Ok guys. To the people not knowing whats going on. I had the car running good for the whole year except a doewl pin leak. Alright, about three weeks ago, the car would start up and blow a lot of white smoke and a little bit of blue smoke. This never happened before. then I noticed there was a coolant puddle on the intake manifold right under the mixture screw for the carb. The car was also over heating, almost 3/4 on the gauge. Then I got a intake gasket and intake o rings, themostat(oem). So, I flushed the cooland out of the engine on the right. It wouldn't come out the lower rad hose. Then took the carb off, intake manifold and put the new gasket and itake orings in. Got that all in good. Then put the new thermostat in hopefully to solve the overheating. Put everything back on and new coolant/water/water wetter and started it up. It would barely start and when it a was running, it was like crap. It was boggin and if I didn't give it gas, it would die. I found a little leak between where the thermostat housing and the top rad hose meet. Is the thermostat not opening enough and causing it to try and find a way out. Its weird. Its also leakin from the thermostat housing and the engine block. It didn't seem like there was a gasket. What ca be causing the car to run like crap. Soory its so long. I jsut hate spendind the holiday like this. Thnaks guys. God bless.


Oh ya, sorry. I used no gasket sealent on the intake gasket or the thermostat housing. Crap. I need it right?

 

On the leak issue for the thermostat, did you use gasket sealant to make sure you had a good seal? I've never gone with a straight gasket and not had a leak.

As for the running issue, does it not idle well below a certain RPM or does it just run badly at any rpm?

 

As far as it dieing, that sounds to me like a vacuum issue. Were the mating surfaces completely smooth when you put the carb and manifold back on?

And, as far as your leak, is it coming from the hose or the thermostat housing to the block?

 

I didn't use gasket sealant on anything. Woops. The thermostat housing didn't even seem to have a gasket. I'll check and redo evryting tomorrow or tonight. The car was running like crap at any rpm. the surface of the gasket on the intake mainfold and the engine block was knida smooth, i didn't think it would matter. I'm dumb. Its leaking from the rad hose and the thermostat housing.

 

You may want to dismantle everything again and have a scraper to ensure the mating surfaces are smooth. It doesn't take much of a vacuum to screw up an idle. The hose just seems like you haven't tightened it up enough.

 

Alright, darn. I guess i'll have to do this on Christmas. Oh well. I'll get some gasket sealer, My dad might have some. I hope i get it right the next time. Thanks guy sand open to anymore suggestions. Pray for me to get it runnign great. Merry Christmas. God bless

 

We all don't like redoing everything, we've all been there, and it's no fun. Which is why I always go by the adage: "If you don't have time to do it right, you must have time to do it over." Why not wait until after Christmas? Or, do you have to use the car afterwards?

 

happened to me too. forgot the sealant and redid the thermostat job 4 times before i found out.

needless to say, i can do a thermostat job in under 10 minutes now.

 

I'll redo it Christmas probably. Even though I can't drive(only got permit) alone I want to be able to cruise with my friend on tuesday. Just because. I miss the manual(never getting auto) and the 7 itself. I'll learn from my mistakes. Thanks guys. We(pops and I) are going to get gasket sealant in ten minutes and dump the colant so I can do the job without a mess. I'll let you guys know how everything goes.

 

I just got some sealant for the thermostat housnig and another for the intake manifold. I noticed the intake manifold gasket has a smoother side and a little bit rougher on the other side. Does it matter what way the smooth or roguh side faces the engine or the manifold? Maybe I'll do the work tomorrow. Will see. Thanks guys.

 

Your new thermostat should have come with a peel and stick gasket. I never use sealant, no need for it if the old gasket has been properly removed and the mating surfaces are smooth. If it didn't come with a gasket, make one out of the dark gray gasket sheet.

The intake leak may be due to an o-ring slipping during assembly. I use hylomar to hold them in place. The o-rings are installed on the block 1st, followed by the main gasket.

 

I didn't see a peel an stick gasket come with the thermostat. I'll check the box right now again. The leak isn't at the manifold though. Its where the thermostat housing meets the engine block. I'll jsut use the sealnt when I redo everything. Thanks guys.

There was no peel and stick gasket in the box. It doesn't really matter though now since I got the sealant.

 

Ok, I got the thermostat housing done with the sealant yesterday. So, thats finished up. Igot the intake manifold to the last nut, the one on the middle bottom left. Peice of crap. It somehow got stripped. What the heck should I do?

 

Was it a stud that stripped? If so, it can be removed and replaced. You will need to remove the intake mani for easier access.

 

No, sorry if im not making sense. Theres four bolts and two nuts that hold the intake manifold on. the left nut is stripped. The threads seem okay. I can barely see the nut(have to stick my head there), but it is defintaly stripped. I cant take the intake manifold off without getting this nut thats stripped. Are there special tools for strippe d nuts and bolts?

 

is the nut rounded out? if so, get these... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

you can get them alot cheaper than snap-on has them though

 

See if you can slip something under the nut and pry on it while trying to unscrew it. Or try a small pair of vise grips.

 

pb plaster and two pairs of vice grips.. may be difficult but should work

 

Old skool, It looks like thats the best choice. you guys think I could get http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...ore&dir=catalog at home depot or Lowes or something?

 

twinkletoes- i got a whole set of extractors from sears....

 

Sears, I forgot about them. I'll look online. thanks

 

Thanks so much dayton. Thanks to everyone else too. I found them on Sears website. I'll be going to sears tomorrow hopefully then. Take care guys. God bless

 

BAD NEWS: I got the special tool to get the stripped nut off. I take a look at the nut and part orf the threading and the nut are missing. Like a chunk was taken out of it when trying to take it off. Ththreading is really jacked up. What the hay? Help

 

rent a stud extracter from the local rental place and remove the stud, take it to the local napa, pep boys whatever they have in your area and get a replacement stud, nut and lockwasher. get a tube of locktight (blue, no need for the red) and locktight the stud in (lightly).

kenn

 

Ok, i'll see.