How do I seal the Choke Thermostat?

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Matt Selwa

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I just got my '71 Duster with a /6 running last week and I am still working thru a few minor issues. I have a '72 exhaust manifold on the engine which has the thru hole and a stamped steel cup for the carburator thermostat. I have found an original carb. thermostat which I will be adding but the gasket is not available. I already tried making my own gasket out of a sheet of collector flange type material and it lasted one day. The permatex ultra copper high heat silicone worked much better for around 100 miles. I was thinking about trying the permatex high temperature metal repair compound.

Has anyone tried this as a fix, and if not what is my best option (other then changing the exhaust manifold since I would like to keep it period correct for my '71).

Any ideas would be appreciated, since I am sure I am not the first person to have this problem.

Regards,

-Matt
 
Do you have any way to post pictures of what you are talking about? I'm not sure what you mean by "thru hole" or "stamped steel cup". My son has a '74 slant six Dart Sport, and I can't figure out what these components are.
 
'74 Sport said:
Do you have any way to post pictures of what you are talking about? I'm not sure what you mean by "thru hole" or "stamped steel cup". My son has a '74 slant six Dart Sport, and I can't figure out what these components are.
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Thanks for the reply, attached are pictures of my '71 intake along with one picture of a '74 for comparison. Any input would be appreciated.

IMG_0275.jpg


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Sorry, I wasn't aware there was a hole/opening in the bottom of the choke pocket that would require sealing with a gasket. The ones I have dealt with are like your '74 version, open on the one side. Is the hole in yours a factory feature, or is it possible it just rusted through? I'm trying to imagine why they would want exhaust gas up in there gumming up the works by allowing carbon to build up on the choke's spring. Guess we'll have to wait until someone else chimes in that knows this type of manifold.
 
'74 Sport said:
Sorry, I wasn't aware there was a hole/opening in the bottom of the choke pocket that would require sealing with a gasket. The ones I have dealt with are like your '74 version, open on the one side. Is the hole in yours a factory feature, or is it possible it just rusted through? I'm trying to imagine why they would want exhaust gas up in there gumming up the works by allowing carbon to build up on the choke's spring. Guess we'll have to wait until someone else chimes in that knows this type of manifold.
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The spring is not open to the exhaust. The steel "cup" is installed to plug the hole with a gasket. The thermostat then sits on top of it. However, after 30+ years pretty much everything on mine was rusted out and shot. The thru hole is definitely a factory feature, since I have 2 of them,
 
That manifold/choke setup was only used about two years. There has been some discussion about it over a slantsix.org. Go there and use the search function. If I remember correctly, the metal cup, is no longer available. If you find that, the gasket is not a big problem. One solution, is to change the exhaust manifold to one that doesn't have to opening.
 
Matt Selwa said:
The spring is not open to the exhaust. The steel "cup" is installed to plug the hole with a gasket. The thermostat then sits on top of it. However, after 30+ years pretty much everything on mine was rusted out and shot. The thru hole is definitely a factory feature, since I have 2 of them,
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Glad you explained that. It makes perfect sense, now. I guess they decided to "improve" it for later years.
 
This guy on eBay has had the gasket listed that you need. I see none currently listed but you can probably contact him to get one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mopa...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

If the link don't work it was item # 390087263510

I went through the same problem a couple of years ago when I replaced a cracked manifold on a 72 Swinger. Make sure the cup has a perfectly flat seal and don't use anything other than the gasket.

You might want to get that stud out if you can because you need to get it good and tight so it will probably strip like mine did. I got mine out, cleaned the threads good and used nice SS bolts and it sealed perfect.

When I did mine I had access to a couple of manifolds and I wish I would have put the earlier style because it would have saved a lot of down time and cussing.

BTW, the later manifold won't work because it takes the electric assist choke and that is why the side is open, it also has the linkage rod end pointing the opposite direction so you can't just switch them. Always keeping us on our toes, the guys at Mopar never figured we'd be swapping parts 37 years later so they didn't plan for this stuff to work across all years.
 
69Dartconvt69 said:
This guy on eBay has had the gasket listed that you need. I see none currently listed but you can probably contact him to get one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mopa...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

If the link don't work it was item # 390087263510

I went through the same problem a couple of years ago when I replaced a cracked manifold on a 72 Swinger. Make sure the cup has a perfectly flat seal and don't use anything other than the gasket.

You might want to get that stud out if you can because you need to get it good and tight so it will probably strip like mine did. I got mine out, cleaned the threads good and used nice SS bolts and it sealed perfect.

When I did mine I had access to a couple of manifolds and I wish I would have put the earlier style because it would have saved a lot of down time and cussing.

BTW, the later manifold won't work because it takes the electric assist choke and that is why the side is open, it also has the linkage rod end pointing the opposite direction so you can't just switch them. Always keeping us on our toes, the guys at Mopar never figured we'd be swapping parts 37 years later so they didn't plan for this stuff to work across all years.
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Thanks for the information, that was exactly what I was looking for. I too might have considered a different year manifold had I realized the fun I was in for. But at this point with the manifold blasted, painted and installed in the car + I just spent $30 on a carburator thermostat I am pretty well set on making it all work.
 
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