This is my 2nd water neck on my new polished intake and the old intake leaked the same.


It is the chrome fixed, non-swivel type, with the O-ring. Well the O-rings always leaked so I used a standard gasket and allowed the silicone to get semi hardened before mounting and it held for 10 months but now leaks by. I am thinking about purchasing this one from Summit Racing.


Vendor: CSI Performance Products
Product Line: CSI Swivel Thermostat Housings
Material: Aluminum
Finish: Anodized Blue
Good-looking swivel thermostat housings
Chevrolet/Chrysler: 1 1/2 in., blue, swivel thermostat housing
This CNC-machined billet 6061-T6 aluminum swivel housing is for 1 1/2 in. hose connections and will swivel 360 degrees. The flange is sealed at the manifold with an O-ring, eliminating the gasket. Stainless steel hardware is included.

Sold individually.
CSI-912B

$85.50

But it employs the exact same O-ring. I remember when I was an Machinest that we had a O-ring kit with variuos O-rings. I can't seem to find them around here so how about Home Depot, they have many sizes for plumbing applications. Basically same diameter but 1 1/2 times the thickness. Wonder if a plumbing rubber O-ring can stand up to 185 degress of caustic fluid. It would save me $86.00 and that expensive water neck is no different than what I have, well as far as the O-ring goes. Any ideas?



[Modified by Cali,77,L-82, 9:45 PM 3/9/2003]

 

That's one of the items I haven't picked up yet.... the thermostat housing that is. I noticed that Billet Specialties also has housings that swivel. Pretty pricey stuff for a thermostat. Hopefully I won't kick myself, but I will probably just buy a chrome housing from Ecklers that is a replacement at $9.99.

 

Bgrice that's what I bought at Kraegan auto but I think it won't solve the problem. I believe the O-ring is too small. It fits in it's crevice and is close to flush with the mating surface. If I found a gasket just .030 thicker that might do it. With torquing it down carefully not to strip the aluminum intake threads I think I can in effect create a better seal. I'll stop by home Depot on the way home from work. Shucks! I need to take the old one off first to get a refrence first.

 

HEY!! How did you put YOUR car in MY signature? :jester

That small leak crap is a pain. I just got back from a car show in El cajon. My car now needs a bath and has hundreds of paw prints on it :nopity

 

I see your car not mine???

Thanks for calling and asking if i wanted to go!!

Lets just call you 1-way Paul from now on.

:D

 

I've chased my tail over the same problem. I used a chromed o-ring unit (Mr Gasket I think) but the cheap pot metal corroded away and the o-ring no longer couls hold a seal. I bought a spiffy polished aluminum swivel unit from Summit but the angle of the neck wouldn't work with an original type upper hose and I didn't want to mess with one of them flex hoses. Several years ago I put the original cast iron neck back on and all's been well ever since. Some might think it looks out of place on my engine but I think it helps to add credence to my "Yup, that's the original engine" :).

 

I bought that neck 5 years ago, it swivels but clamps down when torqued. It comes with a O-Ring seal. I have not had a leak in 5 years and it still looks new.
A+ Product.

 

YOU MEAN THE ONE PICTURED??

 

Yes the blue one:)

 

Was the O-ring rather large or oversize?

 

Not that I remember, I think it was just a normal size O-Ring similar to the chrome neck O=Ring setups. I think the difference is probably less flex during torque. Possibly your intake water port is slightly warped? Take the intake off and get the water port surfaced. Probably only a couple of dollars to get it done at any machine shop.

 

I have had lots of trouble with the chrome "O" ringed necks. For those I yank out the o-ring and fill in the groove and surface of the neck with JB weld. Let it cure and run it on a sanding disk to make it perfectly flat. Then use a regular gasket and Aviation Form a Gasket on both side of the gasket and it does not leak.

For the older case necks, I run them on the sanding disk to make them totally flat and they seal up fine. The key is clean and flat surfaces.

 

Vendor: CSI Performance Products
Product Line: CSI Swivel Thermostat Housings
Material: Aluminum
Finish: Anodized Blue
Good-looking swivel thermostat housings
Chevrolet/Chrysler: 1 1/2 in., blue, swivel thermostat housing
This CNC-machined billet 6061-T6 aluminum swivel housing is for 1 1/2 in. hose connections and will swivel 360 degrees. The flange is sealed at the manifold with an O-ring, eliminating the gasket. Stainless steel hardware is included.

Sold individually.
CSI-912B

$85.50

HEY I HAVE 1 1/2" HOSES RIGHT? I'm on-line and ordering stuff right now. The Vette is getting the clutch done otherwise I'd go out to the garage and measure it.

 

I kind of like the ZZ4 item (#14088753) for only ~$13 from GMpartsdirect.com. Now gm-restorationparts.com describes it as a'74-'81 unit and wants ~$21 (same part number). I think its polished aluminum but don't know if it uses 0-ring seal. Tried to talk shoptek into experimenting for us and he sounded cooperative but no results yet.
Also the '66-'73 aluminum unit looks close to style of the cast iron thing that came off mine, but Eckler's and Zip both want ~$50. Again probally no o-ring. :skep:
BTW you must tell me what you did to your A/C system. I see a late model pump mounted.
I had my original pump, condenser, evap., hard lines, POV rebuilt/recon. and new hoses made. What I dread most is installing POV. :cuss Have heard of orifice subsitute but don't know if it would work with original pump? :confused: Any sugestions?


[Modified by cardo0, 3:57 AM 3/11/2003]

 

i use this one and love it...and its $69.95 http://store.summitracing.com/partde...57#largerimage
ive tried a couple of these in different angles and the zero degree angle one works the best on a SB...

 

I LIKE IT!! Actually looks like my Billet specialties looms. Funny though it says the straight is the one for SB Chevy yet the stock neck and the one currently on is 45 degrees????? That would put the upper hose dangerous close to the altenator belt.

As far as the A/C the radial unit is correct for that year and different than yours or my old 70 vert. All I did is order a new compressor install it and have my mechanic add oil/ fridg/ new seals as appropriate for R-134A.