Anybody fabricate their own t-stat housing

mywhite89

Registered User
I can't seem to have any luck with thermostat housings. I got my stock one to seal for about 300 miles, then I threw a blower belt and it must have tweaked the housing or something. I know it slapped some ~~~~ pretty good. Either way, I took it off and now its warped and wont seal at all.

Has anyone custom fabbed their own housing or been able to buy one?
 
Its on my to do list after the shootout. The problem I have run into is finding mandrel bent tubeing in the right size.

Ken
 
I have seen a much simpler solution that someone made. They took a piece of 3/8" plate that was laser cut to the gasket and had it welded to the housing and then machined flat. Works beautiful as far as I can tell.
 
Its on my to do list after the shootout. The problem I have run into is finding mandrel bent tubeing in the right size.

Ken

Well when you figure something out and get this done be sure to make one for me also.:) Seriously

I have seen a much simpler solution that someone made. They took a piece of 3/8" plate that was laser cut to the gasket and had it welded to the housing and then machined flat. Works beautiful as far as I can tell.

This is exactly what I was thinking of doing. The only problem I could think of with that is the small indention for where the thermostat sits on the housing. I'm pretty sure a machine shop could do that though.
 
I brought a stock housing to a guy that has a CNC mill in his garage. A retired machinist. he didn't want to give it a shot.

The machining for the housing isn't the problem. It's the connections for the bleed tube, the bypass hose and the radiator hose. Those worried him.

I was thinking machine the housing with male thread bosses for some type of connectors. Either NPT, or O-ring style connectors to attach a pipe for bleeding, nipple for bypass, and connection for upper radiator hose.

The housing would be a tad tricky due to the confined space, but could pretty easily be done. I was thinking to have that machined to take an o-ring rather than standard gasket.

An alternative would be to get a decent gasket made from Felpro. they now have their permatorque thermostat gaskets that are a metal plate with their special coatings on it that helps seal warped surfaces. Nothing in our application yet.
 
Post a picture

Ken

no good pictures i had to reroute the water outlet tube for inverted i used a stainless steel bowl from a good set from sears it was right size for housing and made a 1/4 inch plate for mounting we cut a ridge in it to seat the t stat,

used pre bent stainless tube from my brother inlaws muffler shop and welded it together i even made the vent tube on side to bleed out air maybe ill go to storage and get it out im planning on puting inverted back on with snow kit
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I'm having a sealing problem on mine right now, too. I use a belt sander to flatten mine and then lay it against a flat surface and check that it doesn't rock back and forth. I keep going until it sits flat and won't rock. Still won't seal sometimes. One problem has always been that the thermostat slips down and causes a leak. Now I put 4 dots of superglue on the housing to hold the thermostat in place. I'm using plenty of silicone this time and won't touch it for 24 hrs. I like the idea of welding a flat plate on it.
 
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