Water neck question

[76bonanza]

What is the best type to get I have a chrome one now and what appears to be a thick gasket small leak after it sits for a while. Looks like the gasket is wicking the coolant out? Any way looking to change it would love chrome or billit but hear bad things about them. Also hear bad things about the o-ring type?

[etg]

You can buy an o ring type but replace the o ring with a paper gasket and gasket goo, like I did. There's no better seal in my opinion than the pressure on the paper gasket, and the gasket goo helps seal any airholes or whatever. O rings bust realy easily making changing them out a common task, you don't want something you KNOW you will have to replace soon.

[Longhorn Man]

Interesting... I've always had outstanding luck with the o-ring type, that's all I ever ran on my chevy engines, and never had an issue either. i even had a summer T-stat and a winter T-stat, so i was popping it open twice a year at a minimum.
The only problem you have with the chrome o-ring type is the antifreeze eating the waterneck away, but if you test and treat/replace the coolant, it doesn't do that.

[76bonanza]

longhorn man what brand to you run cheap (10.00) or nice ones (50.00)
just curious. Also about how many lbs of torque to you tighten them? I have problems with overtightening.

[76bonanza]

one other thing it never seems to leak while I am driving only when it sits for a day or so the gasket gets really wet then drips down. Is it possible the gasket is just gettin soaked and it is wicking out?

[Longhorn Man]

Honestly, I only bought one.
When i got my first truck in 97, it already had one on it, and it was already pretty old. In 03 it finally started leaking from where the electrolsis ate through it (I wasn't draining my coolant like I should have). I replaced it with one from Mr Gasket... IIRC, it was a cheap one. It looked exactly like the old one I was replacing.
As far as torquing it down... I never used a torque wrench, but I never tightened it down too much... 10 or 15 pounds at the most...it was in an alluminum intake, much more than 20 pounds and the threads woulda come out.

[junkyardjohn]

In My Opinion All The Chrome One That I've Used Over The Years Are Junk. There May Be Some Good Ones Out There, It's Just That I've Never Used One. I Like The Billet Ones Or The Good Old G.m. Stock Ones. (they Look Pretty Good Cleaned Up & Painted Orange) Every Time I've Had To Use A Chrome One (on Somebody Elses Car) I've Had To Make Sure I Belt Sanded The Bottom & Made Sure That I Got All The Chrome Off The Sealing Surface. John

[Ole Blue 68]

I got a billett one with an O-ring from Summit for around $30 and haven't had any problems, i can't say the same for the chrome ones.

[Aarons72s]

To me it doesent matter those housings always leak! I used an original with just silicone and with the actual gasket. I have used a replacement cast iron housing with silcone and with the nactual gasket. And finally I used a chrome one with the oring. It has sealed the best and for the longest. I got a whole 6 months before now it leaks at the o ring. I give up. But at least it doesnt leak as bad as the others. Now I just live with it.
Aaron

[passthebuck]

Check out felpro part number 2202. It's a waterneck gasket thats neoprene (i think) on both sides held in a plastic holder. It's reusable, uses no silicone to seal & I've changed my thermostat 2 times a year (spring & fall) for 10 years. It hasnt weeped a drop! I'm using it with a castiron factory thermostat housing. It's not the cheapest gasket in the world but it is a quality piece.

[76bonanza]

the stock one is 45 deg angle right? Also who makes a good thermostat might as well change it also

[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by Aarons72s

To me it doesent matter those housings always leak! I used an original with just silicone and with the actual gasket. I have used a replacement cast iron housing with silcone and with the nactual gasket. And finally I used a chrome one with the oring. It has sealed the best and for the longest. I got a whole 6 months before now it leaks at the o ring. I give up. But at least it doesnt leak as bad as the others. Now I just live with it.
Aaron

WOW!!! MY OLD TRUCKS MUST HAVE HAD 75 OR 100 GASKETS REPLACED THEN ACCORDING TO YOU. I MUST BE SUPER SUPER FORTUNATE THEN, CAUSE I'VE BEEN DRIVING THESE TRUCKS EVERYDAY FOR OVER 20 YEARS WITHOUT A LEAKING THERMOSTAT HOUSING PROBLEM. OF COURSE I MAKE SURE THAT BOTH SURFACES (ON THE INTAKE & T/STAT HOUSING) ARE FLAT & USE FEL-PRO GASKETS & SYLICONE ON BOTH SIDE TOO. JOHN

[Aarons72s]

Originally Posted by junkyardjohn

WOW!!! MY OLD TRUCKS MUST HAVE HAD 75 OR 100 GASKETS REPLACED THEN ACCORDING TO YOU. I MUST BE SUPER SUPER FORTUNATE THEN, CAUSE I'VE BEEN DRIVING THESE TRUCKS EVERYDAY FOR OVER 20 YEARS WITHOUT A LEAKING THERMOSTAT HOUSING PROBLEM. OF COURSE I MAKE SURE THAT BOTH SURFACES (ON THE INTAKE & T/STAT HOUSING) ARE FLAT & USE FEL-PRO GASKETS & SYLICONE ON BOTH SIDE TOO. JOHN

My orange and white when I changed the thermostat on it a few times and never had the problems as the one on my green and white. I cleaned the surfaces very well. Scraped clean with a fresh razor blade, then with a soft brass brush to get the rest of it off and finally a little carb cleaner to make sure the surface was really clean. I had a naighbor who had the same problem, and he was a mechanic, He like me finally gave up. I think these engines have a mind of there own.
Aaron

[junkyardjohn]

IT'S FAIRLY EASY TO WARP THE SURFACE OF ALUMINUM MANIFOLDS EITHER BY OVER TIGHTENING THEM OR PUTTING BOLTS IN THEM THAT ARE TOO LONG. TRY FILING THE SURFACE LIGHTLY WITH A FILE, BUT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE BEARING SURFACE OF FILE TO INTAKE AS YOU CAN. THAT ALUMINUM COMES OFF AWFUL QUICK. JOHN