thermostat issues
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Howell
thermostat issues
so my thermostat went out... and it has been hell to get it fixed. it has been too cold here to get RTV sealant to cure, can i put the gasket in dry? i broke the housing so as soon as i pull a new one, i need to know what i can do to get this thing fixed. i'm tired of messing with it.. 
i have a guy coming to look at it to buy it and i need this problem solved. help?
i have a guy coming to look at it to buy it and i need this problem solved. help?
New User
Joined: Feb 2009
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Probably not the best idea to go dry with the gasket. Might not leak, but it would suck to put it on dry, fill up the radiator, start the truck,see that it leaks, take it all off again, lose more coolant, put the R.T.V. on, put the thermostat back on, reassemble it.......
I would think it will cure up eventually....
I would think it will cure up eventually....
Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2008
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1) Find an extension cord and heat gun (or hair dryer).
2) Remove the housing and fire up the heat gun on the block. Set in place, close the hood, go make a sandwich.
3) Prep the housing with RTV, stat and gasket while you're inside, warm and making sandwiches. Make sure you don't mix ingredients between the two projects.
4) After the sandwich is gone and the housing has had some time to set with the RTV, put the final layer of RTV on the gasket (between the gasket and block) and head outside.
5) Remove heat gun and put housing in place. Torque to specs
6) Give the setup a few minutes to cure (residual block heat should buy you a few minutes).
7) Fire it up, get the truck to temp and check for leaks.
8) More sandwiches
9) Check for leaks one last time and drive for a bit.
Totally making this up, haven't tried this myself. Live in SoCal. Dead of winter is about 45 degrees, so I'd be lying if I said I tried this before.
2) Remove the housing and fire up the heat gun on the block. Set in place, close the hood, go make a sandwich.
3) Prep the housing with RTV, stat and gasket while you're inside, warm and making sandwiches. Make sure you don't mix ingredients between the two projects.
4) After the sandwich is gone and the housing has had some time to set with the RTV, put the final layer of RTV on the gasket (between the gasket and block) and head outside.
5) Remove heat gun and put housing in place. Torque to specs
6) Give the setup a few minutes to cure (residual block heat should buy you a few minutes).
7) Fire it up, get the truck to temp and check for leaks.
8) More sandwiches
9) Check for leaks one last time and drive for a bit.
Totally making this up, haven't tried this myself. Live in SoCal. Dead of winter is about 45 degrees, so I'd be lying if I said I tried this before.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
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From: Austin, TX
I buy the gaskets that have adhesive on one side, which holds the thermostat in the housing while you put it on. That way you only need RTV on the gasket-to-block surface. It doesn't take much though. I'm sorry, but there's no way you're going to get it to cure out in the cold weather. The RT in RTV stands for "room temperature." I don't recommend trying without sealer. Now, Edelbrock makes a kind of sealant called Gasgacinch that you can use on thermostat housing gaskets. It looks like rubber glue, instead of RTV. You might try looking that up and seeing what kind of temperature it needs to cure.
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From: Howell
I buy the gaskets that have adhesive on one side, which holds the thermostat in the housing while you put it on. That way you only need RTV on the gasket-to-block surface. It doesn't take much though. I'm sorry, but there's no way you're going to get it to cure out in the cold weather. The RT in RTV stands for "room temperature." I don't recommend trying without sealer. Now, Edelbrock makes a kind of sealant called Gasgacinch that you can use on thermostat housing gaskets. It looks like rubber glue, instead of RTV. You might try looking that up and seeing what kind of temperature it needs to cure.
that's what i did. i took the housing inside and got everything ready, and let it set. and the next day took it out and hooked it all up. and then when i took it for a drive, it was a white out and i drove into a drift and the snow was so deep i couldn't open my door. thank god for neighbors with big tractors or my truck may have been there till the snow melted...
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: DeKalb, Ill.
I just replaced mine a few weeks back. I hate scraping old gaskets and sealant off, so I don't use the sealant if I don't need to. It took a little time and patients, but I used a razor knife blade to hold the thermostat and gasket in place as I put the housing over them. I only had to cuss a few times, and everything worked out great. No leaks now, and no scraping next time. Give it a try.
Murph.
Murph.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Denmark,WI
Probably not the best idea to go dry with the gasket. Might not leak, but it would suck to put it on dry, fill up the radiator, start the truck,see that it leaks, take it all off again, lose more coolant, put the R.T.V. on, put the thermostat back on, reassemble it.......
I would think it will cure up eventually....
I would think it will cure up eventually....
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From: Boise, Idaho
I've put in a thermostat in a parking lot in 5 - 10 degree weather before with no sealant of any kind. Just the dry gasket. It didn't leak for over a year.
It's always better to use some, but it's doable without, especially in cold weather.
It's always better to use some, but it's doable without, especially in cold weather.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 140
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From: Milwaukee, WI
Permatec offers a "thermostat/waterpump" gasket sealant that works absolutely the first time. (for me at least) even if the block is wet, it's cold out, whatever! You can find it right next to the RTV at the hardware/parts store. The best part is no messy clean-up if you need to remove the part. It peels off clean.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
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