[sactown440]

Hi all, Replaced my thermostat with a 180 degree to help with pinging on my 2000 r/t and now it it leaks.
I am using the gaskets they sale at kragen that have a sticky backing on one side. I have done it 2 times now, the last time I used 2 gaskets with the sticky side on the manifold side and used rtv on the housing side and it still has a small leak!
I am going to do it a 3rd time and hopefully last time so I thought id ask here 1st.
Am I using wrong gasket? do I need to put RTV on both mating surfaces?
I was trying to avoid the rtv on the manifold side for future easy removal cause the access to that is so tight.
Ive done this job before on allot of other cars and never had a failure twice in a row like this!
Anyone have any recommendation?

 

[01dakotaqc]

Hi all, Replaced my thermostat with a 180 degree to help with pinging on my 2000 r/t and now it it leaks.
I am using the gaskets they sale at kragen that have a sticky backing on one side. I have done it 2 times now, the last time I used 2 gaskets with the sticky side on the manifold side and used rtv on the housing side and it still has a small leak!
I am going to do it a 3rd time and hopefully last time so I thought id ask here 1st.
Am I using wrong gasket? do I need to put RTV on both mating surfaces?
I was trying to avoid the rtv on the manifold side for future easy removal cause the access to that is so tight.
Ive done this job before on allot of other cars and never had a failure twice in a row like this!
Anyone have any recommendation?

put rtv on both sides and see if that fixes it...

 

[sactown440]

Yea that was my next step but i wanted to avoid the rtv on the manifold.
I may have to replace the stock temp thermostat the next time i have to smog check the truck.
Is there a certain rtv i can get that wont be such a pain to clean off the mating surface? The stuff I been using is a real pain in the ass to clean off.

 

[01dakotaqc]

Yea that was my next step but i wanted to avoid the rtv on the manifold.
I may have to replace the stock temp thermostat the next time i have to smog check the truck.
Is there a certain rtv i can get that wont be such a pain to clean off the mating surface? The stuff I been using is a real pain in the ass to clean off.

just use a razor blade to clean it off if you have to.

 

[sactown440]

I cant get my fat hands in there with a razor blade unless I tare down the whole front part of the engine! I can barely get a long screwdriver in there!

 

[01dakotaqc]

I cant get my fat hands in there with a razor blade unless I tare down the whole front part of the engine! I can barely get a long screwdriver in there!

do you have the fan shroud in the way?? i have an e-fan so the shroud is gone. i can take my alternator out in a couple minites and then its super easy to get to the thermostat:funny:

 

[sactown440]

yea shroud in the way along with alternator and that big ass bracket.
I should do away with my shroud and mechanical fan but no money for a electric fan yet, my old lady has me by the balls when it comes to spending money on my r/t.
When I bought it 9 years ago she had no idea it would become my obsession and as she puts it "my first love" LOL actually she put it as my second love until I gave up booze and now its my 1st love! damn her!

 

[addicted2blue00]

best to pull the a/c, alt n bracket out of the way if not it can be more of a pain, ive done it both ways, i can have the front tore down in 20-30 mins, 10 mins on mine cuz i have no shroud or clutch fan.

 

[l1tech]

As long as both surfaces are clean and true you only need ONE gasket and don't need to use any rtv. They make a special tool for cleaning the surface of the intake manifold so you don't have to pull anything apart I don't think I have ever seen it in any stores just on the tool trucks.

FWIW if the truck is pinging and is not overheating the t-stat may only mask the actual problem causing the ping if it helps at all

 

[ThisOldDak]

the stamped sheet metal outlet is going to flex with only 2 torque points.. a good canidate for leaking with only a paper gasket, especialy if it is already warped from previous installation. New ones are cheap, Try that. If you already have, just atv both sides.

 

[Mt.Hoodlum]

Maybe the rtv is screwing it up, i have never used more than just the one gasket. Are you tourqueing the bolts to spec, to tight will cause a leak also.

 

[sactown440]

I can kick myself for this, after replacing it a 3rd time with rtv on both sides and then driving it and checking it and still seeing coolant down there I found out its not leaking from the thermostat housing.
I had replaced the heater hose that mounts next to the thermostat the 1st time cause i mangled the hose when i removed it, but i reused the factory clamp (bad idea I know) but I couldnt see trying to get a screw on clamp in that tiny space so I guess Ill go to the parts store and see if they have a clamp I can use.

 

[sactown440]

As long as both surfaces are clean and true you only need ONE gasket and don't need to use any rtv. They make a special tool for cleaning the surface of the intake manifold so you don't have to pull anything apart I don't think I have ever seen it in any stores just on the tool trucks.

FWIW if the truck is pinging and is not overheating the t-stat may only mask the actual problem causing the ping if it helps at all

Actually it helped allot! engine would allways ping and bog under WOT whenever the outside temp was about 68 degrees or more. power seems alot more consistent now but ofcourse its winter now even here in california so the problem may manifest itself again come march or may.
I never drove this truck much as I was a long distance trucker and I used to park it for months at a time while I was out on the road. I quit that last summer so i drive it everyday now so i really noticed the pinging...
The thermostat problem is solved though, I should have never reused tht factory clamp!

If it pings after winter when the temps go up I will try running premium fuel, it allways helped with previous vehicles..