Hi all,
When I put a chrome dress up kit on myengine I decided on the chrome thermostat housing also. People told me then they would leak. I thought no way. Well it is. Will some permatex or the like fix it or should I put a cast one back on?
Thx, Walt

 

I'd go back to the cast. The chrome ones get eaten up by the coolant and never last.

 

I didn't have a problem with my chrome FMS housing leaking but I did have a problem with hoses blowing off. I eventually sanded the neck where the hose bolts down and it fixed the problem. I like the look of the chrome housing so if it were me I would take a file and make sure the mounting surface was flat and then try with one of the sealers you mentioned.

 

If it uses an "O" ring to seal to the intake forget it. It will leak NO MATER what you do. I'd switch back to the type that uses the gasket from the "O" ring style ASAP. I could never get mine to work.

Those are only good as a reminder that "new" is not always better.

 

Just another side to the story...
My engine has about 21k on it and when it was rebuilt, it had the chrome with the O ring.. Eventually it warped and leaked and I finally took the whole thing out and realized how F'd up it was.
I bought a new chrome one, with the O ring... cleaned and sanded the surface and it sealed up perfect. No leaks, nothing.

So I guess it is luck of the draw.

 

I never had trouble with them not sealing, but after three in a row corroding through the bottom after about two years I went back to cast. I rather ride ugly than walk pretty.