is yours not OEM? Usually OEM replacements are fine. I had luck with one of the stock looking ones from Latemodel Restoration

 

It's a chrome one I got from LMR years ago.

Is the gasket surface true on block and t-stat housing? Use the Right Stuff to seal housing to block.

As far as I know the intake side is completely straight and true, going to try a new thermostat housing.

 

Is the gasket surface true on block and t-stat housing? Use the Right Stuff to seal housing to block.

 

I ran into the same issue. They're all junk. I ended up paying $60+ or whatever to buy the correct tap (it was $$) and drilled and tapped my oem piece. Never had a problem since.

 

Chrome wont get you home
Throw that as far as you can, get a stock housing , drill and tap as needed .

 

CHROme one is in the trash bin. Got a stock replacement with threaded hole from orieley. Hopefully it works out.

 

Use a tiny amount of the right stuff as a gasket. Put it together and tighten as much as you can with your fingers. Let it sit overnight. Remove the bolts and coat with ptfe, reinstall bolts then torque to spec. It won't leak. It won't come off either.

 

The right stuff only? No gasket?

 

I would drill and tap a factory housing. I've always used the gasket but spray some trim adhesive on it first, let it tack up and stick it. I've never had a leak doing it this way.

 

if you have a good housing the $1 gasket works fine.

 

I have a billet housing...canton i think...had it tapped on the side for my temp sensor...works great...looks great...

 

I have the same problem. I built my motor myself, first time ever did anything like that, and I was pleasantly surprised I didn't have any fluids leaking from anywhere. A few days later I noticed a small amount of antifreeze puddled on my timing cover right below the housing. It's been mocking me ever since. I'm on my 3rd try, 2nd housing trying to get get it sealed properly. Guess I'll buy a stock one, the 4th time is a charm.....

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Why so many recommendations to glue everything together? It just makes things a royal bitch to take apart down the road. You want to seal it, not hold it in place - that's what the bolts are for. Get yourself some Loctite 565 (or 592) and have at it. And it never hardens. Just be sure to lap the face of the water neck to make sure it's flat. I use 565 on my tricky-to-seal fuel fittings (regular tape and dope would inevitably seep) and on my electric water pump - both the fittings and the flat faces. No gaskets used anymore. Greatest stuff ever.

 

toss the gasket in the trash and use a bead of permatex and it'll seal up nice. also you should have a port in the back on driver side you can install your temp sender into so it's not front and center and looking cluttered.

 

The port in the back of most intake manifolds has no crossover. You won't get accurate temps there. I ran mine that way for years until I finally moved it.

 

Moved it to the thermostat housing? I've always figured that's the best place to get the most accurate coolant temp. Right as it leaves the engine to transfer heat in the radiator.

 

I put mine in the threaded hole used for the heater core, just behind the thermostat.

 

As did I. The housing I got from CSR.

Ford 302 Thermostat Housing | eBay

Never had an issue with it.

 

High Performance Ford 289, 302, 351 Windsor Aluminum Thermostat Housing | eBay

 

High Performance Ford 289, 302, 351 Windsor Aluminum Thermostat Housing | eBay

Thanks for this link. That's a very nice part, looks stock and made better than OEM. I'll buy one of those, at $49 total it's a good buy.

 

I ran into an issue where my stock one was warped. I ended up buying the Motorsport one from LMR. It was expensive but I didn't want to mess around.

 

I picked up one from I think CSR. It was polished aluminum, the neck or hose end would actually swivel left and right. It was a bit more expensive, and also had the provision for the bypass hose. I'll look it up and post a link later. It was the best one I've ever had, hands down.

 

This is the one, it didn't leak, rust on the inside like a cheap Autozone one, corrode like the FRPP I bought did, and worked great. Far better than any other one I've bought. I'll only buy this kind again.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/csi-9111c

 

If you have rust and corrosion in your cooling system; it's not the T-stat housing's fault. I too have the CSR housing and it has always leaked. I tried new O-rings from CSR and it still leaks. I finally sealed it with the Right Stuff and the leak stopped. I'll be going back to a factory housing.

 

I too have the CSR housing and it has always leaked. I tried new O-rings from CSR and it still leaks. I finally sealed it with the Right Stuff and the leak stopped.

I have this one too. The o-rings are terrible. I sealed mine with The Right Stuff and it hasn't leaked a drop.