[82GT]

My water neck won't seal. It's a cheap chrome one so I'm going to ditch that one and buy a new aluminum one. Which type are better, the O ring seal ones or gasket type?

Since this is not a dailer driver, do I really need the thermostat? I think part of my problem is that the thermostat is slipping out of place when I'm tying to intall it.

Second, do I need any sealer if using the O ring type, or is it a good idea to always use some RTV?

I also may have had the order of installation wrong. I put the gasket on the intake (with RTV sealer), then the T-stat, then water neck. which also had an O-ring.

I'm just trying to figure if I did something wrong or not.

 

[210eddiep]

I had the same problem with my 71 302. Scrapped the cheap chrome and bought one from four seasons. No more leak! Got one with a gasket.

 

[82GT]

Can I use both the O-ring and gasket?

 

[PSIG]

I bet what you have is not an O-ring, but a split ring that is supposed to slip over the outside edge of the thermostat. In that case, no gasket is needed in theory, but I would use it anyway just for insurance with cheap stuff. The cheap chrome necks are notorious for being warped and having uneven sealing surfaces. A quick block sanding to level the gasket face is a good idea. Yes, it will remove the chrome there. No, you cant see the removed chrome area, so who cares.

David

Yes, it looks like an O-ring, but there is a split around the inside to mount it on the edge of the T-stat:

 

[Blulakr]

I had the same problem with a cheapo chrome water neck.

I did Davids suggestion of sanding the mounting surface smooth. I also used a thin layer of silicone along with the split o-ring.

No troubles since.

You should always run a thermostat.

 

[arnoldtx]

If you have the cheapo chrome then you have the oring that replaces the gasket and does not fit on to tstat. You can either get a new oring or remove it and use a gasket. Clean the tstat sealing surface good. I like to use a little 3m to glue the tstat into the groove of the housing then glue the gasket over that and let it set up before installing on the intake. Helps keep everything in place while trying start the bolts. With the oring I like to use a little rtv.

 

[mavman]

I hate ALL of the aftermarket t-stat housings.

Even the "good" ones have leaked for me...usually I have to drive to the JY to get the one I want, which is a factory stock one.

Just recently spent nearly a MONTH trying to find a fox body 90° housing that didn't leak. ALL of the aftermarket ones are made in china and are made differently. Some have a bigger bypass hole that the gasket won't seal. Some have a little bitty hole and the gasket seals fine there, but it's bolt holes didn't line up. Another one (cast iron) wouldn't seal anywhere. Thermostat held it off of the manifold and would have had to use 2 gaskets. Tried that...got hot & leaked. Tried 2 more too and failed. Went to JY, found a '93 LX with a destroyed 5.0 and LUCKILY about the only thing good on the whole car was the t-stat housing. Broke the bolts off and bolted it onto mine and never had another problem.

 

[82GT]

Well, after looking at my housing, it's pitted in some areas so I'm going to get another one from summit. This one is going to be aluminum with chrome finish. It's made by Spectre. I heard the billet alluminum ones are the best, next to the OEM ones but I'm not paying $90 for a housing that "might" work, or "might not" work.

A buddy of mine today said Mr. Gasket makes a reusable rubber gasket that's about 1/8 thick and says he never had a leak with it cost $17

So what goes on first? The gasket or the T-stat?

 

[82GT]

I bet what you have is not an O-ring, but a split ring that is supposed to slip over the outside edge of the thermostat. In that case, no gasket is needed in theory, but I would use it anyway just for insurance with cheap stuff. The cheap chrome necks are notorious for being warped and having uneven sealing surfaces. A quick block sanding to level the gasket face is a good idea. Yes, it will remove the chrome there. No, you cant see the removed chrome area, so who cares.

David

Yes, it looks like an O-ring, but there is a split around the inside to mount it on the edge of the T-stat:

No, that's not what I had. I had the one that fits into the housing.

 

[Ggrahn]

Weld it.

 

[Comechero65]

Had the same problem trying to get one of those nice looking chromed stat housings to seal. Tried thicker gaskets, lots of sealer and even filing the surface to make sure it wasn't warped. Nothing helped. Replaced it with a cheap but cast housing made in 'china'. No more leak. finally! Painted it silver. Not as pretty as chrome but I'll live with it as it doesn't leak. I've heard the o-ring types always leak or don't last very long. Won't even try one of those.
R

 

[PSIG]

Weld it.

LOL... nice.

David

 

[82GT]

I dont know who did that weld job Ggrhn but that's a crappy weld job. My 9th grade shop teacher would have tossed that in the garbage and made me start over again...lol Just sayin....

 

[thekingofazle]

Had the very same problem with mine. Started weeping out of the bottom after maybe 500 miles. Ditched it for a cast iron one and never looked back.

 

[Ggrahn]

I dont know who did that weld job Ggrhn but that's a crappy weld job. My 9th grade shop teacher would have tossed that in the garbage and made me start over again...lol Just sayin....

So you can see how funny this is?