This will be a dumb question, but does anyone make a thicker gasket for the thermostat housing? Dumb because I made a small leak larger by trying to file the faces smoother. It is an older Torker 289 intake, all aluminum, and the area at the housing has corroded a little making a small leak. After filing it a bit to "square it off", it now squirts when I rev, as opposed to slowly dripping. I tried two gaskets, but forgot to use a seal between them, which is probably where most of the squirt is coming from. I would rather use a single thicker gasket that would conform to the bumps. Might have to make my own, I would guess...
you can buy gasket material at most parts houses that you can cut to shape. ask for a little thicker material and use the form a gasket blue with it. if your thermo housing is getting bad, order a new one. got mine for less than a chrome one(which i tried runnig for a short time) and it is 100 times better than the chrome one or the old pitted one.
Made one out of rubber, but as I torqued it down, I found that rubber is not a good material, as it will cinch and stretch, leaking even worse. Leaked less as I loosened the nuts, but still squirted. Here is where my leak is with whichever gasket I use. It is a new thermo housing...might that be the culprit? Or is it just a gasket issue? I guess I will have to wait til tomorrow and get a thicker paper gasket...
Is that a chrome water outlet? They are notorious for warping and leaking. If the surfaces are somewhat flat, it shouldn't leak by just being pitted. I like to use a regular gasket and put a film of silicone on each side and let it set up for a few minutes. Make sure both surfaces are clean and dry. I have also had the thermostat slip out of the little recess for it, fall out and block the housing from seating against the intake. I like to take a piece of string and run it through the front of the thermostat to pull the thermostat up tight to the recess then loop both ends of the string out of the front of the housing then wrap tape around the housing where the hose usually sits with the string under the tape. After the housing is bolted on, I take the tape off and then remove the string.
YUP, same one you bought, Ed...But I don't think this is the culprit. I think it was first the pitting on my manifold, and then the poor gasket cut and installation. Good idea with the string. I just used RTV (which I have never used on the thermo prior to this endeavor!) and glued the thermo into the housing. I cut a new gasket with a little thicker material, but still paper so it wouldn't bind or flex. I think the problem is more that the bypass hole on the gasket is too big, much bigger than the hole in the thermo housing. So, that is where the leak tends to occur. On my hand cut gasket, I left the hole smaller, to match the hole in the housing, so there is much more gasket material between the hole and the outside, almost double the material. Also, RTV on both sides, and I will let it cure 24 hours before getting it wet. There appears to be enough RTV as when I torqued the bolts down, just a little squeezed out around the perimeter, not a huge gob. Should be enough to fill in any pits and seal er up.
toss that chrome hunk of yunk and get a new cast one. fixed my leak immediately. the rubber gasket you have will not work, the chrome one i had came with a rubber o ring, it flattened out and stopped working. then i tried the standard paper, wouldnt seat flat enough. then i tried some rubber gasket like that and it would always leak. then i got the cast one and a stock gasket with some blue Formagasket. hasnt dripped a drop.
Yep.when I had the bright idea of instaling a chrome water neck, it leaked. I switched back to a stock one and have never had a problem with them. I also use blue RTV with the gasket...
Fixing Thermostat Leak 1. The Gasket Is Fel Pro Performance Or Ford Racing. It's Thick And Pliable Teflon/rubber. 2. Get Jb Weld And Mix Up A Very Small Amount Go Lightly Over The Damaged Area Of The Alum. Intake. Using It Just Like Spot Putty. Let It Set Up And Your Ready To Rock And Roll. Later, Rtfldgr
Ah...BONDO for Alumnium I think after today, if it still leaks, I will go back to the cast. I wonder if the chrome neck is stretching when I bolt down the nuts...? Might work if it had 3 or 4 evenly spaced bolts, but with two not even completely opposite each other, I think it is forcing the return nipple up and letting a leak through.
billet aluminum is strong but flexes where needed so it will seal. chrome doesnt bend at all (thats why its good for a bumper and decorational parts)
Well, i got it hot and running, and no leaks...I think my problem all along was not using RTV...I always try to steer clear of adhesives so I can clean it up better next time, but here, I really needed it. Learned alot during this little (minor) venture. Thanks for the help.
