6.2L Leaking Coolant at the Thermostat Housing

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

OP
OP
Ruger

Ruger

FRF Addict
Joined
May 16, 2011
Posts
9,194
Reaction score
8,263
Location
Northern Nevada
I had not fully drained the system and was getting hot air from the air vents, so I have opted not to remove the hose to the heater core as the instructions indicated. I have read that the difficulty with these systems is that the heater core is so high up in the vehicle that it tends to trap air. (That's probably why the maintenance manual tells you to remove the heater hose and fill the radiator till it runs out of that hose.) So what I did is jack up the front of the truck so that the radiator is hopefully above the heater core and the air trapped in the system is driven out of the heater core to the radiator. To assist that further, I jacked up the driver side of the vehicle a little higher than the passenger side because the radiator cap and overflow reservoir are both on the driver's side. Then, per the maintenance manual, I started the truck, turned the heat knob all the way up, the fan on high, opened the AC vents on the dash, and let it idle until it reached normal operating temperature and the upper radiator hose was hot to the touch. That took well over a half hour. Now I'm letting it cool, and we'll see if the system will accept any additional coolant. If not, I'll have to jack it up even further and repeat. Good thing there's beer in the house because this is going to take all day. I can't believe that the Ford mechanics tie up a bay all day to do this.
 

xtela

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Posts
102
Reaction score
106
I think most mechanics use something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SRH5G/?tag=fordraptorforum-20
The shop manual lists a procedure for using one. It also checks for leaks before you fill. You use compressed air to pull a vacuum on the system. If it holds you should be leak free. Then you use the vacuum to pull in the new coolant. Its fast.
 
OP
OP
Ruger

Ruger

FRF Addict
Joined
May 16, 2011
Posts
9,194
Reaction score
8,263
Location
Northern Nevada
Thanks @xtela. My compressor only produces 60 psi. Turns out I didn't need to spend $150 on that tool and buy a new compressor anyway, and thank goodness!

I knew there was only a little air in the system for two reasons:
- I got 160 degree air from the vents when the truck was at temperature, and
- I kept the fluid I'd drained out, used that to refill the system, and only a few ounces were left.

So I drove it. I went to town 20 miles away, got a half-ton of pellets for the pellet stove, drove back home, parked the truck on my inclined driveway with the nose high, and let it cool completely. That did it! After it was cooled down I was able to pour the remaining coolant that I'd drained into the radiator, and needed a little more to bring the level in the reservoir to the fill line. I conclude that jacking up the front of the truck would have worked if I'd jacked it up a whole lot higher than I did. The trick here is to have the radiator higher than the heater core.

Many thanks to all who helped and advised.
 
Last edited:

Skiracer3

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2021
Posts
5
Reaction score
3
Location
Lake Elsinore, CA
Can you tell me where to get the "Square" O'Ring? Do you have a P/N? I have access to the round O'Ring (8255) but can't seem to locate the square one that goes on the thermostat. Additionally are you putting the round O'Ring in as well? The 8255 O'Ring does not have a groove for the O'Ring to sit in.
 

MTF

FRF Addict
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Posts
5,355
Reaction score
2,282
Location
Celebration, Florida
Last edited:

EricM

FRF Addict
Joined
May 11, 2016
Posts
3,137
Reaction score
2,565
Location
OHIO
Just gonna say "torque wrench" again...

Amazing how many guys tighten bolts by guessing at the correct torque on mission critical stuff.

Bolts need to be stretched a certain amount to both provide a clamp load and to not back off. Going beyond that stretch is a problem, and coming up short of that stretch is a problem as well. When you add in o-rings, overtightening is even more detrimental.

You can get a torque wrench on the t/stat housing bolts, so there is no reason not to use it other than being too lazy to get it out, or too cheap to buy one.
 

Skiracer3

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2021
Posts
5
Reaction score
3
Location
Lake Elsinore, CA
@Skiracer3

No, you do not use both, only the housing gasket that the thermostat fits in.

If someone tried to use both and tightened the two bolts too much,
It will deform the the thermostat housing and it will leak.

Thanks for the info. I'll give it a shot! This stupid leak, even though it's very small, really torques me!
 

602Raptor

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Posts
167
Reaction score
94
Location
Phoenix, AZ
@Skiracer3

No, you do not use both, only the housing gasket that the thermostat fits in.

If someone tried to use both and tightened the two bolts too much,
It will deform the the thermostat housing and it will leak.

I am in the process of doing this service. I purchased the F1VY-8255-A gasket and it is indeed an o-ring. it is NOT a "square" gasket and the thermostat will NOT fit inside this gasket. From reading this and other threads, I believe the correct part is indeed an o-ring as that's whats shown in the ford manual linked here. Similarly, I purchased Motorcraft thermostat TL3Z-8575-E which has a etching showing 88.9* C (192.02*F) IS this the correct part?

If I'm incorrect regarding the tstat or gasket, please let me know.
 

Attachments

  • tstat-ring1.jpg
    tstat-ring1.jpg
    145.5 KB · Views: 5
  • tstat-ring2.jpg
    tstat-ring2.jpg
    125.8 KB · Views: 5
Last edited:
Top