Thermostat housing leaking AGAIN

Crumm

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My thermostat housing was leaking and I finally got it to seal up 11-28-07. Details in this thread. Since I installed the new housing I have been leak free as far as coolant goes. This morning steam started flowing from under the hood. Temp was on the R in normal so I just cruised on home and backed into the shop. Quick look underneath and sure enough she was bleeding again, a regular river of coolant :rant After a few minutes of diagnosis I found that once again it was the thermostat housing seal.

The housing and seal were new on 11-28-07 so we are talking only about 1.5 months and probably less than 300 miles. I took it apart and everything looks fine. Rubber ring is intact and surfaces are clean with no irregularities.

Has anyone ever used silicone on the housing seal? I just ran a small bead around the groove that the seal goes in and then another small bead over the top of the seal. Once it sets up we will refill it and see what it does. Any better ideas? I guess next step would be a new water pump so that the lower surface would be new? Water pump is only a couple of years old. Could I be getting excessive pressure that is blowing coolant around the seal? This time it was a river not a drip.
 

Crumm

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Sounds good fellas :sweet I had not heard of troubles like mine before but I guess sealant in addition to the seal might just be standard procedure.
 

BIG JOE

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Hi Crumm,

When I did the 203* thermostat thing, I had some leak issues too. Took it all back apart, Smeared (not a bead and not allot) Permatex High Temp gasket sealer (the black stuff) on both surfaces, snubbed the bolts down, then >Torqued< the bolts down. It dripped. I added another "Click" of torque.. NO leaks in 4 years.

The Torque values would be yours to decide but the Equal values I think, was Key.:dunno

My Therm housing was OEM but new.
 

BIG JOE

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I think spec is like 15 ft lb but at 15 mine leaked like a stuck pig. They are now at 25 with the red hi-temp silicone. We will report back with any more leak issues.

I guess I was Outa Step.. Again. I could'nt find a torque spec when I did the change. I know it now tho;)

Thanks
 

Crumm

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But you don't want to know it since it isn't enough ;) Something that is right but doesn't work is as worthless as something wrong that doesn't work. Your "snubbed the bolts down, then >Torqued< the bolts down. It dripped. I added another "Click" of torque.. NO leaks in 4 years." method works :sweet 15 ft lb does not..
 

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