stinking water neck driving me crazy

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diymirage

diymirage

HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
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been trying to get the plow truck up to par and it is driving me crazy
(next time i wanna buy a ford, just shoot me)

i found out the reason i couldnt run a OEM coolant hose is because the PO installed the wrong water neck
so, i ripped it of, bought a new OEM one (pot metal, whatever it is, definitely not the chrome guaranteed to leak one)

so, first try, gasket, with a little permatex on both sides...small drip

second try, no gasket, just a bead of permatex (the grey one made for waterpumps/thermostat housing and this time, its pouring out as quick as i can pour it in

short of burning it, what should my third try be?


(and i know, its not a mopar, but a water neck is a water neck, same principles apply, no?)
 
I had a leak from my rear end cover. Chrome plated POS. I did it all. Ground chrome off, gasket, no gasket, gray, black silicone. Nothing worked.

Finally get her stopped. Good old #2 Permatex and a gasket
 
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Dont know who makes it but seen "water neck" with a rubber O ring. Friend had one and it never leaked.
 
I have both the water neck and rear end cover in chrome, in fact I have two more chrome covers on my Dodge ram . none of them leak. I use the copper header gasket sealer. use lacquer thinner to clean surfaces first
 
Leaking through the bolt threads because they go i to water passage? Just a guess.
 
Get out your straight edge and check both surfaces for straightness. Seal the bolt threads with liquid Teflon pipe thread sealant. I use gasket shellac (Indian Head) on the t-stat housing just to keep the gasket in place and no sealer between the gasket and intake.
 
On my 383 my thermostat housing was leaking.. filed it smooth new gasket silicone still leaked.. found the bolts were bottoming out added 2 washers problem solved...
 
Use studs instead of bolts and seal the treads, use
the gasket with a little RTV on each side of the gasket
and let it dry 24 hrs before you add coolant.
 
Using the so called pos MP heavy chrome version, with gasket and thin film of silicone, yes it dribbled. Removed it, sanded it on a flat surface, checking it as I went, definitely an uneven finish when chromed.. Sanded till uniform, using a thin layer of silicone (no gasket) and no more leaking. It's a nice POS now:)
 
Some of you guys crack me up with the water neck fails and waiting for hours and hours for something to dry.

Sorry, but I just find it amusing.:D
 
Wood block with sand paper on it... Your water neck's best friend... Even new ones. Iron, aluminum, pot metal, stamped steel, chrome... They all benefit from being actually flat.
I agree - waiting hours to add fluid - that's just crazy to me...lol
 
SharpDart71 said:
FLEX SEAL!!!! IT MAKES BOATS FLOAT AGAIN! ;)
Click to expand...
We're talking ford here, that's the anchor, not the boat

furrystump said:
Leaking through the bolt threads because they go i to water passage? Just a guess.
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I did not think they go into the Water, but both times I put some aviation permatex on the bolts, just to be sure

4spdragtop said:
Let the goop dry before adding coolant maybe?
Click to expand...

Did a minimum of 24 hours each time...as per instructions



Thanks for all the input guys, I will check for flatness and re assess the situation
 
diymirage said:
been trying to get the plow truck up to par and it is driving me crazy
(next time i wanna buy a ford, just shoot me)

i found out the reason i couldnt run a OEM coolant hose is because the PO installed the wrong water neck
so, i ripped it of, bought a new OEM one (pot metal, whatever it is, definitely not the chrome guaranteed to leak one)

so, first try, gasket, with a little permatex on both sides...small drip

second try, no gasket, just a bead of permatex (the grey one made for waterpumps/thermostat housing and this time, its pouring out as quick as i can pour it in

short of burning it, what should my third try be?


(and i know, its not a mopar, but a water neck is a water neck, same principles apply, no?)
Click to expand...
20150920_165020.jpg

Maybe you can ask stroked340? It seems as he knows his way around this Permatex stuff and water leaks very well.
 
I never wait to fill with coolant. Make sure everything is flat and smooth. I gorilla snot t-stat to housing as well as the gasget. Thats it. Make sure bolts are not bottoming out and use thread sealant on bolts. I refill as soon as all the hoses are connected.
 
O.K. you won't like this because it's "expensive". But I have one like this, and the thermostat housing is one place my engine will never leak again. Get one that uses an o-ring instead of gaskets, and is not cast. Billet Specialties Thermostat Housings 90820 (edit: This is for a SBM. I don't know what you are working on. I'm sure they make them for Fords too.)
bsp-90820_w_ml.jpg
 
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Are we talking about a Ford small block? If so, make sure the thermostat gets seated properly before you tighten the housing. They are known for being hard to keep the thermostat in position.
 
furyus2 said:
Are we talking about a Ford small block? If so, make sure the thermostat gets seated properly before you tighten the housing. They are known for being hard to keep the thermostat in position.
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yes, 87 bronco with a 351 in it
i did some reading on ford sites as well and next time it goes together, i will run a rubber band through the thermostat, and loop it aroun pencil or something to keep it in place
 
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I have haven't had any trouble with leaking thermostat housings since the 70's. My Dad showed me how to flat file them, to check the surface on the intake and to not over tighten the bolts. I always use a gasket with a thin layer of copper silicon on both sides then just snug the bolts good. IIRC the bolts are 3/8" and a lot of people really get down on them and distort the housing.
 
diymirage said:
yes, 87 bronco with a 351 in it
i did some reading on ford sites as well and next time it goes together, i will run a rubber band through the thermostat, and loop it aroun pencil or something to keep it in place
Click to expand...
I use Permatex's "Right Stuff" on everything and never have issues.
I thought I'd at least get a polite "touche" for my first comment....
 
j par said:
I use Permatex's "Right Stuff" on everything and never have issues.
I thought I'd at least get a polite "touche" for my first comment....
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With or without gasket?

And I let your first comment go unawsnered, since I figured I had that coming after your race announcement
 
Think I may have figured it out
The gasket is a perfect match to the intake (edelbrock)

The outlet for the bypass hose is too far from where it should be (you can tell by the gasket where the outlet is on the intake)

I don't know if the Water neck I bought is off, or if the I take is, but I do know the neck I pulled of lined up perfectly

20180517_162129.jpg
 
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