Well I was about to begin my flush to remove all of my old gunk from the Ford coolant. I was using a 3/8" ratchet hand held to remove the two bolts from the thermostat. Outboard top nut OK, inboard top nut OK, then I start to remove the stud from the outboard side, a little stiff but appeared to break free with a little hand tap, started to remove the stud then worked on the inboard stud 13mm wrench a slap and then she broke free. As I am removing the studs I realize that the outboard flange of the T-housing has broken in my attempt to remove it. Its a chunk about a quarter of an inch and part of the threads for the studs are parts of the broken piece. The whole ear cracked and snapped off. Now what? I cannot believe that something as simple as removing (2) bolts from a thermostat housing can ruin an entire day. Is that housing part of the block? The timing chain cover? Or what? I cannot believe that I may have to remove the front of the truck just to fix a crappy casting. Anyone with some ideas?

 

Wow I have never Heard of this that sucks Sorrey man thats a Bad Day

At First I thought you just broke the Thermostat Housing (The Part that Comes with the thermostAT)

But your Snapped where the studs mount tto the engine


Not this Housing below is it???This would be easy fix but I take it the front cover broke
This housing below comes with MOST thermostats

 

No not the T-housing itself but the housing that the thermostat mounts to. Its the piece that the thermostat sits in. I'll see if I can get a shot of it you won't believe it.

 

Ouch. I think he is talking about the front cover.
Can you post some photos? That would help to make sure.
If it is the cover that is not cheep and you need the special
tools to install the crank seals. Last the timing gear is in
the back of the engine. The only things in the front cover
is the low pressures pump and the water pump.
Maybe it can be fixed. We will have to see.

Sean

 

Ya I thought he ment the front cover

been trying to find a part# for 20 minutes now with no luck

I know Bismic has it

 

Yes it is the front cover, part of the camshaft timing gear section of the parts manual, item #17 no part number reference but $400.00+
Check WWW.HORIZONPARTSGUY.COM 03' Super Duty 6.0, engine, then to the sub catagory. I can't believe that it broke off with a 3/8 ratchet, but it is a steel bolt in a aluminum housing. At this point I am leaning towards a JB weld with a through bolt and a nut on the bottom. The sealing surface for the thermostat housing is good, I just need to make sure I have a tight compression seal for the thermostat.

 

Ya that sucks

Seems like you probably could threw bolt it been a few since I was there

Or could you just use a Longer bolt to get into the threads past the Break???

 

or is the whole ear gone isnt it???

Well sleep on it Im shure you could figure out some way to bolt it up

This is one reason I put ANTISEIZE on Every Bolt & Nut I take off ALL my Cars no matter what repair is

This is the ear that broke isnt it??

 

Maybe you could tackweld a Helicoil in there IDK thinking Out loud

 

That's the ear, the outboard one towards the radiator. I have 60% of the threaded bolt hole. But the whole casting cracked off. So I have minimal thread engagement to clamp the stud and the upper housing to the front cover casting. A aluminum heli-coil, it would have to be tig welded, and thats a tight spot. I know that I really don't want to pull the front off the truck. Just because of a bad casting. I agree and do the same, every bolt I remove I antiseize. The problem here was, it was my first time

 

sounds like you are having a day like mine.....terrible

 

Well like I said there is only the oil pump and pressure regulator in that housing and the water
pump is bolted to it. All of you timing gears are in the back of the engine. So there is
no worry there. You could do a welded repair but to do it right you will need to remove the
cover. If you remove the cover your going to have to replace the crank seal anyway
you look at. To do that your going to need two of the special tools. The ring remover
and the seal installer. Anyway you look at it's going to be a headache.

Benny has some good advise. Sleep on it tonight and maybe a better idea will come up.

Sean

 

This part is confusing this side of the computer

so the Whole ear is cracked off with 60% of the threads still good in the broken peice???

Or would a Longer Bolt work???



IMO this is one of those things that Should be fixed Right reason being is that lets say you are driving down the road 6 months from Now and Finishes breaking or something and starts to leak coolant and your on a long drive you might not know it

There is NO Coolant leval sensor is the Big Kicker here

From past experiance once there is no coolant going over the ECT sensor it wont report the overheating condition you will have a catastropic failure before you know it

 

Bare Front Cover - 2003 until 9/29/03 3C3Z-6019-A (tousley has it for $300 or so)
Bare Front Cover - late 04 4C3Z-6019-C
Bare Front Cover - 05 and up 5C3Z-6019-BB


Assuming it is a 2003 engine - You should consider upgrading to a 2004 model year front cover and installing the accompanying PW-491 (4C3Z-8501-AC) larger water pump

 

Look on e bay or the local junkie for a used one.I sure you can get a good deal