sander to true up the surface to ensure it is good and flat. Depending upon the gasket material being used, it may help to use a thin film of RTV or other sealer on both sides of the gasket. Unbolting the bypass tube from the water pump and installing it with the bypass hose after installing the thermostat housing also makes the job go easier.
The rubber band method to hold the thermostat in place works on some housings but not all depending upon the angle of hose entry. Another option is to place the thermostat into the housing and then glue the gasket in place over it to hold the thermostat in place while installing the housing to the intake.
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By paul2748 - 3 Years Ago
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I do pretty much what Ted suggested. I cut the hose just a little short and push the tube on it. This gives you just a smidgen of room to align the tube to the pump with the gasket in place..
Don't forget to put the clamp on first
Deyomatic (3/26/2022)
What about the bypass hose? After the housing is in place and bolted down, or while I'm trying to line up the housing do the hose at the same time? I keep just wedging and fighting with it after the housing is bolted.
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By Deyomatic - 3 Years Ago
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Thanks to all...
I have been using a Fel Pro gasket with the red high temp RTV- trying to keep a THIN line of the RTV. Maybe I need a little thicker bead. I used a fine flat file on both surfaces the FIRST time I put it together and it didn't leak so I figured it would be fine a couple weeks later.
Either way, it's still seeping so I'll pull it apart and try again.
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By paul2748 - 3 Years Ago
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Instead of a file, I would suggest sandpaper on a flat surface like a piece of thick metal or glass
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