When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Just logged on to Amazon.com. So many options in billet for you guys down there.
Amazon.ca doesn’t have anything in a billet.
Correction… I had to specifically type billet into the search before they came up. Same options as .com
Don't know how good they are but it's just a chunk of billet. I think they would work just fine. I have a riff raff one on mine but I got it for like $25 off marketplace. Guy bought it never used it and lost the bolts for it.
Took it apart to investigate and found the issue was twofold. First the housing was crowned, second the bolt locations were dished down.
The bolts were bottoming out before enough clamping pressure was being applied to the O-ring.
I simply flipped the housing over and gently used a pin punch to correct the dished areas at the bolt locations and went a little further to create a crush area to exert further pressure on the O-ring. Then I focused on straightening out the crown.
Put it back together and no leaks.
I’m going to be keeping a close eye on this and if it gives me any troubles it will be replaced.
Thank you ever so much for taking the time to create this drawing, color coded no less, to illustrate how you used a pin punch to counteract the distortion of the thermostat housing.
An impressive rescue, and an equally impressive report.
I also liked how you took the trouble to find images of the thermostat housing online (which helps readers unfamiliar with the part), and to also find an aftermarket solution (for those who reuse their old thermostat housing) that purports constrain the housing and seal the area with an additional O-ring.
I only requoted your drawing though, because that was above and beyond the call of duty to help our community.
Thanks again!
__________________________
On the topic of warped OEM thermostat housings, the Ford service manual calls for these housing to be replaced anytime the thermostat itself is replaced.
Since most people replace the thermostat anytime they replace the water pump, then the if a=b, and b=c, then a=c algebra follows: anytime the water pump is replaced, the thermostat housing should also be replaced, since the thermostat is being removed with the replacement of the water pump.
Ford didn't just say "it would be a good idea" if the thermostat housing was replaced. Ford said to discard the thermostat housing, and replace it.
(I haven't looked this up in years, so I cannot recall the exact wording. I only remember the important part... the action that I must do to follow the book).
The steel of the thermostat housing clearly yielded (failed to spring back its originally stamped shape) as it expands in use and contracts in disuse over many thermal cycles of operation. Once steel has yielded, it can be considered fatigued, and may not perform as reliably as it was able to before it fatigued from heat cycling.
In view of this possibility, and in keeping with Ford's recommendation, your idea to keep an eye on the thermostat housing is sound.
That notwithstanding, your fix is useful for those times when a new replacement thermostat housing isn't readily available.
The take away for future readers to consider is order a new thermostat housing (as Ford requires) whenever a new water pump or thermostat is ordered.
I would be reticent to order an aftermarket thermostat housing from Dorman or the like. Cheaper housings may be made with cheaper alloys of steel that may not have the same material properties (including Young's modulus) as the steel specified to make the OEM thermostat housing.
I don't have any experience with the boutique aftermarket billet aluminum thermostat housings to comment one way or another. When I replaced my waterpump, I replaced my thermostat housings with a new Motorcraft thermostat housing that I obtained from a Ford dealer. I put my original thermostat housing in a parts drawer, as it seemed too good to throw away. But I didn't want to second guess Ford's reasoning for requiring that it be replaced. Not every reason meets the eye.
When I had it all apart for the water pump as I was putting it back together I used some dielectric on the plug for the CPS.
Not just on the outside at the rubber seal but on the pins. AKA I was liberal with the stuff. Could this cause havoc with signal? Seems to be idling a little rough.
Dielectric grease can increase the resistance. When you pressed the plug into the CPS if the metal contacts have grease in between I would believe it could cause issues. Use some contact cleaner to clean it up. Then just place it around the “seal” area.
^^^What he said. If anything, you want conductive grease between the male and female conductors, not dielectric. You have to be really careful to not get conductive grease shorting across pins though.
Dielectric grease can increase the resistance. When you pressed the plug into the CPS if the metal contacts have grease in between I would believe it could cause issues. Use some contact cleaner to clean it up. Then just place it around the “seal” area.
Originally Posted by FordTruckNoob
^^^What he said. If anything, you want conductive grease between the male and female conductors, not dielectric. You have to be really careful to not get conductive grease shorting across pins though. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
😱 chit.
Looks like I’ve got more than one electrical connection to be cleaned up today. I was using that stuff like franks red hot. MAP, ICP, IPR, UVCH, CPS, EOT, ECT
Edit: Tomorrow. Conductive grease is on order and won’t arrive until later today. Gotta love Amazon Prime. If they would only let me drive to the warehouse and pick up. Less than 1/2hr away.
Looks like I’ve got more than one electrical connection to be cleaned up today. I was using that stuff like franks red hot. MAP, ICP, IPR, UVCH, CPS, EOT, ECT
Flush all of them with rubbing alcohol and follow up with this:
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Slideshow: The VelociRaptor Expedition gains a lift, upgraded suspension, Brembo brakes, and trail-ready equipment while retaining the stock 440-horsepower EcoBoost V6.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
