Water pump in - now darn thermostat housing!

[ScottyP5947]

Installed my water pump yesterday morning, was on pace to have it apart and back together in 3 hours flat... then I fired it up and even though I replaced the housing and tightened it evenly and gently - damn thing leaked, right around the housing.

So I ran all over town, found another housing and when I pulled the old one off, I was amazed at the SAND on top of the thermostat from running just a few mins. Ok, so now I am convinced. I placed the order for my coolant filter last night. From what I read - no more than a 30 min install??

I put the new housing on, gently tightened it down and ta-da... no leaks so far.

I drove it around a bit yesterday, checking it each time I stopped. Seems good, but of course now I am paranoid of it springing a leak. uhg. Time will tell.

Scott

[391dman]

I had the same damn problem when I did my water pump

[ScottyP5947]

Hate to admit it... I've done the WP twice and bought 4 thermostat housings. If I hadn't read about so many leaking billet housings I would have bought one by now.

Did yours ever leak again?

Scott

[chrispaine]

Well I had to do my pump a few weeks ago, didn't remember to get the housing and re-used it. I cleaned it up and used a little silicone, hasn't leaked yet! (know on wood).
I was worried about it starting to leak so I ordered the billet housing. I haven't read anything about them leaking, should I expect it too? ....

...crap!

[FLYING BONES]

Is the bullet housing the thing to get? If so where can you get it?

[ScottyP5947]

You can get the housing here:

http://www.dieselsite.com/index.asp?...ROD&ProdID=188

And I def don't mean to give it bad press when it comes to the posts I have read about it leaking. That is the exception rather than the norm from what I read overall.
I probably should have bought the damn housing!

SCott

[FLYING BONES]

Where/what type of coolant filter are you going to get? I'm wondering if what I thought was a water pump gasket leak is actually a housing leak...will check tonight!

[ScottyP5947]

For a hundred bucks - not worth my time to 'make one' so I am getting -

http://www.dieselsite.com/index.asp?...WPROD&ProdID=8

It was shipped less than 12 hours after the order was placed at night. Good stuff so far. After replacing the WP only 30,000 miles ago it would be foolish to not get this filter. I clearly have a sand issue, even after my flush when I did the WP the first time.

Side note - damn housing started leaking - just barely no drips, just tiny bit of seepage. I snugged down the bolts (they were pretty loose from me being conservative) and it seems to have stopped... I am soo tired of this thing. I'm supposedly a decent mechanic so this just pisses me off.

The spec is 18 lb ft, most write ups say 15 lb ft... that's a decent amount of torque (216 lb in) but I know from my other experiences that over torquing this thing will get it to leak too. I'm using a 1/4 in drive ratchet and snugging it down with my wrist. I wish I had something other than a 1/2" drive torque wrench.
I DO usually overtighten everything, I can admit that. Now I know exactly what I am getting with my sears gift cards I know I'm getting for christmas.

If this still leaks - I am getting the billet housing and using (against every fiber in my body) sealant - leaving it to harden for 24 hours before putting the hose on and filling it up. I will also buy a ford factory gasket (supposedly I need to buy the thermostat to get the gasket) for good measure. Then, without a doubt I will know it will not leak. What a pain to keep this from seeping... it SHOULD NOT be this hard. Tech I know says he uses sealer on every one he touches. How lame.

Scott

[chrispaine]

what the heck is sooo bad about using sealant?

[ScottyP5947]

I just think it shouldn't be used, unless it was part of the assembly from the factory. I have never had leaks on anything I worked on and I really don't use it unless it's 'called for' by the folks that designed it. It just indicates that something is wrong.

<my wrenching?>

Scott