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  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • Classic Mustang Specific Tech

Antifreeze leak

  • Thread starter Thread starter mustangali
  • Start date Start date Jun 15, 2007
M

mustangali

New Member
May 30, 2007
4
0
0
Ontario, Canada
Jun 15, 2007
#1
  • Jun 15, 2007
  • #1
I have a 302 engine and had a small antifreeze leak which appeared to be coming from the thermostat housing gasket. I changed the housing and the gasket and put in a new thermostat. Let it sit for 24 hours and got home last night to ad antifreeze and it's still leaking and leaking MUCH MORE now.

Looked more carefully and noticed a huge gaping hole in the front of the engine core just below the thermostat housing. Looks like it's a core plug, but it's shaped like a wide/rounded triangle shape. What the heck??????
 
M

mustangman1974

Member
Jan 17, 2004
463
0
16
Jun 15, 2007
#2
  • Jun 15, 2007
  • #2
are you talking about the bypass hose? I have run had problems with the thermostat sliding down when I install the housing.
 
G

GNN60GT500

Founding Member
Jun 18, 2002
1,218
26
48
5 car lengths in front of you!
Jun 15, 2007
#3
  • Jun 15, 2007
  • #3
Thermostat, should be one of the easier jobs out there- but for some reason I never get no leaks on the first try-

I always use one hand to hold the thermostat through the housing when I am tightning the bolts-
 
M

mustangali

New Member
May 30, 2007
4
0
0
Ontario, Canada
Jun 15, 2007
#4
  • Jun 15, 2007
  • #4
It's not the thermostat or the bypass hose that's leaking...it's a hole below it. It's like a rounded edge wide triangle shaped hole. I think there may have been a soft freeze plug or some kinda gasket over it b4, but not totally sure.
 

Rusty67

20+ Year Stangneter
Dec 3, 2002
3,749
37
109
LA, CA
Jun 15, 2007
#5
  • Jun 15, 2007
  • #5
Please take a picture of this and post it.
 
M

mustangdave

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.
Founding Member
Feb 26, 2002
2,976
1
56
North Carolina
Jun 15, 2007
#6
  • Jun 15, 2007
  • #6
HMMM, sounds like someone knocked a hole in the block trying to hammer off the thermo housing. Go ahead, confess.
 
M

mustangali

New Member
May 30, 2007
4
0
0
Ontario, Canada
Jun 18, 2007
#7
  • Jun 18, 2007
  • #7
Nevermind. Problem solved. It was the thermostat leaking the entire time. Time for new glasses or better lighting.
 

yeloxr7

Member
Apr 18, 2005
429
0
16
Jun 18, 2007
#8
  • Jun 18, 2007
  • #8
I use a rubber band and a pencil to hold the thermostat in the housing when I Install one. Never had a problem with the 'stat shifting or leaking.
 
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