1961 Replacing radiator reservoir & thermostat

[For the Birds]

I have the reservoir off and this is unlike any thermostat set up i have dealt with before as the thermostat will go in sideways and the recess is on the reservoir neck. I think I need to stick the thermo to the reservoir recess before I put it on and I will be using RTV as a gasket. I am going to try to put a thin coating of RTV on the reservoir recess and stick the thermo to it - Anybody have this problem and have any ideas?

Also, I noticed the 5/8" hose from the block to the water pump is badly worn and the space is only barely 2 1/2' from block to pump. I have tried pushing it on and am having some trouble and bought a plastic coupling to try to use in the middle. Anybody done this before without taking off the water pump?

Thanks.

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[Ward 57]

I have the reservoir off and this is unlike any thermostat set up i have dealt with before as the thermostat will go in sideways and the recess is on the reservoir neck. I think I need to stick the thermo to the reservoir recess before I put it on and I will be using RTV as a gasket. I am going to try to put a thin coating of RTV on the reservoir recess and stick the thermo to it - Anybody have this problem and have any ideas?

Also, I noticed the 5/8" hose from the block to the water pump is badly worn and the space is only barely 2 1/2' from block to pump. I have tried pushing it on and am having some trouble and bought a plastic coupling to try to use in the middle. Anybody done this before without taking off the water pump?

Thanks.

If you are speaking of the by-pass hose they can get really hard. May be easier to just cut it in two and pull the ends off. As I did when replacing the lower radiator hose I stuck it on a bucket of really hot water to soften it up and made it more flexible. That may work for you when replacing. A dab of silicone grease may help.

 

[biddle]

@For the Birds since we are an all Thunderbird site, you can omit the make & model of your car in your title. I updated it to shorten it.

 

[For the Birds]

Thanks. I just went to a slightly larger diameter hose: the hose on there was 3/4 anyway and was easier to put a 3/4 back on rather than fight the 5/8" hose i was trying to get on.

the thermostat keeps sliding down and falls out of the recess on the reservoir housing. I thing I need to stick it with the black RTV and let it sit a day before trying to put it back on. The thermostat slides down with gravity and blocks a clean seal of the mating of the reservoir housing to the block. I would try another type of waterproof glue if that would work.

 

[Ward 57]

Thanks. I just went to a slightly larger diameter hose: the hose on there was 3/4 anyway and was easier to put a 3/4 back on rather than fight the 5/8" hose i was trying to get on.

the thermostat keeps sliding down and falls out of the recess on the reservoir housing. I thing I need to stick it with the black RTV and let it sit a day before trying to put it back on. The thermostat slides down with gravity and blocks a clean seal of the mating of the reservoir housing to the block. I would try another type of waterproof glue if that would work.

Maybe try putting the thermostat in the housing then using proper gasket sticky stuff on the gasket to kinda properly glue it in place as you align the housing.

 

[For the Birds]

Maybe try putting the thermostat in the housing then using proper gasket sticky stuff on the gasket to kinda properly glue it in place as you align the housing.

I stuck the thermostat into the housing with waterproof RTV and let it sit there overnight. When I put it back together i am going to slip the bolts in the housing first (one bolts the coil bracket to the block) and ease it into place so hopefully the thermo will stay in place. Thanks.