[pasta]

replaced thermostat housing due to leak promblem with o ring on bottom plug can i purchase just o ring if not i was thinking of getting permatex lithium anybody had same promblem any help would be great thanks focus nation

 

[Diesel]

Don't under stand your question did you already change the entire thermostat housing? You can just purchase a o ring. What motor are you runnung 2.4 Duratec? leak is comming from a sensor? Pic would be helpful.

 

[150mphzetec]

replaced thermostat housing due to leak promblem with o ring on bottom plug can i purchase just o ring if not i was thinking of getting permatex lithium anybody had same promblem any help would be great thanks focus nation

the o-ring can be replaced on this part. Permatex can also be used, but what do you do if you have to later replace the sensor. In your case, you might be better off changing the housing and sensors with the parts from a 98 contour or 98 ZX2. The sensors from this year are screw in parts and aren't prone to leakage like the clip in versions are.
[wrenchin]

Don't under stand your question did you already change the entire thermostat housing? You can just purchase a o ring. What motor are you runnung 2.4 Duratec? leak is comming from a sensor? Pic would be helpful.

the OP is running a zetec because his car is an SVT.

 

[SWEGER]

the o-ring can be replaced on this part. Permatex can also be used, but what do you do if you have to later replace the sensor. In your case, you might be better off changing the housing and sensors with the parts from a 98 contour or 98 ZX2. The sensors from this year are screw in parts and aren't prone to leakage like the clip in versions are.
[wrenchin]

Where can I get the ZX2 housing/sensors? Auto Zone?

I looked up the "water outlet" for the 98 ZX2 and came up with this. It looks completely different, but is that what I need? What else do I need in addition to this part, if it is correct?

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/1998-Ford-Escort-ZX2/Water-Outlet/_/N-j9t8lZ9pd7s

 

[Dehacked]

The issue is that the orings that came on the focus's aren't meant to handle that amount of heat.You could buy a revised one for 130 but thats spendy.

http://focus.c-f-m.com/NEWITEMFordthermostatHousingforFordFocsSVT02-04-2.aspx

Or you could find the zx2 if its cheaper

I bought a temperature sensor just for the oring that came with it, so i could put it on the pointless aluminum plug, but after that I took the time to buy a bag of the proper orings made out of better material to have on hand for when this crap happens again

I could mail you a couple if i can find them, but I don't know if you want to wait that long

 

[Dehacked]

ok so i looked through my box of random focus crap and i found my orings

75 Viton size 203 is the popular choice of oring replacement. you can look it up on other threads if you want. but if you want some feel free to pm me your address.

 

[Diesel]

I have a zx2 housing with sensors if your interested. Now the sensors that screw in don't leak but the housings can crack from expansions. which is why ford changed to the clip style. BUT the clip style the O-rings can corrode and leak.

Oh and I missed the SVT Part other wise I would have known the zetec

 

[Dehacked]

so the zx2 housing has a screw in sensor? thats cool, does that fit on a svt?

 

[SWEGER]

Where can I pick up some 203 o-rings? Lowes or Auto Zone? Thanks for the input.

 

[Dehacked]

These are the ones i got but I'm not 100% sure they are the right ones considering that I haven't put them in my car yet...but i'm pretty sure they are the correct size

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ORing-1BYU8?Pid=search

 

[SWEGER]

Is the o-ring the black piece on the plug? Just doesn't look like any o-ring I've ever seen. And the guys at NAPA looked at me like an idiot when I told them I needed a #203 o-ring.

 

[Diesel]

bring the sensor with you and have them match up an oring if you can

 

[SWEGER]

but it is the black piece on there?

 

[Diesel]

YA that flat black thing used to be an oring. the top slot is for the hold down clip

 

[SWEGER]

OK, thought so but like I said I haven't seen an o-ring like that before. Thanks again.

 

[SWEGER]

Well the people at NAPA looked at me like I was an idiot, again, when I took the housing in to find an o-ring that fits. Their response was "why not just get the whole thing?" Ummm...because I don't want to spend $50+ when I could spend a few bucks on an o-ring. So I decided I'm just going to order some o-rings and hopefully have my car running again by the weekend, so that I can take my car into the shop Monday to diagnose and hopefully fix my electrical problem I'm having (another headache in and of itself). I like the idea of upgrading to the Contour housing and everything, but $120 is a bit out of the price range at this time.

So now about the big "o-ring" that goes between the t-stat housing and the block? It kind of sits in the housing and seals to the block. Is that easy to come by? Does it have a bad history of not sealing back up when re-used? Round it hurt anything to throw some high-temp RTV gasket maker on there when I reassemble everything?


[][][][][][]EDIT[][][][][][]

Found the thermostat-housing-to-head gasket, it is "Duralast/Felpro p/n 35606"

 

[SWEGER]

I bought a temperature sensor just for the oring that came with it, so i could put it on the pointless aluminum plug, but after that I took the time to buy a bag of the proper orings made out of better material to have on hand for when this crap happens again

I could mail you a couple if i can find them, but I don't know if you want to wait that long

Where did you get them from? I am in need now

 

[Dehacked]

yes its no longer an o shape, thats why its leaking.
most parts guys don't know jack about orings.

if you want to spend the money you can always buy the temp sensor and take the oring off of it to put it on the plug... thats what did....

or buy it from grainger, but most people don't know jack about orings

 

[Diesel]

I can get you a zx2 housing pretty cheap this weekend. just silicone in your sensors for now and I will get you one. and the big o ring ya change him cheap part.

 

[SWEGER]

OK, got my 203 o-rings in, got them installed on the plug and sensor, not having troubles getting the parts installed back in the housing. I've tried using WD40 to lube them up with no luck. Any suggestions?