Thermostat Install Help

killbee

Founding Member
Jul 30, 2000
96
0
7
Western NC
I installed a 180 deg thermostat in my car a couple of weeks ago and I cant get it to stop leaking around the area where the water neck meets the intake. I took it apart tonite and the o-ring was cut, but when I installed another one its trying to leak again. Did I install the o-ring wrong? Does it go under the thermostat between it and the intake or does it go on top of the thermostat between it and the water neck? Could I be tightning the bolts too much? PLease help. Thanks
 
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I seem to remember that the o-ring 'stays' with the top part.
I hope that helps.
You might want to try to fix the leak without the
t-stat (ok in the summer) ,,, fix one thing at a time.
 
killbee said:
Its the housing, I think I got the o-ring in the wrong place.


O-ring goes on top. Did you use a new one? I haven't had a leak problem and I've had mine out several times lately - 180 Lightning (didn't like the design). 160 Hypertech (Perfect fit and large opening but set a "Cold" code). 180 Hypertech (with even a larger flow opening, but support cage was too wide...so I modified the intake). Took a straight blade micro air saw and cut out 2 notches in the aluminum thermostat support area. Looks "factory" to me.
 
BuffaloZone said:
O-ring goes on top. Did you use a new one? I haven't had a leak problem and I've had mine out several times lately - 180 Lightning (didn't like the design). 160 Hypertech (Perfect fit and large opening but set a "Cold" code). 180 Hypertech (with even a larger flow opening, but support cage was too wide...so I modified the intake). Took a straight blade micro air saw and cut out 2 notches in the aluminum thermostat support area. Looks "factory" to me.
Thats what I was doing wrong, :p I had the o-ring on the bottom, I guess next time I'll pay more attention. Even though I installed it wrong this pony still wouldnt let me down, got me home everyday. Thats what I love about these stangs. :nice: Thanks everybody for the help.
 
BuffaloZone said:
O-ring goes on top. Did you use a new one? I haven't had a leak problem and I've had mine out several times lately - 180 Lightning (didn't like the design). 160 Hypertech (Perfect fit and large opening but set a "Cold" code). 180 Hypertech (with even a larger flow opening, but support cage was too wide...so I modified the intake). Took a straight blade micro air saw and cut out 2 notches in the aluminum thermostat support area. Looks "factory" to me.
I would modify that thermostat before I modified my intake. :scratch:
 
showed up too late, but for future reference, what I do is rub a tiny layer of RTV just above the O-ring, then put the neck on, tourque the bolts to 20-22lbs and let it sit for a a little while (about an hour) and do all the other stuff i need done before refilling the coolant. Havent had a leak yet.
 
crew_dawg16 said:
I would modify that thermostat before I modified my intake. :scratch:


Support "cage" was too wide on thermostat and bending it would (probably) have weakened it and changed the overall length - may even create a clearance problem when the thermostat started to open.