1980 304CID leaky thermo housing - WHAT?

[DHugg]

Picked up a leak, tiny dribble, from the thermostat housing. Remove, scrape, sand, polish, new gasket and sealant specifically for thermo housings.

Same dribble again. The fluid IS antifreeze and it drips from the lower edge of the front axle gearbox. Engine is cool (185 thermostat holds it steady) and no liquid anywhere else.

Absolutely HATE the idea of two bolts only in a circular aluminum housing to try to clamp a circle.

Does anyone have the thermostat housing sealing procedural equivalent of a thermonuclear bomb? Doing the same drill over again to try for a different outcome is the definition of idiocy.

 

[mriplaybass]

Had the same problem and headaches. Solution: New $12.00 thermostat housing..............problem solved!

 

[Posi]

I used Super 300 (permatex) on both sides of the gasket to solved my dribble.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Is it leaking from around the mounting bolts?
If so-Use some Aviation Form a Gasket on the bolt threads.
LG

 

[DHugg]

Got all good responses! So the nuclear option is a new thermostat housing, PERMATEX, hold-down bolt sealant.

Now I won't have to try to scrape gasket sealant off an aluminum housing surface. I get so focused on fixing something that I forget the time-honored REMOVE AND REPLACE.

Thank you, gentleman.

 

[hagar]

some one used to make a cast iron replacement housing

 

[Turbogus]

O.E. on my '78 V8 was cast and..... I dropped it! Three tries at the local NAPA (same part nos.) yielded three different configurations - ALL wrong) I went out to Mac's Jeeparts and scavenged one off of an old Commando, cleaned it up and all was ultimately good.

 

[mriplaybass]

some one used to make a cast iron replacement housing

Summit Racing carries a cast iron housing. Around $16.00, bad news, OmixADA, but I have had fairly good luck with simple parts like this.