Thermostat gasket problem

forcefed95sc

Registered User
I had to change out the thermostat and gasket on Saturday. I had to go back to o'reilly twice, once for the wrong gasket they gave me, and the second time to get another gasket. I replaced the gasket the first time and sealed it up with blue rtv, started the car, and it was leaking at the bottom. So I pulled the housing off and replaced the gasket and with another one. I start it up and let it run for a bit, no leak. I went to work and back home today and the temperature gauge would just sit above the blue mark on the gauge. I said alright, it is running cold. I got home and popped the hood, and noticed it had a small leak on top of the housing. I had cleaned the surface so good, you could have eaten off of it. And wiped it clean. I have an extra gasket to change it out a 3rd time. Is there a special trick to do this?
 
The same thing happened to me. It seems the gasket moves when you put the housing back into place. What I did was I RTV'ed the housing and set the gasket on the housing. I then let it set overnight so that when I reinstalled it the gasket didn't move. Worked for me!! Good luck
 
Yes, the thermostat will fall out of place when you try to bolt it on. You NEED to rtv or like the thermostat to the housing. Let that dry so it stays on and then bolt down the housing.

I think just about everyone hits this problem. :)
 
Screw that ^&%@$ gasket. The only one that ever worked for me was the teflon one from ford. Since it is a special order part, RTV. I did that, and let it sit overnight. No problems at all.
 
Check the stat housing bolt holes to be sure they are flush with the housing face. Sometimes, if you don't change the stat yourself, the gorilla that does usually overtightens the two bolts and the bolt holes will dimple. The stat housing is thin steel vice thick cast aluminum. Therefore, when you put a new gasket on and tighten the bolts, the dimple will seat on the gasket and be tight but the rest of the gasket will not and will leak. I took my XR7SC stat housing, put it on a flat surface and took a hammer and taped the dimpled holes down until they were flush with the rest of the stat housing. When I installed it, without the gorilla touch, it did not leak.

Hope this helps!

Ed Springer

90 Black XR7 5-speed: 70mm TB, Fresh Air Intake, '94 Supercharger, 5% SC Pulley, Raised SC Top, I/C Fan, Underdrive Pulleys, 190 l/h Fuel Pump, 36# Injectors, Headers, Magnaflow Muffler (no cats) with stock resoantors, 3:27 Gears, Ripper Shifter, 73 CL MAF and Magnacore Wires, NGK Iridium Plugs.

94 Red SC Auto: 70mm TB, Fresh Air Intake, Stock 90 SC Pulley, Raised SC Top, I/C Fan, Underdrive Pulleys, 190 l/h Fuel Pump, 38# Injectors, Headers, Raven Muffler (no cats) with stock resoantors, 3:73 Gears, 73 CL MAF, Magnacore Wires, NGK Iridium Plugs, TRANSGO Shift Kit, ProTorque 2500 Stall TC, Haydon Auxiliary Transmission Cooler, American Racing 17” Sniper Wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Tires, 235 RWHP and 315 Lbs.Ft. Torque.
 
i had the same problem my gasket didnt even fit right the small hole was off the housing i had some of that make your own gasket material and made my own worked great put a little rtv so it was easier to put back together and no problems yet
 
If you go to NAPA the correct gasket is part number C26888, made by Victor. The computer shows the wrong one ( I know cuz i work at NAPA) but if they look in the gasket book, not the thermostat book, it will show the correct one. It fits perfectly. I would not use RTV, instead i would use Permatex NUMBER 2 Gasket sealer. Rtv is very good at sealing oil leaks but not really designed for coolant. The permatex #2 is not an RTV and it is designed to resist ethelyne glycol (antifreeze). Anytime i'm sealing water pump or thermostat gaskets that's all i use.
 
forcefed95sc said:
Is there a special trick to do this?
Yeah, Call Vernon. :D

I finally went to FORD and got the gasket. Oh, I order 3 of them I believe, just in case I had to crack it open again!

Good Luck
Calvin
 
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