Leak at TStat housing
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
Guys, I got a nasty 24 hour bug, so I was in bed all day yesterday and didn't work on the truck OR go camping!
I'll be headed out in a bit this morning to put the upper hose back on--thinking about also removing the broken petcock and replacing before pouring the coolant back in.
Like I said before I bought the billet housing and installed on my original pump, NO leaks, then installed it on the AIRTEX pump, NO leaks, then on the current Cardone (new) pump and it kept leaking.....so thats why I went to the RTV
I think it would be easy to make a nice composition gasket for these that would make everything that much easier rather you used a stock OR the billet housing--until THIS 7.3 ALL my Fords have had a composition gasket for the TStat housing-I never used RTV in that area of any of those and never had a leak.
I'll be headed out in a bit this morning to put the upper hose back on--thinking about also removing the broken petcock and replacing before pouring the coolant back in.
Like I said before I bought the billet housing and installed on my original pump, NO leaks, then installed it on the AIRTEX pump, NO leaks, then on the current Cardone (new) pump and it kept leaking.....so thats why I went to the RTV
I think it would be easy to make a nice composition gasket for these that would make everything that much easier rather you used a stock OR the billet housing--until THIS 7.3 ALL my Fords have had a composition gasket for the TStat housing-I never used RTV in that area of any of those and never had a leak.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 36
Likes: 5
I too had a t'stat housing leak after doing a flush w/ stat out. replaced o-ring, cleaned everything, had annoying drip. bought a fel-pro oring from adv auto. The AA one was 0.125" thick. The one i was replacing (which was new from another shop) was 0.110" thick all around. Still had the one from before the flush - that too was 0.125" thick. I reassembled with the new thick oring, and a bead of permatex around the sealing surface. Now we're good to go - no more weeping drip after a couple weeks.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
I too had a t'stat housing leak after doing a flush w/ stat out. replaced o-ring, cleaned everything, had annoying drip. bought a fel-pro oring from adv auto. The AA one was 0.125" thick. The one i was replacing (which was new from another shop) was 0.110" thick all around. Still had the one from before the flush - that too was 0.125" thick. I reassembled with the new thick oring, and a bead of permatex around the sealing surface. Now we're good to go - no more weeping drip after a couple weeks.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,888
Likes: 180
From: Morgan Hill, CA
Which ever route you choose to seal it, the surface prep remains the same. Use Scotch-Brite to prepare the surface. Use it to dress the o-ring surfaces in a rotational direction. You don't want to see any "radial" lines which go from inside to outside the sealing "lay pattern." All your lines you create with the Scotch-Brite should be running in a large circular pattern. You're typically looking for a #16 finish. With proper surface prep the oring itself should seal without RTV. I have no RTV on mine and it's been on there several years without leaking.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
Guys, I WAS able to get the broken off drain plug (I call it a petcock)(I'm from the old school, I guess) out by using an allen wrench (hex) in the middle-the FACTORY drain plugs have a female hex in the middle for this.....but the aftermarket plug from Dorman/Motormite DOES NOT-it also uses a thumb screw rather than a 3/4" male hex like the factory one does.....I actually like the Dorman one better, it was under $5 at Advance.
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dave22r
1994.5 - 1997 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel
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Feb 15, 2013 11:38 PM
