Thermostat Housing
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,545
Likes: 3
From: 406ci SB, AFR 180 Heads - 490 HP @5,600 RPM 529 lb-ft @ 4,100 RPM
Thermostat Housing
Every so often my chrome housing starts to leak, very small. I had the new manifold checked when I bought it, and the surface is perfect. I bought another chrome housing (cheap one again) last year, and you guessed it, after a few weeks a tiny leak started again. I used a gasket, and gasket maker each time and everything was clean.
I'm blaming it on the cheap chrome housings. I installed the old cast housing and no issues. But I want to remove it and go with aluminum. So has anyone had any leaks with a aluminum swivel thermostat with the O ring.
Thanks
I'm blaming it on the cheap chrome housings. I installed the old cast housing and no issues. But I want to remove it and go with aluminum. So has anyone had any leaks with a aluminum swivel thermostat with the O ring.
Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,012
Likes: 3,343
From: Omaha NE
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I found a nice chrome housing at a swap meet a few years back that has the O-ring style gasket. It's never leaked one drop....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,713
Likes: 31
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
Had the same problem about 2 years ago...chrome housing..small leaks every now and then...kept tightening, or replacing....changed over to a billet specialties aluminum housing and NO Problems!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
There's a very easy trick to getting any after market chrome water neck to seal properly. I have been doing this for years with Mopar and GM engines alike.
Get a sheet of 180 grit sand paper, and some higher grit for later. Tape that sheet of paper flat to a level flat counter top or hard surface. Make sure that surface is perfectly flat.
Then, place the water neck on the paper, and run it in figure 8's all around on that paper. Pick it up every now and then to check the mating surface. You will see the pattern form as you take off the bottom layers and you well 'see' how uneven they are from the chrome plating.
Once you're done, and you seal it, it'll never leak again. Oh, and the higher grit paper is for a finish sanding so you don't have large cut grooves and scores.
Get a sheet of 180 grit sand paper, and some higher grit for later. Tape that sheet of paper flat to a level flat counter top or hard surface. Make sure that surface is perfectly flat.
Then, place the water neck on the paper, and run it in figure 8's all around on that paper. Pick it up every now and then to check the mating surface. You will see the pattern form as you take off the bottom layers and you well 'see' how uneven they are from the chrome plating.
Once you're done, and you seal it, it'll never leak again. Oh, and the higher grit paper is for a finish sanding so you don't have large cut grooves and scores.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Use the sandpaper as D_boy suggests, but for a different reason. Any surface that is 'shiny-smooth' IS NOT a good sealing surface. Roughing it up with sandpaper allows the sealing surface to "bite" into the gasket so that it will seal better. [flattening it won't hurt, either]
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Toronto Ontario
Toronto Events Coordinator
I have an aluminum housing with the o ring, and it has never leaked, and I have had it off and on several times now.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,412
Likes: 792
From: Redondo Beach, California
I have a housing that looks exactly like yours. (Billet Specialties) It's a swivel model also and seals perfectly.
Have you looked at the interior passageways? My housing was extremely constricted on the inside. The internal opening was very small where the input tube emptied into the interior opening. I used a grinding bit on a air tool to greatly enlarge the passageway.
Have you looked at the interior passageways? My housing was extremely constricted on the inside. The internal opening was very small where the input tube emptied into the interior opening. I used a grinding bit on a air tool to greatly enlarge the passageway.
