Converting 351C to 45 degree thermostat housing

[cudak888]

Do you have an ALUMINUM phobia?

Cast iron's coefficient of expansion is 10.8 um/m K; aluminum is 22.2. That's a ratio of 2.05 to 1.

I have a phobia of re-doing leaking fittings.

-Kurt

 

[Tnfastbk]

Do you have an ALUMINUM phobia?

Cast iron's coefficient of expansion is 10.8 um/m K; aluminum is 22.2. That's a ratio of 2.05 to 1.

I have a phobia of re-doing leaking fittings.

-Kurt

Ok but funny how intakes/heads/valve covers/water pumps, etc seem to be fine but to each his own. Good luck

 

[cudak888]

Ok but funny how intakes/heads/valve covers, etc seem to be fine but to each his own. Good luck

Good point, but I dare say those are casted superior to that of a cheap thermostat housing.

-Kurt

 

[gpierce]

I have a aluminum housing on mine and it definitely leaks. I think comparing these to heads and intake is not realistic. Those parts have much better sealing gaskets than this housing, and valve covers are not even in this ballpark. They are not under the pressure that this part is.

Greg

 

[Tnfastbk]

I have a aluminum housing on mine and it definitely leaks. I think comparing these to heads and intake is not realistic. Those parts have much better sealing gaskets than this housing, and valve covers are not even in this ballpark. They are not under the pressure that this part is.

Greg

They are thousands out there that do not leak.

Option 1:

Well then another option would be to take it to a reputable machine shop, have it welded and turned back down.

Option 2:

If above is not satisfactory I have a couple of horse shoes I will Volunteer for you to take to a local smelting plant and have them melted down and the housing dipped.

 

[Wolverine]

Cast iron's coefficient of expansion is 10.8 um/m K; aluminum is 22.2. That's a ratio of 2.05 to 1.

I have a phobia of re-doing leaking fittings.

-Kurt

Actually, it is 2.0555556.

 

[Tnfastbk]

Cast iron's coefficient of expansion is 10.8 um/m K; aluminum is 22.2. That's a ratio of 2.05 to 1.

I have a phobia of re-doing leaking fittings.

-Kurt

Actually, it is 2.0555556.

Actually depends on the Kelvin or Fahrenheit scale

 

[cudak888]

:dodgy:

Bet you fellows are a real cutup when a convention comes to town.

-Kurt

 

[gpierce]

They are thousands out there that do not leak.

Thousands eh? Isn't saying that a bit like 83.4% of statisics are made up on the spot? I think what wrote is an assumption rather than what seems to be a statement of fact, ie how do you know there are thousands?

Can we get a show of hands on how many here have one installed and have no leaks? What gasket are you using? Maybe I need a better one? Maybe I have a defective block? Maybe aluminum is not a good material for the water neck in this configuration?

 

[Wolverine]

I have had both cast and aluminum water necks on every Ford I owned. I have had both leak.

I have had both stamped and cast aluminum valve covers on every Ford I owned. I have had both leak.

On the only 2 cars I owned with aluminum heads and iron blocks, I had head gaskets leak and destroy the motor.

Now, the question is, how much of this is operator error? Hell, I am still waiting for an engine stand I spray painted back in July to not be tacky. So, I guess it is me.

In any event, I select the material that will last the longest. And I imagine that is iron. So I choose the iron because I suspect that will leak the longest.

 

[Tnfastbk]

They are thousands out there that do not leak.

Thousands eh? Isn't saying that a bit like 83.4% of statisics are made up on the spot? I think what wrote is an assumption rather than what seems to be a statement of fact, ie how do you know there are thousands?

Can we get a show of hands on how many here have one installed and have no leaks? What gasket are you using? Maybe I need a better one? Maybe I have a defective block? Maybe aluminum is not a good material for the water neck in this configuration?

Well how long have they been around, I dont believe they were invented yesterday. but I gave 2 other options for ones who have aluminum phobias

 

[cudak888]

Can we get a show of hands on how many here have one installed and have no leaks? What gasket are you using? Maybe I need a better one? Maybe I have a defective block? Maybe aluminum is not a good material for the water neck in this configuration?

I'll give you a show of hands for both. My '79 Continental has a steel water neck, and it doesn't leak.

Five years ago, my father did the lifters on the '78, and replaced the housing with an aluminum one. It isn't leaking either. I'll photograph the gasket though, for I'm not convinced there isn't a bit of RTV hanky-panky going on with it.

-Kurt

 

[OMS]

Can we get a show of hands on how many here have one installed and have no leaks? What gasket are you using? Maybe I need a better one? Maybe I have a defective block? Maybe aluminum is not a good material for the water neck in this configuration?

I'll give you a show of hands for both. My '79 Continental has a steel water neck, and it doesn't leak.

Five years ago, my father did the lifters on the '78, and replaced the housing with an aluminum one. It isn't leaking either. I'll photograph the gasket though, for I'm not convinced there isn't a bit of RTV hanky-panky going on with it.

-Kurt

Hey you got something against silicone and hanky - panky ??? :blush:

I think they go together :angel:

 

[cudak888]

Hey you got something against silicone and hanky - panky ??? :blush:I think they go together :angel:

HAH! lollerz

-Kurt

 

[TheJ]

I recently just rebuilt my brother's 351w and it has an aluminum water neck that was originally on a cast iron intake with no leaks. After the rebuild it got an aluminum intake and it does not leak now either. I used a felpro gasket and a thin coating of RTV to hold the gasket on while installing and fill in the small imperfections in the mating surfaces. I've used this method for many things including water pumps and thermostat housings (amongst others).

 

[cudak888]

Which RTV did you use? I was figuring on spray-sealant to hold the gasket to the T-stat housing, and Permatex's Water Pump & Thermostat sealant on the bolt threads and at the bottom of the gasket.

I have the Felpro gasket on hand; it's one of the first things I picked up for the car.

FYI, I was able to acquire a confirmed steel housing, and I also have one of unknown material also on its way. We'll see what shows up...

-Kurt

 

[TheJ]

I usually just use the black stuff and have had no problems. If there is a specific coolat compatible rtv I suggest to try that first. I'm thinking of doing this if/when I go to a duraspark setup.

 

[droptop73]

Use an adhesive silicone I have had better results with it.

 

[marks73]

Blue RTV

 

[cudak888]

Indian-Head gasket shellac?

-Kurt


Here we go - the efforts of this evening under the hood:

Beauty and the beast - not necessarily in that order. 4-Seasons #84876 at left, aluminum; Autotemp W2454 at right, steel:

Getting ready:

Robert Shaw 333-192 thermostat in place:

Due to a frozen distributor, it took me about an hour to realize that I couldn't get around the reality that I'd have to squeeze a 1/2" wrench under the vacuum advance to get the housing onto the car.

So be it; the bolt needed to be tightened, so I did it the hard way and succeeded. Now to pickle that distributor:

The Gates hose was cut down 1-1/2", and installed as neat as one could ever ask for:

I hate direct-flash photography. I'm also quite glad that a replacement battery tray is on its way - I only hope the corroded-beyond-removal-by-socket bolts will react well to being slotted with a grinder.

Tomorrow is the moment of truth - filling the system up and pressure testing it.

-Kurt