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Thermostat Gasket -- Dry or Sealant? |
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sjpitts 
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Joined: April-16-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 111 |
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 Topic: Thermostat Gasket -- Dry or Sealant?Posted: May-17-2013 at 3:24pm |
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This may be stupid question-- and I tried to search but did not find the answer.
I just changed the thermostat and I think it is leaking from around the housing. 89 PCM 351 Ford Engine. Carborated. I got the t-stat and gasket from skidim. The gasket appears to be a cardboard type. It was PCM brand. When I installed it, I just put the new gasket on dry. But I am not sure if that is right. And now it appears to be leaking. Should I have used as sealant? Like Perfect Seal? The other potential problem is that maybe I didn't get all the old gasket off. I used a razor blade and some emory paper but there still might be some there. But I thought I got it pretty clean. Thanks again Jared |
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Bri892001
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Joined: September-27-2008 Location: Boston MA Status: Offline Points: 4945 |
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Posted: May-17-2013 at 3:48pm |
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Per the advice of David from White Lake Marine, I used a little Permatec Hytac Gasket Sealer on mine. Not heavy, just enough to make it stick.
I did it a few years ago. But you know, it still leaked a small amount the first couple of times I used the boat. I snugged up the bolts just a little bit more each time. And eventually the leak went away. I would edit: would NOT tighten too much, because you risk breaking the bolts or crushing the gasket. I'm not sure if the gasket needed to break in/expand a bit, or what the deal was. Of course, too much old material left behind could be a problem. |
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sjpitts
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Posted: May-17-2013 at 4:56pm |
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Thanks for the reply. Maybe I will take it apart and add some sealant.
The other thing I noticed is that the gasket didn't line up real easily with everything. And maybe I didn't get it aligned all right. I don't think I over tightened it, but I did make it pretty snug. |
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backfoot100
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Joined: January-03-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1897 |
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Posted: May-17-2013 at 5:12pm |
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I also put a very thin coat of sealant on the gasket. Unless the gasket mating sufaces on both the intake and thermostat housing are pristine and perfectly flat, it can be pretty tough to get a good seal. It's also real easy to overtighten. My Chevy calls for 25 ft/lbs. That isn't very much and if you over-torque it, I guaranty it will leak.
Don't try and reuse that gasket either. Get a new one. If you've compressed it and it leaked, it's only good for a book marker at this point. |
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When people run down to the lake to see what's making that noise, you've succeeded.
Eddie |
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Bri892001
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Posted: May-17-2013 at 5:12pm |
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I think part of what that sealant does is hold the gasket in place.
If you think the gasket got messed up, you can buy a gasket by itself if you want, here: http://www.nautiqueparts.com/gasketthermostathousingfordengines.aspx |
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backfoot100
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Posted: May-17-2013 at 5:35pm |
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Another thing that helps too.
Take the hoses off the thermostat housing before you put it back together. If the hoses are still attached, they'll make the housing want to stand up on end, get twisted out of shape and you'll crush the gasket and smear sealant all over the place before you ever get the damn thing tightened up. Do yourself a favor, remove the hoses, lay the housing nice and flat on the intake, tighten it up and then attach your hoses. In fact, I generally torque it down and let the sealant set and cure good before I go back and attach my hoses. |
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When people run down to the lake to see what's making that noise, you've succeeded.
Eddie |
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SNobsessed
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Joined: October-21-2007 Location: IA Status: Offline Points: 7102 |
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Posted: May-17-2013 at 6:50pm |
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If the housing's sealing surface is not flat, you can staple some emery cloth onto a FLAT board & sand the flange flat.
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“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Ben Franklin |
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sjpitts
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Posted: May-17-2013 at 6:55pm |
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So I sent an email to Skidim and asked them the question. This is what they said:
"We put them on dry but it is ok to use some sealant if the surfaces are a little pitted." So I decided to go ahead do it again with some sealant. I went to my local CC dealer and got a new gasket. I asked them the same question and they said they use some "Permetex Aviation Form-A-Gasket Sealant Liquid" So I went to NAPA and picked some up. I just finished installing the new gasket w/sealant and will start it up in a few minutes. Hopefully no leak this time. |
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sjpitts
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Posted: May-17-2013 at 6:56pm |
That is good advice. I wish I had read this before I reinstalled the new gasket. I took the hose off one side, but left it on the other side. |
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boardersdad
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Posted: June-19-2013 at 3:29am |
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I was taught by some wise old-timers to use a thin layer of Permatex Ultra Black. I've come to love that stuff.
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62 wood
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Posted: June-22-2013 at 11:39pm |
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I use a light-medium coat of Indian Head on t.stat gaskets.
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backfoot100 wrote: