[NovaSS69396]

Hey guys, i need some suggestions. Im at my witsend with this dang thermostat housing. I put on a nice new Airgap intake and now it looks horrible thanks to a pinhole drip in the thermostat housing. Ive tried resealing and gasketing it 3 different ties, and once with new housing all together. What am i doin wrong. What do you guys do to get the job done. Any suggestions would be great. TIA

Kasey

 

[69NovaSS]

Hey guys, i need some suggestions. Im at my witsend with this dang thermostat housing. I put on a nice new Airgap intake and now it looks horrible thanks to a pinhole drip in the thermostat housing. Ive tried resealing and gasketing it 3 different ties, and once with new housing all together. What am i doin wrong. What do you guys do to get the job done. Any suggestions would be great. TIA

Kasey

If it is an inexpensive chrome housing possibly the bottom mounting surface is not completely flat. Sometimes it helps to lay a piece of emery cloth on a flat surface (ie a piece of glass) and to sand the mounting surface of the housing flat untill it has even sanding marks completely across its surface....just a thought.

 

[DjD]

I have had great luck with the gaskets that have the bead of silicone (blue) on each side of the gasket and installing the gasket dry. It helps if both surfaces are clean and dry and go easy on over tightening. We have a Corvette speciality shop here in town that stocks them...

 

[NovaSS69396]

Ill try sanding and filing to flatten out the surface. Ill also go and try to pick up one of those gaskets witht eh bead already in it. Heres hopin i can get it takin care of this weekend. Thank a lot guys.

Kasey

 

[Rusty Bucket]

Don't know what it looks like under your hood, but I've always liked cast iron thermostat housings. The base is more rigid and when you tighten it doesn't pull the "ears" down. Make sure it's good 'n flat on a piece of glass and don't tighten it too awfully tight. Paint it whatever color you like. Had good success with the blue FelPro gaskets installed dry.

 

[Bart]

Well you already replaced the thermostat housing so you either have really bad luck when buying thermostat housing or the problem is the manifold surface. So don't forget to take that peice of glass or a wide flat file and check that manifold surface. Make sure the surfaces are clean of any oil or dirt before applying any sealer.

 

[basketcase]

I fought with my friends about 4 different ways, and finally ended up taking the housing to a sander/surfacer to flatten it out. All is well!

Good luck

 

[Motorhead62]

I too have had good luck with the cast iron housings. Some times they are hard to find without the threaded hole in the top but they are cheap, about $7.

Another trick: Use a thick paper gasket coated in Ultra Blue/Black (kind of thick) and lightly torque the bolts. Let the sealer harden over night and then re-torque.

Good Luck

 

[Buzzbomb]

Speaking of the housing with the hole threaded in the top.....Can a temperature sending unit be threaded in there for a water temp gauge? My OEM 350 ALuminum housing has a hairline crack that makes a slight leak, and I was thinking about replacing it with a hole in the top cast iron one.