Thermostat housing Help!

I have a new style Thermostat housing for my 1981 V8 260 Mercruiser.

Questions are:

1) the Brass retainer ring for the thermestat..does that just sit ontop of the thermostat or does it need to be pressed down...IE have have the thermestat pressed into it?

2) the plastic check valves in the T fitting..how tight do you need to make the balls against the fitting?


Thanks!

Rob

Re: Thermostat housing Help!

No one?

Here is the housing that I have

http://www.masonmarine.net/product_info.php/mercruiser-thermostat-housing-small-block-p-498

Re: Thermostat housing Help!

Ayuh,... It appears you have the Wrong housing...
The check-balls won't fit well into the bend housing...

The brass sleeve pushes the T-stat down into place...
The check-balls need minimal pressure to hold 'em closed...

Re: Thermostat housing Help!

Wrong housing? The check balls are in the T fitting ..... im confused on your comment on wrong housing. From everything I read this is the correct housing for my engine with the new center riser exhaust manifolds.

Re: Thermostat housing Help!

im confused on your comment on wrong housing.

Click to expand...

Ayuh,... the T fitting is Bent, not straight...
The rod connecting the check-balls will be bent, not straight as it should be...

Re: Thermostat housing Help!

yeah.. my T-fitting is straight and the rod connecting the balls valves are straight... just like in the pic in the link I posted.


So the brass retainer ring just sits on top of the thermostat.. lust lay it in there... it doesn't go down and around the thermostat at all?

Re: Thermostat housing Help!

The housing looks fine.....I have the same one. It's the new one, but actually, it's the original (old) design, cuz they don't make the one-piece iron casting style anymore.
The brass Tee is straight, and you tighten the locknuts as far as there are threads on the stainless bolt (on each ends), that sets the proper tension on the springs.
The T-stat goes in before the brass sleeve, the brass sleeve keeps the T-stat low in the housing, directly in the water flow that's coming from the intake manifold and going through the bottom passage of the housing. When t-stat heats up, flow diverts upward to the "bent" ports of the housing's cover, which go to the manifolds.
The little cork gasket is not overly critical, I think I put it between the t-stat and brass sleeve.

Re: Thermostat housing Help!

So, NO, the brass sleeve doesn't fit over (or go around) the flange of the t-stat; it holds it down.
The balls on the brass Tee simply create a small back pressure, to prevent too much cold water from exiting the housing before it has a chance to "top off" the system and get circulated through block.

Also, FYI, I use the top gasket that has no small hole.........I see no advantage of that small hole, that simply allows some flow to go to manifolds, without requiring the t-stat to open to allow that flow to exit (via manifolds).