Kristang wrote:

I believe I just found the issue! I bolted the housing to the intake, tighten the AN nut to the water pump fitting.

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ok, got it now . . i had no idea you had an an fitting on one end of the bypass . . this is why i kept saying its impossible for the housing to leak using my method and that things did not add up.

the housing is not the problem . . the problem is faulty engineering . . your metal bypass pipe is too short and/or not square with the housing AFTER you tighten the pipe . . you need to make a pipe that is correct no matter what housing you use . . also, if the clearance between the bypass pipe and housing is less than around .002", you need to make it a looser fit then use a slightly thicker o ring.

Also, install housing with no gasket . . tighten the fitting FIRST before even installing the bolts, then tighten the bolts lightly and check for gaps . . if you can not install the bolts, the tube is still obviously not correct.

Last edited by barnett468 (3/21/2015 1:49 PM)

Anyone aware of a shim I can put between the flare and the AN fitting if I indeed have too much clearance?

Yes it has a cone!  Where do I get them?

Sorry to be a PITA.  I appreciate the help!!

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put some grease on the threads and on top of the taper on the tube that the nut rotates/spins on.

if you use the summit aluminum ones, do NOT make it very tight or you will destroy the washer.

if you use copper, tighten the bejesus out of it.

I went through this as well and re flattened it with sand paper on a surface plate like barnett suggested- still no joy.

The housing has the recessed lip for the thermostat and that depth must be turned down how ever many thousanths was removed from the flat portion, otherwise the housing will seat hard on the thermostat and not sandwich the gasket with enough clamping force to make a proper seal.

Yeah, on edit realize that I didn't even see all of page 2- either the site or my computer is on the fritz today

Last edited by Jon Richard (3/21/2015 8:47 PM)

Just seeing this post ... years ago I had a similar problem and had to use at least 3 gaskets, maybe 4 gaskets, w/RTV, torque it evenly, let sit for several hours.  It worked for me.

Kristang wrote:

Good point on the thermostat depth. It's definitely above the groove now. Time to regroup and start this over from the beginning.

Time for one of those billet necks
 

I did as Barnett suggested.  I used a double gasket, I modified one to make it clear the thermostat, and put the other on top.  I sourced a spacer to make up the distance from the bypass tube to the fitting on the water pump.  I used THE RIGHT STUFF and glued the gaskets together as well as to the intake and the stat housing.  I allowed the silicone to set up for 24 hours.  STILL LEAKS!!!!.

I was able to source an OE stat housing, so I prepped everything and put it back together with the rubber bypass hose-completely stock.  Guess what.....IT STILL LEAKS!!!!

Here is my theory.  It is obvious now that it is a problem with gasket surface on the intake manifold, which created a distorted surface from multiple attempts at installation.  I held a straight edge against that surface and it's definitely not flat.  No good way to flatten it other than to pull it off and have a machine shop cut it or purchase a brand new one.  My concern with machining it is I helicoiled the mounting holes and those coils are just below the surface.  Are those going to cause a problem?

Kristang wrote:

I did as Barnett suggested.  I used a double gasket, I modified one to make it clear the thermostat, and put the other on top.

i only wanted you to use 1 gasket.

Kristang wrote:

I sourced a spacer to make up the distance from the bypass tube to the fitting on the water pump.  I used THE RIGHT STUFF and glued the gaskets together as well as to the intake and the stat housing.  I allowed the silicone to set up for 24 hours.  STILL LEAKS!!!!.

I was able to source an OE stat housing, so I prepped everything and put it back together with the rubber bypass hose-completely stock.  Guess what.....IT STILL LEAKS!!!!

Here is my theory.  It is obvious now that it is a problem with gasket surface on the intake manifold, which created a distorted surface from multiple attempts at installation.  I held a straight edge against that surface and it's definitely not flat.  No good way to flatten it other than to pull it off and have a machine shop cut it or purchase a brand new one.

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i do believe you skipped the part below.

from post 31.

barnett468 wrote:

if you want to see if the intake is flat you can color it with felt pen just like you did with the t stat housing then put some white polishing compound on it, then hold around at leas a 1/4" thick piece of steel against it and rotate it back and forth with moderate pressure a few times . . if you dont have polishing compound or a piece of steel, you can use tooth paste and the t stat housing.

from post 34

barnett468 wrote:

ok, something just isn't adding up . . did you check the intake surface for flatness?

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Kristang wrote:

  My concern with machining it is I helicoiled the mounting holes and those coils are just below the surface.  Are those going to cause a problem?

you can possibly color the intake surface with black felt pen then get the 1/4" thick piece of steel mentioned in my previous post that is around 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" and some 120 grit wet dry paper and apply spray adhesive on the steel and a piece of sand paper that is cut to fit the steel, then place it on the intake and rotate it with moderate pressur . . use water or wd40 if you want . . it "should" flatten quickly.

if it hits the helicoils before it is flat, they must be removed.
 

Last edited by barnett468 (3/25/2015 7:12 PM)

barnett468 has a great point, if the helicoils are sticking out a little they could be the problem. I have won that battle a time or two with  a small stone in my die grinder by taking part of that first thread off of the coil. Then smooth the surface.

DC wrote:

barnett468 has a great point, if the helicoils are sticking out a little they could be the problem. I have won that battle a time or two with  a small stone in my die grinder by taking part of that first thread off of the coil. Then smooth the surface.

 
I did barely get the coil below the surface, this may be the issue.  I did use a file to knock off the edge but maybe not enough.

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did you also remove the o ring from the bypass tube then tighten it up then try to install the bolts in the t stat housing then if they fit then barely tighten them and use a feeler gauge to check for gaps as i previously suggested?