tr8er Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Gotta replace my thermostat. Been told to use a bead of RTV on the housing seal. I thought that was not advisable. Is there a right answer? I do have new gasket. Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Use the gasket. If you only want to do the job once, spread an ULTRA thin layer on the surface of the gasket.. by ultra thin, I mean so thin that you can't even tell what color it is. Just enough of a layer to fill in all the imperfections in the metal surfaces(It shouldn't ooze out the sides when you tighten it down). I've never had a leak that way. Ever. If you can, let it set up and dry before filling or running the engine. However, I'm sure someone will chime in and say something to the tune of, "If you clean it properly, you don't need sealant blah blah blah..". Hogwash. Take that gamble if you wish. 1 Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Use the gasket. I really try to avoid glue if I can. A thin layer will never hurt. But don't be that guy with orange goo hanging from every surface of your motor. 1 Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 But don't be that guy with orange goo hanging from every surface of your motor. ^^^This 1 Quote Link to comment
tr8er Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Use the gasket. I really try to avoid glue if I can. A thin layer will never hurt. But don't be that guy with orange goo hanging from every surface of your motor. No way! I have grey. Can I buy pink? 1 Quote Link to comment
EricJB Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Keep in mind, what squishes out also squishes in. My heater control valve was packed full when I changed the hose. (Not by my doing) Quote Link to comment
EricJB Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 P.S. I use Gasgacinch on the gasket. Good stuff. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Rub the thermostat cover on 180 sand paper on a glass coffee table in a figure 8 pattern to level it and use a gasket. See.... I didn't say anything..... But.... I picked this out of a water passage in the head... Less is Best Quote Link to comment
Jester Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 My heater control valve was packed full when I changed the hose. (Not by my doing) Same here. I use the spay on stuff now. 1 Quote Link to comment
H5WAGON Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Napa spray on sealer....So nice. B) No ooozing. :geek: Quote Link to comment
Jester Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Yep. I love it! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
Dguy210 Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Love this stuff for paper or cork gaskets, little bit goes a long way: Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 You don't need a gasket, you can use just RTV for a leak-proof seal. Quote Link to comment
Guest Rick-rat Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I put a very thin amount of silicone on mine, just enough to barely cover the surface on each side, give it a chance to set up a bit before you put it together Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 This is good stuff. O2 safe and recommended for thermostat housings. Permatex Blue. Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 See.... I didn't say anything..... :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment
tr8er Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Oh I found the good shit. This is the worst I've seen. Just bought this truck and it looks like the previous owner ran county water. Likely 5.5-6 acidic. I hope they changed the oil once and a while. Looked clean on the dip. Well, ran a rust remover and flushed it out real good. Replaced the thermostat. Sanded the one face I pulled out. Smoothed the engine side as best I could, spread on a layer of grey rtv. As thin as I could rub it. Helped hold it in place really. Then bolted em on. Filled her up with 7.7 water and antifreeze concentrate. Ran it for leaks, but won't give her heat till morning. I think all is in running shape. Anything I should be doing due to the orange scale lining my water jackets? Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 If it is a 2-bolt thermostat housing, they eventually seep coolant. This is where a sealant (used sparingly) can help. But with 3-bolt housings its isn't needed. Form-a-Gasket is good too and less likely to ruin your engine compared to RTV. Quote Link to comment
H5WAGON Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 No...RTV on my motors... :ninja: Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Probably do. Nissan used RTV at the factory. Quote Link to comment
Driftease Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 You can always tell weather someone knows what they are doing by the color of rtv they use lol grey is tho only kind ever needed. If it is pitted use a little, I try just using the gasket but in the real world that dosn't always work. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Good luck getting the thermostat out later using a sealer, no matter what the instructions say to the contrary.. They are often difficult with just a gasket. I have never heard of Nissan using RTV, at least when it was Datsun anyway. Some replacement kits include a tube of 'sealer' like for transmissions and diffs but I don't think so on pristine machined surfaces at the factory. Not needed and too labor intensive. I have never seen it 'oozing' on any motors. Thermostat housings tend to corrode from interaction of dissimilar metals nearby but if you use and change your antifreeze (yeah right) this will be reduced. By the time we get them they are often pitted so sand them down and RTV sparingly. God knows we aren't chevy owners. Quote Link to comment
tr8er Posted March 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 You can always tell weather someone knows what they are doing by the color of rtv they use lol grey is tho only kind ever needed. If it is pitted use a little, I try just using the gasket but in the real world that dosn't always work. Not true. I used grey, and I have no idea what I'm doing. That said, truck runs without leaking, so that is good. But it still runs hot if I run the AC in traffic. So T-stat solved, symptom remains... Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Both these things improve low speed air flow Try to turn clutch fan with finger. It should be quite firm but it will turn smoothly. Do you have a fan shroud in place? Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 That said, truck runs without leaking, so that is good. But it still runs hot if I run the AC in traffic. So T-stat solved, symptom remains...This is the first time you mentioned "symptoms", before you asked about changing the thermostat. It is normal to run hotter with AC on in traffic. Usual to run a bit over half. But if the gauge needle get close to the H line its a real problem. Quote Link to comment
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