Thermostat neck from Billet Technologies

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chasb

chasb

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I have a small leak around the bottom of the the thermostat neck on my 440 Dart. I know this is a common problem. I had the motor rebuilt over the winter last year and the new manifold is an Edelbrock performer series aluminum manifold. I am going to try the Billet technologies aluminum t-neck with the rubber o ring seal as I have seen it recommended here and there.

Questions I have are as follows.

1. Since no gasket is needed with this do I still use RtF anywhere?

2. Do I use silicon or some other sealant on the bolt threads?
 
Do the bolt holes go thru into water? Then yes you need sealant on the threads.
The only thing that you need to put on the o-ring is some grease, preferably silicone-based. But NOT silicone sealant or RTV sealant!
 
Check mating surfaces
I always run the thermostat housing gasket surface over a piece of 180 ish grit paper on glass...like thick tabletop glass. Check sanded pattern for missed spots. Repeat until no missed spots.
Haven't had a leaker after that.
As long as it's not chromed, those always leak.:rolleyes:
 
Jimacuda said:
Check mating surfaces
I always run the thermostat housing gasket surface over a piece of 180 ish grit paper on glass...like thick tabletop glass. Check sanded pattern for missed spots. Repeat until no missed spots.
Haven't had a leaker after that.
As long as it's not chromed, those always leak.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
No! The o-ring is the seal. Do not sand/grind anything with the Billet technologies housing!
 
69_340_GTS said:
No! The o-ring is the seal. Do not sand/grind anything with the Billet technologies housing!
Click to expand...

Yes!
I'm talking about fixing the STOCK GASKETED THERMOSAT HOUSING.
Thought "gasket surface" made it clear. My mistake.
 
Th
69_340_GTS said:
Do the bolt holes go thru into water? Then yes you need sealant on the threads.
The only thing that you need to put on the o-ring is some grease, preferably silicone-based. But NOT silicone sealant or RTV sealant!
Click to expand...

Thanks
 
It needs to be flat no matter if its a gasket or o ring sealing against it.
I drag a fine flat file across it lightly and check for holidays.
 
Jimacuda said:
Yes!
I'm talking about fixing the STOCK GASKETED THERMOSAT HOUSING.
Thought "gasket surface" made it clear. My mistake.
Click to expand...
But the o.p. is asking questions about a billet housing with an o-ring. Why are you answering a question that was not even asked?
 
Last edited:
69_340_GTS said:
But the o.p. is asking questions about a billet housing with an o-ring. Why are you answering a question that was not even asked?
Click to expand...

And your arguing about it...go figure.

Offering a solution to the ops original problem.
If you'd rather just spend $, that's fine. Not every one does.
 
Id try to put some gasket sealant around the o ring first.

Permatex #2 or Versa Chem type 2 should work
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
Id try to put some gasket sealant around the o ring first.

Permatex #2 or Versa Chem type 2 should work
Click to expand...
And then when you take it apart at some future date, the o-ring will be ruined (you'll never get the RTV off of it). The o-ring is the seal. It needs no sealant.
 
First question if it's an O-ring the manufacturer knows it needs to be down flat and the o rng is what makes it seal. So I can be taken on and off without leak and no mess. Assuming lol the manifold has a nice sealing surface. I myself have no experience with this perfect world scenario.
I used a dollar gasket and "the right stuff" and never seen a leak there. I'm sure I have the crome junk one.
 
chasb said:
I have a small leak around the bottom of the the thermostat neck on my 440 Dart. I know this is a common problem. I had the motor rebuilt over the winter last year and the new manifold is an Edelbrock performer series aluminum manifold. I am going to try the Billet technologies aluminum t-neck with the rubber o ring seal as I have seen it recommended here and there.

Questions I have are as follows.

1. Since no gasket is needed with this do I still use RtF anywhere?

2. Do I use silicon or some other sealant on the bolt threads?
Click to expand...
Here is my $0.02.
No sealant necessary. I actually have that exact housing from Billet Tech. I had leak problems for a long time, but the Billet Tech housing fixed the problem. I did, however, take a file and then a sanding block to the manifold surface to make sure it was as flat as possible. No matter what some of the people in the above posts said, you do need to make sure that surface is as flat as possible. Think about it. you had a leak, right. The leak could have been all from the housing, all from the manifold, or some of both. Why take a risk that some of your problem was with the manifold surface and not address it. By buying the new housing AND flattening the manifold surface you will be assured to stop the leak.
 
69_340_GTS said:
And then when you take it apart at some future date, the o-ring will be ruined (you'll never get the RTV off of it). The o-ring is the seal. It needs no sealant.
Click to expand...

The sealant is non hardening and will not ruin the o ring.

How often do you actually need to take the tstat out? I didnt pull mine in 5 years until i replaced the murray water pump with a milodon high flow and matched a high flow tstat to it
 
Jimacuda said:
Check mating surfaces
I always run the thermostat housing gasket surface over a piece of 180 ish grit paper on glass...like thick tabletop glass. Check sanded pattern for missed spots. Repeat until no missed spots.
Haven't had a leaker after that.
As long as it's not chromed, those always leak.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In addition to ^^^^^^^^^^^this, check to make sure ur alum. pump housing isn`t warped from overtightening, it will pull the bolt areas up to where nothing will seal on it !
 
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